Little Beach to Mount Bouddi Track

(0km) Grahame Dr car park → Little Beach

600 m
11 mins
1m
-46m

Moderate track

From the car park, this walk follows the ‘Little Beach’ sign along the management trail, passing around a gate. The walk heads down the hill, crosses a creek, and climbs up the hill out of the gully. The walk then winds down to a signposted intersection, with a bush track to the right.
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk heads down the hill, following the ‘Little Beach 200m’ sign. After approximately 300m, the walk comes to Little Beach campsite and continues to the point where the creek meets the beach.

Little Beach

Little Beach, Bouddi National Park, is a small 100m-long stretch of sand and rocks, facing out to the Tasman Sea and South Pacific Ocean. The beach is backed by a gully and sided by steep rocky headlands. The beach has a south easterly aspect and has its own campsite.

(0.6km) Little Beach → Int. Bouddi Trail Access and Little Beach Trk

320 m
6 mins
26m
0m

Moderate track

Turn around: From Little Beach, this walk heads up the grass hill of the campsite, leaving the beach behind. The walk follows the track past the bins and the toilet, going up the hill. The walk continues uphill for a while to the signposted intersection.

(0.91km) Int. Bouddi Trail Access and Little Beach Trk → Sandy Clearing Little Beach Access Trail Int.

460 m
15 mins
77m
0m

Hard track

Turn left: From the intersection, this walk heads up the hill, following the ‘Maitland Bay’ sign. The track winds up the hill, tending left along a white sandy section of track, then continues through the scrub for approximately 300m to the signposted intersection in a large sandy clearing.

(1.37km) Sandy Clearing Little Beach Access Trail Int. → Int. Graham Drive Carpark Trk and Bouddi Trail

640 m
11 mins
12m
-8m

Moderate track

Veer right: From the intersection, this walk follows the ‘Bombi Point’ arrow along the sandy track, going down the hill. The track winds down the hill for some time before climbing to the signposted intersection.
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the management trail down the hill, keeping the sea far on the left of the track. The trail continues down to a large sandy area marked by a ‘Little Beach car park’ sign.

(2.01km) Int. Graham Drive Carpark Trk and Bouddi Trail → Int. Bouddi Trail and Dingeldei Picnic Trail

1.8 km
45 mins
97m
-147m

Moderate track

Veer left: From the intersection, this walk follows the management trail down the hill, in the opposite direction to the Little Beach car park. The trail winds down the spur for some time, then straightens out and continues for a while before ending in a larger clear area, signposted ‘Bouddi Coastal Walk’.
Turn right: From the clearing, this walk follows the ‘Maitland Bay’ arrow along the bush track, going down the hill and keeping the ocean to the left. The walk then descends and climbs steeply, with numerous steps, crossing two creeks, before coming to a third creek crossing with a wooden bridge. From the bridge, the walk climbs to the top of the stairs then continues along the hillside to the signposted intersection.

(3.8km) Int. Bouddi Coastal Trk and Dingeldei Picnic Trail → S.S. Maitland Shipwreck

700 m
20 mins
21m
-82m

Hard track

Turn left: From the intersection, the walk follows the ‘Maitland Bay’ arrow along the bush track, going down the hill. After a while, the walk drops into a clearing, on the saddle between the headland and the spur, and turns right, going down some steep steps to the beach.
Turn left: From the intersection, this walk follows the cliff line out towards the sea, beneath the rocky headland. The walk heads over rocks and boulders, to the rock flats at the point. Here lies the S.S.Maitland shipwreck. At the end of this side trip, retrace your steps back to the main walk then Veer left.

S.S. Maitland Shipwreck

The S.S. Maitland was a paddle steamer brought to Australia from Glasgow, Scotland, to transport people and cargo between the Hunter and the Hawkesbury Rivers. There was no rail line from Newcastle to Sydney in the 1800’s. The Maitland was on its route out of the Barrenjoey Headlands when it was overwhelmed by the aptly-named ‘Maitland Gale’. The storm which wrecked the Maitland also took numerous other ships on May 6, 1898. Of the 36 passengers aboard the Maitland, 24 lost their lives. Many of the survivors were commended for their heroism. Wreckage of the Maitland can still be seen today, with parts of the boiler and a section of the iron hull strewn across the rock flats of the point. The bay was previously known as Boat Harbour, then renamed Maitland Bay after the disaster in 1898. More info.

(3.8km) Int. Bouddi Trail and Dingeldei Picnic Trail → Bouddi Lookout

350 m
8 mins
56m
0m

Moderate track

Turn right: From the intersection, this walk follows the ‘Mt Bouddi’ arrow up the hill. The walk climbs many steps to the lookout, at the top of a small rocky hill.

Bouddi Lookout

Bouddi Lookout, Bouddi National Park, is a great first look at the Bouddi Coast as you come out of the bush on Bouddi Spur. There are views of the Pacific Ocean crashing into the heath covered headlands in front of the lookout. Not as grand a view as other lookouts in the area, but worth a pause on your way to the Bouddi Coast Track.

(4.15km) Bouddi Lookout → Dingeldei Picnic Area and Carpark

890 m
21 mins
74m
-38m

Moderate track

Continue straight: From the lookout the walk follows the bush track away from the sea, across a saddle, and goes up the hill. The track meanders for some time before climbing some sets of stairs to reach the Dingeldei Picnic Area and Mt Bouddi car park (at the end of Mt Bouddi Rd, off Scenic Road).

The Dingeldei Memorial Shelter

The Dingeldei Memorial Shelter was built in 1962, thanks to volunteers. A.W. (Bill) Dingeldei was a trustee of the park who did considerable work on it himself. Today the Dingeldei picnic area is a quiet, leafy spot, perched on the hill behind Mount Bouddi. The picnic area contains a picnic table, toilets, BBQ and rubbish facilities. It also has a new car park with ample spaces.

Maps for the Little Beach to Mount Bouddi Track walk

You can download the PDF for this walk to print a map.
These maps below cover the walk and the wider area around the walk, they are worth carrying for safety reasons.

Broken Bay	1:25 000 Map Series	91301N BROKEN BAY	NSW-91301N
Sydney	1:100 000 Map Series	9130 SYDNEY	9130

Cross sectional view of the Little Beach to Mount Bouddi Track bushwalking track

Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Little Beach to Mount Bouddi Track

Overview of this walks grade – based on the AS 2156.1 – 2001

Under this standard, a walk is graded based on the most difficult section of the walk.

		Length	5 km
		Time	2 hrs 30 mins
		.
Grade 4/6 Hard track	AS 2156.1	Gradient	Short steep hills (3/6)
		Quality of track	Rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely (4/6)
		Signs	Directional signs along the way (3/6)
		Experience Required	No experience required (1/6)
		Weather	Weather generally has little impact on safety (1/6)
		Infrastructure	Limited facilities, not all cliffs are fenced (3/6)

Some more details of this walks Grading

Here is a bit more details explaining grading looking at sections of the walk

Gradient

Around 2.7km of this walk has short steep hills, whilst the remaining 2.4km has gentle hills with occasional steps.

Quality of track

4.3km of this walk follows a formed track, with some branches and other obstacles and another 460m follows a rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely. The remaining (280m) follows a clear and well formed track or trail.

Signs

Around 4.4km of this walk has directional signs at most intersection, whilst the remaining 630m is clearly signposted.

Experience Required

This whole walk, 5km requires no previous bushwalking experience.

weather

This whole walk, 5km is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation).

Infrastructure

Around 3.2km of this walk has limited facilities (such as not all cliffs fenced), whilst the remaining 1.9km is close to useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats).

Plan your trip to and from the walk here

The Little Beach to Mount Bouddi Track walk starts at the Grahame Dr car park (gps: -33.509886, 151.41234)
Your main transport option to Grahame Dr car park is by;

Car. There is free parking available.
(get details)

The Little Beach to Mount Bouddi Track ends at the Dingeldei Picnic Area and Carpark (gps: -33.516278, 151.40326)
Your main transport option to Dingeldei Picnic Area and Carpark is by;

Car. There is free parking available.
(get details)

Fire Danger

Each park may have its own fire ban, this rating is only valid for today and is based on information from the RFS Please check the RFS Website for more information.

Weather Forest

This walk starts in the Hunter weather district always check the formal BOM forecast or pdf before starting your walk.

Forecast snapshot

Little Beach to Mount Bouddi Track

(0km) Grahame Dr car park → Little Beach

Moderate track

Little Beach

(0.6km) Little Beach → Int. Bouddi Trail Access and Little Beach Trk

Moderate track

(0.91km) Int. Bouddi Trail Access and Little Beach Trk → Sandy Clearing Little Beach Access Trail Int.

Hard track

(1.37km) Sandy Clearing Little Beach Access Trail Int. → Int. Graham Drive Carpark Trk and Bouddi Trail

Moderate track

(2.01km) Int. Graham Drive Carpark Trk and Bouddi Trail → Int. Bouddi Trail and Dingeldei Picnic Trail

Moderate track

(3.8km) Int. Bouddi Coastal Trk and Dingeldei Picnic Trail → S.S. Maitland Shipwreck

Hard track

S.S. Maitland Shipwreck

(3.8km) Int. Bouddi Trail and Dingeldei Picnic Trail → Bouddi Lookout

Moderate track

Bouddi Lookout

(4.15km) Bouddi Lookout → Dingeldei Picnic Area and Carpark

Moderate track

The Dingeldei Memorial Shelter

Maps for the Little Beach to Mount Bouddi Track walk

Cross sectional view of the Little Beach to Mount Bouddi Track bushwalking track

Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Little Beach to Mount Bouddi Track

Overview of this walks grade – based on the AS 2156.1 – 2001

Some more details of this walks Grading

Gradient

Quality of track

Signs

Experience Required

weather

Infrastructure

Similar walks

Other Nearby walks

Plan your trip to and from the walk here

Fire Danger

Weather Forest

Park Information & Alerts

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