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Wattamolla Beach: A Hidden Lagoon, Waterfall & Escape from Sydney

When my boss called Wattamolla his favourite childhood beach, I pictured a quiet hidden cove. Instead, I arrived to a crowded weekday scene. After spending the day there I can now see why it draws in such a big crowd.

📍 Location: Royal Nat’l Park NSW 2232

🚗 Getting There: There are no public transport options. The drive in is around 1-1.5 hours from Sydney city. There are many parking bays but the gates close when they are full so I recommend coming in the morning.

💰 Park Fees: $12 day passes can be bought at the gate or you can use a NSW park annual pass.

Wattamolla beach is no doubt an iconic beach that draws in many crowds both domestically and internationally. I was pretty surprised at how many international tourists were on the beach, as getting to the beach is a bit of a trek and requires a car. However, after exploring the area I can see why many people would go out of their way to rent a car to explore this beautiful area.

Wattamolla is not just a beach but it’s also a sandbar where the waterfall meets the sea. It makes for a really unique set up, where you can choose to swim in the lagoon or the ocean. When I went it was around 35°C+ but the ocean was freezing. It honestly felt like an ice bath and was in stark contrast to the lagoon which was pleasantly warm.

There are BBQ facilities right next to the parking lot and there is plenty of grass above the falls that would be great to host a picnic on. Walking in, you are greeted by the famous (or infamous) cliff jumping spot that I find very reminiscent to Jerusalem Bay (see my 1st post here). The cliff jumping is really popular and you can’t miss the usual queue of people lining up to jump. I will say though, I am always an advocated for sending it and having fun, but it’s important to note that there is no phone reception on the beach. So please exercise extra care when doing anything here as its hard to get help if needed!

Even if my photos don’t showcase how busy this place usually gets, it is very crowded. Not Bondi Beach level crowded but for being in a national park there are plenty of other beaches in the area you can explore if you want to ditch the crowds. However, with the parking being so convenient and the set up being so unique, I highly recommend you check it out first-hand. My recommendation: grab an esky full of cold ribenas, a solid crew who loves swimming and adrenaline, and you’ll have a blast.

This is a little bonus micro-itinerary, especially for anyone reading this who is planning on renting a car. But the Royal National Park has so many interesting spots to check out. My personal favourites are: Karloo Pool, Wedding Cake Rock, and Figure Eight Pools. Try to hit off these places on the same day and if you’re keen for a hike — the short hike to Eagle Rock is right next to Wattamolla!

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions or comments leave one down below. Until next month, have a great day friends!