Parks · Our pick in Sydney
Royal National Park
Est. 1879
The world’s second-oldest national park: the Coast Track, Wattamolla and the Figure Eight Pools.

Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Chapman Brownlow · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Wittylama · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Quishaq · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons1 / 3
Our take
- The Coast Track
- Check tides for the pools
- Address
- South of Sydney, Sydney
- Website
- nationalparks.nsw.gov.au
About Royal National Park
Royal National Park was established in 1879, the world’s second-oldest national park in NPWS’s words; its 16,000 hectares lie within an hour’s drive of the city, with the Coast Track, the Wattamolla picnic area and the Figure Eight Pools (NPWS).
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Royal National Park before you go.
Last checked: November 2026 How we choose
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What’s nearby
Distances from Royal National Park are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 12 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Key sights
- Sydney Airport22 kmCar or taxi 73 min
- Queen Victoria Building31 kmCar or taxi 100 min
- Bondi Beach31 kmCar or taxi 101 min
- Darling Harbour31 kmCar or taxi 101 min
- Hyde Park Barracks31 kmCar or taxi 101 min
- Royal Botanic Garden31 kmCar or taxi 102 min
- Harbour Bridge33 kmCar or taxi 107 min
- Sydney Opera House35 kmCar or taxi 112 min
Main stations and the Quay
- Central Station29 kmCar or taxi 96 min
- Wynyard Station31 kmCar or taxi 102 min
- Circular Quay32 kmCar or taxi 104 min
Location
The map comes from Google Maps, which sets its own cookies once it loads.