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Western Escarpment walking track

Malabar Headland National Park

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Overview

Get back to nature on Western Escarpment walking track in Sydney's Malabar Headland National Park, near Maroubra. This short track through native heath boasts coastal views, bird life and wildflowers.

Accessibility
No wheelchair access
Distance
1km one-way
Time suggested
20 - 30min
Grade
Grade 3
What to
bring
Hat, sunscreen, drinking water
Please note
  • Please stay on the marked track to protect the sensitive vegetation and avoid hazards.
  • Bring your binoculars during June and July to spot migrating humpback whales or frolicking seals off the coast.
  • This walk offers a year-round alternative to Boora Point walking track, which closes when the ANZAC Rifle Range is in use.

Western Escarpment walking track winds through an island of unspoiled bushland in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. Purpose-built by Randwick City Council and NSW National Parks, the track connects South Maroubra Beach with Malabar. It's a vital link in the iconic Eastern Beaches coastal walkway, which forms part of the Walking Coastal Sydney network.

Starting from Arthur Byrne Reserve or Pioneers Park you’ll climb the exposed sandstone escarpment. There are seats along the way to stop and soak in the natural beauty. At its highest point, the walk treats you to 3600 views over Malabar Headland, Maroubra Beach, and Botany Bay from a natural sandstone platform.

This protected area teems with bird and animal life. Keep an eye out for red wattlebirds, new holland honeyeaters and blue fairy wrens in the heath. You might spot kestrels and sea eagles searching for prey above, as you walk through the endangered eastern suburbs banksia scrub.

Why not combine your nature walk with a day at Maroubra or Malabar Beach, or picnic at the nearby public parks? For a longer walk, connect with Boora Point walking track in the eastern section of the park (when it’s open) for a 5km loop, or continue along the Eastern Beaches coastal walkway.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info

 

Whale watching top spots

NSW national parks have the best vantage points to see whales during their annual migration, which takes place from May to November. Plan your next coastal adventure.

A humpback whale breaches the water off the NSW coast, near Sydney. Photo credit: Wayne Reynolds &copy Wayne Reynolds

 

Saving Our Species program

Australia is home to more than 500,000 animal and plant species, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. Saving our Species is a statewide conservation program that addresses the growing number of Australian animals and Australian native plants facing extinction.

Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) in a tree. Photo: Courtesy of Taronga Zoo/OEH

General enquiries

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Park info

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