Royal National Park Sydney: Your Ultimate Guide

While driving is the easiest way to access the park, the ferry from Cronulla is much more picturesque and endearing. A single ferry motors back and forth between Cronulla and Bundeena, departing on the hour. Once you're at Cronulla Station, walk towards the marina. You'll see a small pier – it doesn't look like your typical transport hub. Keep your eye out for the wooden yellow and green boat and pay for your ticket on board using your credit or debit card (Opal cards aren't accepted). Sit back and you'll be in Bundeena in just over 20 minutes.

The full Coast Track walk is 26 kilometres and takes two days – but you can explore small portions to get a taste. Starting at Bundeena and walking to Little Marley Beach is a great option. It's easy enough for inexperienced bushwalkers, but still offers beautiful vantage points, a mixed bag of terrains, and plenty of happy snap ops. The route navigates the coastline, taking you over sandy red soil, through scrubby bushland, and along the sandstone cliffs. Make sure you take plenty of water. We'd highly recommend packing your own picnic, too. Please note: The Coast Track between Garie and Little Garie are closed at the moment due to erosion. Check here for the latest updates.

This lagoon is a top spot for picnicking, swimming or bringing that oversized inflatable to lay about in the water. It's popular with day trippers – and unfortunately in recent times it has become a bit of a dumping ground – so make sure you follow the 'leave no trace behind' ethos and take all your rubbish with you and respect the beautiful spot. Or, even better, help clean up after less considerate visitors too.

This slice of Sydney coastline is one of the most Instagrammed spots in the region – its angled edge and white colouring makes it a dramatic feature of the coastal walk. It may not be around forever though – it's eroding and isn't stable enough to handle constant weight, so you're no longer allowed to step on its pristine surface.

This beach break rolls out solid left and right waves. The north corner has good banks most of the time but you'll find it pretty crowded on weekends. Instead, stroll ten minutes south across the rocks, where you'll find an ace left point break. If you're lucky you may bump into one of the local friendly seals, who are known to playfully mount surfer's boards while in the line-up.

This secluded beach has rock pools, a fresh water stream (which leads to the Marley Lagoon) and crashing waves. Make this a pitstop or final destination on your hike from Bundeena, and explore the impressive sand dunes. The beach isn't patrolled, so be extra careful while swimming or avoid the water if you're not a confident merperson.

Ignore TLC and go chasing waterfalls – the walk from Wattamolla to Curracurrong Falls is a scenic but slightly difficult hike. The creek splits into two streams, each flowing off into the ocean straight over the edge of the sandstone cliff – you can see a long horsetail display as it flows into the sea below.

While the Royal National Park boasts some bracing coastal treks, this gentler walk through sun-dappled foliage has quiet charms all of its own. The 4.4km loop takes around an hour to cover and the largely flat terrain makes it easily manageable by the less mobile and kids alike. Surrounded by towering eucalyptus and casuarinas, the waters of Hacking River close by, cabbage tree palms and Gymea lilies (which flower in winter) lining the path – this is one of the most sublimely calming spots you can find.

These beautifully formed rock pools attract a frenzy of people over summer, but on a bad day, they've seen more than 50 people injured trying to reach the sparkling waters. If you are going to go, be smart – check the tides and swells and don't risk it if it's not safe. You can only access them at low tide when the swell is small. 

Make your way to the Park's nerve centre Audley, once the heart of the park's Victorian 'pleasure gardens'. Here you'll find the main visitor centre, spacious lawns, an old-fashioned dance hall, and a causeway. You can hire a canoe or rowing boat from the Audley Boatshed and head upstream to picnic spots at Ironbark Flat or Wattle Forest.