Garie Beach YHA

Download & Print Map and Notes

45 mins

1.3 km Return

68 m

Moderate track

**On 02/12/2010 this YHA was completely destroyed by fire and plans for the future are not yet decided** This track is the only access to Garie Beach YHA. If you leave your car in the Garie Beach car park it is easy to head up to the hostel, before spending the rest of your time down at the beach. The hostel is basic, but luxurious for a week of surfing or exploring the coast. The YHA is not staffed and is locked, so you need to pay and pick up a key from Sydney if you wish to stay.

Garie Beach

Garie Beach, Royal National Park, is a large, south-east facing, yellow sand beach. The beach is backed by steep headlands and gullies. There is a large car park at the end of Garie Rd for access to the beach. Garie Beach is popular for surfing, patrolled 9am-5pm from December to January. Facilities include toilets, kiosk, picnic tables, cold showers and Surf Life Saving Club. The water from the shower should be treated before drinking, this water comes from a tank and may be unavailable during dry periods. More info.

(0km) Garie Beach Car Park → Garie Beach YHA

650 m

16 mins

54m

-14m Moderate track

From the car park, the walk heads approximately 200m along the beach, keeping the ocean to your right, to the intersection below the stairs (leading up the hill on the left).
Turn left: From the intersection, this walk follows the stairs away from the ocean. The track winds up the hill steeply then continues for approximately 350m along the hillside, in and out of a gully, to rise up to the cabin signposted as 'YHA Garie Beach'.

YHA Garie Beach - Destroyed

**On 02/12/2010 this hut was completely destroyed by fire and plans for the future are not yet decided . Accommodation no longer available Garie Beach YHA Youth Hostel, in Royal National Park, is a basic but comfortable cabin. The unstaffed and locked cabin is situated north of Garie Beach car park, high on the hill behind the next gully. The cabin contains solar lighting, water, gas kitchen, a 'loo with a view' and the capacity to sleep twelve people. You need to provide your own bed sheets and toilet paper. The cabin costs $17.50/adult per night, with the potential to rent the youth hostel out for a week. The key must be picked up from YHA Kent St, Sydney, prior to arrival at the YHA. The key has a $50.00 deposit. To make a booking phone 9261 1111. More info.

Maps for the Garie Beach YHA 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.

Otford	1:25 000 Map Series	91294S OTFORD	NSW-91294S
Port Hacking	1:100 000 Map Series	9129 PORT HACKING	9129

Cross sectional view of the Garie Beach YHA bushwalking track

Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Garie Beach YHA

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	1.3 km
		Time	45 mins
		.
Grade 3/6 Moderate track	AS 2156.1	Gradient	Short steep hills (3/6)
		Quality of track	Formed track, with some branches and other obstacles (3/6)
		Signs	Clearly signposted (1/6)
		Experience Required	No experience required (1/6)
		Weather	Weather generally has little impact on safety (1/6)
		Infrastructure	Generally useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats) (1/6)

Some more details of this walks Grading

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

Gradient

Around 340m of this walk has short steep hills, whilst the remaining 310m has gentle hills with occasional steps.

Quality of track

This whole walk, 650m follows a formed track, with some branches and other obstacles.

Signs

This whole walk, 650m is clearly signposted.

Experience Required

This whole walk, 650m requires no previous bushwalking experience.

weather

This whole walk, 650m is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation).

Infrastructure

This whole walk, 650m is close to useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats).

Similar walks

A list of walks that share part of the track with the Garie Beach YHA walk.

Curra Moors car park to Garie Beach

4.4 km One way, 1 hr 45 mins

This walk is another Royal National Park classic. The walk comes off a ridge to join with the Coastal Track's tour of the beaches. The walk starts at the small Curra Moors car park and heads through the heath and bush to the rock shelf at the coast. The track ends at Garie Beach. The beach has a kio

Total climbing: 65m

Hard track

Wattamolla to Garie Beach

7.6 km One way, 3 hrs 30 mins

The Wattamolla to Garie Beach walk is a scenic coastal stroll which takes you along the top of the coastal cliffs, before dropping down to the fantastic Garie Beach. The coastal cliffs give views out to sea, with many ledges also giving views down onto the waves crashing into the rock. The descent o

Total climbing: 317m

Hard track

Garie Beach to Eagle Rock

7.7 km Return, 3 hrs

This walk, from Garie Beach to Eagle Rock, is another great way to explore the Royal National Park coastline. Eagle Rock is an iconic rock formation in the park, and this lookout provides a great view of it. The walk then returns to the expansive Garie Beach, offering more great views as you head d

Total climbing: 344m

Hard track

Curra Moors Loop

9.2 km Circuit, 3 hrs 30 mins

A pleasant walk with some great views, mostly along service trails. The walk passes through heath and some areas of trees (flowering in spring). This walk follows the Coastal Track along the headland, giving great views along the coast and out to sea.

Total climbing: 242m

Hard track

Mowlee Ridge to Garie Beach

13.3 km One way, 5 hrs

This is a long and scenic walk down to Garie Beach. The walk travels along the ridge and then the heath covered cliff edge, with views over the coast and far out to see, as it meanders along to the beautiful Garie Beach. The descent from the headland onto Garie Beach also gives magnificent views of

Total climbing: 357m

Hard track

The Coast Track (Otford to Bundeena)

27.4 km One way, 2 Days

Following the coast through the Royal National Park with its magnificent coastal views, this walk is truly amazing. Although walked traditionally from Bundeena, this direction makes for a shorter first day. There are coastal and cliff views along much of this walk. There are also a small house commu

Total climbing: 1244m

Hard track

The Coast Track

27.4 km One way, 2 Days

Heading south, this walk covers the coastline of the Royal National Park and can truly only be described as amazing. With breathtaking coastal views from Bundeena to Otford this walk follows the cliffs along a well managed and signposted track. You will enjoy the truly fantastic views out to sea an

Total climbing: 1351m

Hard track

Other Nearby walks

A list of walks that start near the Garie Beach YHA walk.

Garie Beach to Garawarra to Burning Palms Circuit

13.5 km Circuit, 7 hrs

Using a variety of tracks, this walk follows the coast as well as going inland to Garrawarra Farm. With great coastal views and a magnificent palm jungle, this walk demonstrates perfectly, the diversity of the Royal National Park. Of historical significance are the houses scattered along the coast t

Total climbing: 754m

Hard track

Garie Beach to Helensburgh (The Burgh Track)

11 km One way, 4 hrs 30 mins

This walk has a great mixture of ocean cliffs, with fantastic views, and beautiful forest. The walk follows the well maintained Burgh Track, passing great views of the ocean and the cliffs, before turning inland and exploring some eucalypt forest on the way to Helensburgh. The environment and views

Total climbing: 664m

Hard track

Garie Beach to North Era Beach

3.2 km Return, 2 hrs

This walk is the shortest walk to North Era Beach and starts from the Garie car park. Both beaches are popular surfing beaches, and have either camping or basic hostel accommodation. This makes the walk between the beaches an excellent way to transport boards and supplies for your surf retreat, week

Total climbing: 242m

Moderate track

Garie Road to Era Loop

5 km Circuit, 2 hrs 15 mins

This walk covers a great cross section of the environments in the Royal National park, with plenty of places to rest and take in the views. The walk follows the Squeeze Way from Garie Rd, then heads down Stockyard Spur to Era Gully. The walk then heads up to the old Garawarra Farm, via Burgh Ridge,

Total climbing: 271m

Hard track

Stockyard spur to Garie Beach

3.3 km One way, 1 hr 45 mins

The walk down Stockyard Spur to Garie Beach is an excellent way to take in coastal views before following the Coastal Track. This is great if you are with a driver who is happy to drop you and wait for you are Garie Beach, or if you can do a car shuffle. You can always just walk back up. There ar

Total climbing: 142m

Hard track

The Wallumarra Track to Bola Creek

4.7 km One way, 1 hr 45 mins

This walk becomes more interesting once you reach the end of the service trail section and start on the bush track. There are great views going down the hill, and once at Bola Creek the track meanders alongside the creek, through a dark forest, until meeting up with Lady Carrington Dr.

Total climbing: 74m

Moderate track

Wallumarra to Palona Cave

11.8 km Return, 4 hrs 30 mins

Winding next to Bola Creek, the Wallumarra bush track is very pretty, as is the track to Palona. Great rest areas at Bola Picnic Area, and next to the waterfall at Palona Cave, cap off a great walk. While the Wallumarra service trail and the side trip to the Beehives are not the most interesting tr

Total climbing: 439m

Hard track

Wallumarra Track to Forest Way

12.5 km Circuit, 4 hrs 30 mins

Initially following a section of service trail, this walk heads along the ridge before descending to Bola Creek. The walk becomes more enjoyable after the service trail section, especially down on the creek as the walk winds its way through the forest. After a short break at the Bola Picnic Area, th

Total climbing: 470m

Moderate track

Burning Palms loop from Garawarra

8.2 km Circuit, 3 hrs 30 mins

This walk explores a variety of environments through the Royal National Park. From the old Garawarra farm, the walk heads along the Squeeze Way then down a ridge to Burning Palms. There is an optional side trip out to Figure Eight pools. Burning Palms offers a nice beach and a great place to rest

Total climbing: 398m

Hard track

Garawarra Farm carpark to figure eight pools

6 km Return, 2 hrs 30 mins

This return walk starts from the old Garawarra Farm car park and heads down the ridge through the Royal National Park, to the coast. The walk then follows the coast, through Burning Palms beach, and around the base of the headland to the famous Figure Eight Pools. This walk explores 4 distinct env

Total climbing: 273m

Hard track

Garawarra Farm to Garie Beach

3.9 km One way, 2 hrs

This walk starts at the large Garawarra Farm car park taking the ridge straight down to the coast. Look for the change in vegetation as you descend along the spur to the Coastal Track, before beach hopping your way to Garie Beach. The track is a great way to see some of Sydney's best coast, with ple

Total climbing: 156m

Moderate track

Wises Track

4.1 km One way, 1 hr 30 mins

This isn't a particularly special walk, but is a nice way to see different heath environments. The walk follows an old road which has now been turned into a service trail. There are many wildflowers and banksia along this walk, providing great flower displays in the warmer months of the year.

Total climbing: 50m

Moderate track