Cullendulla Beach track
Cullendulla Creek Nature Reserve
Overview
A secluded stretch of sand in the protected waters of Batemans Bay, Cullendulla Beach offers terrific swimming, birding and a great place to launch a canoe up the creek.
- Accessibility
- Medium
- Distance
- 2km return
- Time suggested
- 30min - 1hr
- Grade
- Grade 3
- What to
bring - Drinking water, hat, sunscreen
- Please note
- Shore birds are best seen on low tide. It’s a good idea to check the tides charts beforehand.
- Remember to take your binoculars if you want to birdwatch
- Recreational fishing is allowed in the bay. However, Cullendulla Creek is a sanctuary zone, so it’s a good idea to check the recreational fishing maps for permitted activities.
Just an easy walk along a beautiful boardwalk, Cullendulla Beach has pride of place in the nature reserve, right at the mouth of the creek where it enters the bay. Superb views to Snapper Island and the Tollgate Islands are paired with plenty of things to do, including picnicking.
In low tide, this is a great spot for birding, with local and migratory species such as curlews and oystercatchers feeding on the sandy flats near the beach. Sometimes large flocks of swans collect nearby, offering dramatic displays when they take off or land on the bay. Though unpatrolled, the water’s relative calmness means Cullendulla Beach also offers an opportunity to swim. Or for something a little more adventurous, drag out the canoe and drift up the creek for a leisurely afternoon.
Map
Map legend
Local alerts
For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/walking-tracks/cullendulla-beach-track/local-alerts
General enquiries
- National Parks Contact Centre
- 7am to 7pm daily
- 1300 072 757 (13000 PARKS) for the cost of a local call within Australia excluding mobiles
- parks.info@environment.nsw.gov.au
Park info
- in Cullendulla Creek Nature Reserve in the South Coast region
Cullendulla Creek Nature Reserve is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
Visitor info
All the practical information you need to know about Cullendulla Beach track.
Track grading
Features of this track
Distance
2km return
Time
30min - 1hr
Quality of markings
Clearly sign posted
Experience required
No experience required
Gradient
Flat
Steps
No steps
Quality of path
Formed track, some obstacles
Getting there and parking
Get driving directions
Cullendulla Beach is in the western precinct of Cullendulla Creek Nature Reserve. To get there from Batemans Bay:
- Follow the Princes Highway to North Batemans Bay and Surfside, turning right onto Peninsula Drive.
- Turn into McLeod Street, Timbara Crescent, then Myamba Parade.
- A carpark is available off Myamba Parade, adjacent to Surfside Beach. The walk starts from here: follow a short boardwalk to Cullendulla Beach.
Parking
Parking is available at a public carpark off Myamba Parade, Surfside.
Best times to visit
Spring
Migratory birds arrive from Russia, Asia, northeast China, and Europe for the warmer months, foraging on the sand flats where you can see them from Cullendulla Beach.
Summer
Break out the canoe or kayak and beat the summer heat with a refreshing paddle up Cullendulla Creek.
Winter
Make the short hike to Square Head to do the Mangrove walk, watching how the landscape changes in high and low tide.
Weather, temperature and rainfall
Summer temperature
Average
15.5°C and 23.5°C
Highest recorded
43.3°C
Winter temperature
Average
6.5°C and 17.2°C
Lowest recorded
0°C
Rainfall
Wettest month
March
Driest month
August
The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day
275.3mm
Maps and downloads
Accessibility
Disability access level - medium
- A flat boardwalk winds from the carpark to Cullendulla Beach for almost 1km. The boardwalk consists of open timber slats on the sandy ground.
- Some assistance may be required for wheelchairs, prams, and visitors with limited mobility along the boardwalk, and on the short grass area between the carpark and start of the walk.
- It's possible to continue along the beach to connect with Mangrove walk loop. While a boardwalk section of Mangrove walk is wheelchair-accessible, parts of the track are sand or rough dirt track with many tree roots, making wheelchair access hard.
Medium access presents some minor difficulties, such as a grassy surface. You may require a little assistance to get around in some areas.
Prohibited
Pets
Pets and domestic animals (other than certified assistance animals) are not permitted. Find out which regional parks allow dog walking and see the pets in parks policy for more information.
Smoking
NSW national parks are no smoking areas.
Learn more
Cullendulla Beach track is in Cullendulla Creek Nature Reserve. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:
Aboriginal culture
Cullendulla Creek holds several ancient Aboriginal midden sites, including rarely recorded mounded midden sites. The Mangrove walk is a great way to engage with the past lives of people here, weaving through areas where mud oysters, mussels and shellfish were once collected.
Birdwatchers' haven
Cullendulla Creek Nature Reserve is home to mangrove estuary (and two mangrove species, the grey and river mangroves), forest red gums, littoral rainforest, and sea grass beds. The reserve is also a fish nursery for the Clyde River. Unsurprisingly then, a substantial mix of forest and shorebirds visit the area annually, including white ibises, curlews, two species of spoonbill and several of duck. Migratory birds come from as far away as Russia, taking refuge in the warm weather.
- Cullendulla Beach track A secluded stretch of sand in the protected waters of Batemans Bay, Cullendulla Beach offers terrific swimming, birding and a great place to launch a canoe up the creek.
- Square Head track 1 This short walk offers rich rewards, leading to the entrance of Cullendulla Creek, perfect for an afternoon picnic and swim near the shorebirds.
Remarkable dune formations
The nature reserve contains important and unusual dune formations called cheniers. Roughly parallel to the shoreline, these long, low (3-6m) and narrow ridges overlay estuarine mud and are of great scientific interest for the information they provide about the evolving landscape - some 7000 years worth of changes. There are nine beach ridges at Cullendulla; the most northerly two are cheniers. Though they're not directly visible to visitors, a fascinating boardwalk tracks through the mangrove estuary, accompanied by signs which offer a keen insight into the local ecosystem. For the best overview, visit in both high and low tide and compare the differences.
- Mangrove walk An easy walk offering great birdwatching opportunities, Mangrove walk is partly along an elevated boardwalk, giving an insight into the unusual dune formations.