Bushwalking track notes, photographs, maps and more for Marley Track hiking trail are found in each of the tabs below
Marley Track
Time
Distance
Climb
Style
4 Hrs 30 mins
10.9 km
354 m
Circuit
3.8 km SW of Bundeena
Royal National Park
Track: Hard
This walk takes you down from the ridge to the quiet Deer Pool on Marley Creek. You pass the Big and Little Marley beaches with an optional side trip to Wattamola Dam. This side trip is well worth it on a hot day to take a dip. The track then leads away from the coast to loop back to the same place on the Bundeena Drive.
Bushwalking can be fun and interesting when you are well prepared. Please ensure you and your group are well prepared and equipped for all possible dangers. The authors, staff and owners of wildwalks take care in preparing these notes but do not accept responsibility for any inconvenience, loss or injury sustained when using these notes. Please take care and feel free to provide feedback through our website. Please note that side trips and alternate routes mentioned in these notes are not included in the tracks overall rating, distance or time estimate. The notes also only describe the side trip and alternate routes in one direction.
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(0 km) Int. Marley Trk and Bundeena Drive to Deer Pools Clearing Track: Hard - Bush Track
Distance = 1.9 km
Time = 35 mins
Climb = 13 m
Descent = -96 m
From the road the track heads south east down the hill. The track continues past a pipeline with white spray painted arrows leading down the hill for approximately 1.5km. The track winds down to a clearing on the left as the track tends right, to the waterfall. The track passes over the top of the waterfall to head up to a clearing.
Deer Pool
Alt = 12
Deer Pool, Royal National Park, is a small but very nice set of falls that run into a pool with a small sandy bank. The waterfall above Deer Pool is fed by Marley Creek which continues into Marley Lagoon, behind Big Marley Beach.
(1.88 km) Deer Pools Clearing to Int. Mowlee Ridge Trail and Marley Trk Track: Hard - Bush Track
Distance = 0.6 km
Time = 10 mins
Climb = 39 m
Descent = -2 m
From the clearing the track leads south east up the hill through dense scrub. The track follows sprayed white dashes on the rocks up the hill to pass a rocky platform, on the left, approximately 300m up. The track continues past the rocky platform for approximately 100m to the intersection on the ridgeline.
(2.43 km) Int. Mowlee Ridge Trail and Marley Trk to North end of Chimney Trk Track: Moderate - Service Trail
Distance = 1 km
Time = 15 mins
Climb = 10 m
Descent = -40 m
From the intersection the track heads down the north east down the hill. The track winds and undulates for approximately 500m to a rocky platform on the right. The track continues north east winding down the hill as it tends right, to a sign marked clearing backed by boulders on the eastern side.
(3.44 km) North end of Chimney Trk to Int. Coastal Trk and Chimney Trk Track: Moderate - Bush Track
Distance = 0.1 km
Time = 2 mins
Climb = 0 m
Descent = -10 m
From the intersection the track follows the arrow on the sign, over the rocks. The track heads south past the ruins of a chimney on the right. The track heads down the hill for approximately 100m to turn left and continue to the intersection.
(3.55 km) Int. Coastal Trk and Chimney Trk to West Marley Beach Optional Side Trip: Track: Moderate - Bush Track
Distance = 0.2 km
Time = 4 mins
Climb = 4 m
Descent = -5 m
From the intersection the track heads north along the flat bushtrack and the cliff-edge. This continues until in the final section the track desends steeply off the rockshelf and down a rough bushtrack to the west end of Marley Beach. During this section of the track follows closely beside the cliff edge. To assist walkers in getting down these cut rock-stairs have been installed into the rockshelf. There are also several sections where they have installed small sections of boardwalk and footbridge. These are largely to prevent the erosion of the cliff-edge and the vulnerable plants that live there.
Big Marley
Alt = 1
Big Marley Beach, Royal National Park, is a large beach of approximately 400m in length. However, this beach is made special by the large dune area behind the beach which runs into the Marley Lagoon. The lagoon is fed y Marley Creek and the surrounding catchment. The beach is not patrolled and dangerous surf conditions are experienced here. The little brother of Big Marley, Little Marley Beach, is a more protected beach with safer conditons for swimming. For information on this beaches pollution levels follow the more info link. More info
(3.55 km) Int. Coastal Trk and Chimney Trk to Little Marley Beach Track: Moderate - Bush Track
Distance = 0.4 km
Time = 5 mins
Climb = 7 m
Descent = -13 m
From the intersection the track heads south-west for a short while before descending to Little Marley Beach. From the ridge the beach is easy to see but once the track starts to go down the scrub becomes very high, and as such it feels like the track is going through a tunnel with only glimpses of the ocean and cliffs before emerging on Little Marley Beach.
Little Marley
Alt = 3
Little Marley Beach, Royal National Park, approximately 140m long is the small neighbouring beach south of Big Marley Beach. The beach is not patrolled but has safer surf conditions between its low rocky headlands than Big Marley Beach. For information on this beaches pollution levels follow the more info link. More info
(3.99 km) Little Marley Beach to Int. Coastal Trk NE of Wattamolla Ck Track: Moderate - Bush Track
Distance = 2.1 km
Time = 50 mins
Climb = 174 m
Descent = -96 m
From Little Marley Beach the track heads south climbing to the clifftop using a well-signposted bushtrack. Once on the ridge the track follows the rockshelf for a short period before changing onto a metal footbridge. This continues along the scrub vegetation with short periods where the track changes back to being on the rockshelf above the cliff until the track changes to purely being a well managed bushtrack going through the high scrub. Shortly before tcoming to an intersection the track turns slightly to the north-west. This intersection is marked with a large green sign post saying 'Coast Track'.
Wattamolla Dam
Alt = 21
Wattamolla pool, Royal National Park, is a quiet spot for a dip just south of the Coastal Tracks crossing of Wattamolla Creek. The pool is artificially made from a stone wall being built below a small waterfall.
(6.08 km) Int. Coastal Trk NE of Wattamolla Ck to Int. Mowlee Ridge Trail and Marley Trk Track: Moderate - Service Trail
Distance = 2.4 km
Time = 35 mins
Climb = 13 m
Descent = -45 m
From the intersection the track heads north west down the left hand side of the spur. The track then descends onto the saddle and continues north west through the thick wall of scrub either side, to the intersection approximately 400m down the hill. From the intersection the track heads east for approximately 500m over speed bumps in the track. The track then turns left, north east, for approximately 600m slightly down hill to the sign marked intersection.
(8.44 km) Int. Mowlee Ridge Trail and Marley Trk to Int. Marley Trk and Bundeena Drive Track: Hard - Bush Track
Distance = 2.4 km
Time = 45 mins
Climb = 98 m
Descent = -52 m
From the intersection the track heads north west along the flat trail which runs throguh the scrub. The track continues for approximately 100m then begins to descend after passing a rockshelf on the right. The track continues for approximately 300m following the sprayed white dashes through the dense scrub to a clearing. From the intersection the track heads north west across the top of the waterfall. The track follows the direction of the sign over the top of the waterfall to the other side. The track passes a clearing on the right as it continues up the hill following the sprayed white dashes up the hill. The track leads up the hill for approximately 1.5km to the road which appears soon after a pipeline with white spray painted arrows.
Hiking near Sydney 
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