First came the mega-hike of the Bondi to Manly coastal walk, an 80km trail linking several existing paths along some of Sydney’s most popular waterside stretches. However, now there’s a new big walk coming for Bondi to Manly’s gig. A 91km pathway tracing Sydney’s waterfronts between the Sydney Opera House and Parramatta Park is set to become the longest continuous walking trail in the city. The $60-million project is expected to be officially announced when the state government unveils its next budget.
The trail will visit 18 suburbs along Sydney Harbour and the Parramatta River and will also feature a cycle path. The concept was first proposed in 2020 by public policy think tank the McKell Institute, before being adopted by current NSW premier Dominic Perrottet. Currently, just 22 kilometres of the waterfront between Bennelong Point and Parramatta have accessible pedestrian rights of way. This is mainly due to areas of the foreshore that are part of private residences and developments. The state government is still negotiating with local councils and developers to find ways to overcome these issues and as yet, no completion date for the project has been announced. So for now, Bondi to Manly will remain the most ambitious amble in the Harbour City.