Sydney Sydney Surrounds North Coast South Coast Snowy Mountains Heart of Country Outback Lord Howe Island Inner Sydney Greater Sydney Back to main Sydney map Northern Beaches Manly Mosman Sydney Harbour The Rocks Darling Harbour Balmain Leichhardt Glebe Newtown Chinatown City Centre Kings Cross Double Bay Darlinghurst Paddington Moore Park Coogee Bondi Back to main Sydney map Hawkesbury Valley Hawkesbury River Penrith Parramatta Cabramatta Sydney Olympic Park Picton Macarthur Cronulla
Sydney

The London Hotel, Balmain (Photo: J. Morgan/Tourism NSW) Balmain One of Sydney's oldest suburbs, now a vibrant and artistic community.

Bondi Icebergs Swimming Pool, Sydney. Bondi One of Sydney's most eclectic and exciting precincts.

Cultural activities in Cabramatta, Sydney Cabramatta An authentic slice of South-East Asian sights and tastes.

Strolling in Chinatown, Sydney Chinatown and Haymarket Asian streetlife with a bit of Spanish pizzaz.

An aerial view of Sydney's Central Business District City Centre A beautiful harbourside capital, with historic precincts and cosmopolitan style.

Family fun on Coogee Beach, Sydney Coogee and Randwick Classic Sydney surf scene popular with everyone

Bushwalking in Maianbar, Cronulla, Sydney Cronulla Coast Sydney's longest beach is just a ferry ride from the Royal National Park.

Darling Harbour, Sydney Darling Harbour A lively harbourside precinct that throbs with activity day and night.

Cafes on Victoria Street, Darlinghurst (Photo: Tony Yeates) Darlinghurst Boutiques and bookshops by day, bars and nightclubs by night.

Dee Bee's Café, Double Bay, Sydney Double Bay Fashion central and the playground of Sydney’s beautiful people.

Waterside strolls at the end of Glebe Point Road, Glebe, Sydney Glebe is one of Sydney's most vibrant alternative areas.

Explore the Hawkesbury River (Photo: P. Blackmore/Tourism NSW)Hawkesbury River A fascinating mix of natural attractions and a peaceful country ambience.

Tizzana Winery, Ebenezer, Hawkesbury Valley (Photo: P. Blackmore/Tourism NSW) Hawkesbury Valley The Hawkesbury River winds its way through a fertile valley.

Dining on Woolloomooloo Finger Wharf, Sydney (Photo: F. Quimby) Kings Cross and Woolloomooloo This lively entertainment area buzzes with nightclubs, bars and...

The Leichhardt Forum, Sydney Leichhardt Sydney's Little Italy, the place to go for all things Italian, from gelato to espresso.

St John's Anglican Church, Camden, Sydney Macarthur A vibrant, bustling area with country charm

Manly BeachManly 

Nestled between the harbour and a surf beach – a quintessential Sydney experience.

Bent Street, Fox Studios, Moore Park, Sydney Moore Park Major sports stadiums, entertainment venues and an expansive park.

Taronga Zoo, Sydney Mosman and Balmoral Beach Harbourside suburbs blessed with great cafes, shops and views

One of Newtown's many café spots on King Street, Sydney (R. Billington/Tourism NSW) Newtown Colourful, unconventional and gay-friendly with a strong arts culture, great shopping and dining.

Manly Walk, Sydney (H. Lund/Tourism NSW) Northern Beaches and Pittwater Peninsula with the Pacific Ocean on one side and Pittwater on the other

Shopping for the latest trends in Paddington, Sydney (J. Morgan/Tourism NSW) Paddington Stylish terraces, a great shopping precinct lined with cafés and restaurants.

St Johns Cathedral, Parramatta, Sydney (3stroke Photography/Tourism NSW) Parramatta Parramatta is a city of historic charm with a multicultural footprint.

Overlooking the Nepean River, Penrith precinct Penrith Valley An aquatic playground at the foothills of the Blue Mountains.

George IV Hotel in Picton, Sydney Picton and Surrounds All the charm and tranquillity of the country.

Fort Denison, Sydney Harbour (Photo: Hamilton Lund / Tourism NSW). Sydney Harbour and Islands All kinds of water craft jostle for a piece of the world's best harbour.

Biking around Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney. Sydney Olympic Park Home of the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games, major social and sporting venue.

Some architectural details in The Rocks, Sydney The Rocks and Circular Quay Historic harbourside area with shops, pubs and restaurants.



Federation Cliff Walk

Fast facts

  • Clifftop walk with postcard views out to the Pacific Ocean.
  • Dover Heights to Watsons Bay, Eastern Suburbs, Sydney.
  • 5 km

Why walk it

The sandstone cliffs that guard the approaches to Sydney Harbour are one of the city’s most dramatic features, and this clifftop walking track offers spectacular sea views at every step. Beginning from Raleigh Reserve, at the end of Raleigh Street off Military Road in Dover Heights, this walkway wanders through parklands close to the edge of the cliffs that overlook the vast blue swathe of the Pacific Ocean.

Continue another two kilometres beyond the end of the Federation Cliff Walk to Watsons Bay, and more sublime views of the harbour. The walk ends on the beach at Robertson Park, where there are cafes, shade and sparkling scenery. From Watsons Bay, there are buses back to Dover Heights, or ferries to the city.

Along the way

Admire the Macquarie Lighthouse, Australia’s first lighthouse, whose simple, satisfying lines testify to the skills of Governor Macquarie’s convict-architect, Francis Greenway.

Marvel at the dramatic views of The Gap, where the Pacific rollers explode against the cliffs.

Take a close look at the 80-metre sandstone cliffs at Raleigh Reserve, an open book of the earth’s history dating back 20 million years to the Triassic era.

Stop off for a seafood lunch in the shade at Robertson Park, beside the pub at Watsons Bay.

Don’t miss

  • A night in one of the National Trust cottages at Camp Cove.
  • The bikini-size beach at Camp Cove.
  • A stroll past the boats in the cove at Watsons Bay.
  • The hanging swamp on the south side of Diamond Bay Reserve.
  • The views from the Memorial Chapel at HMAS Watson.
Federation Cliff Walk

Walks


Related links