Secret beaches in Sydney

Must do

Milk Beach in Vaucluse. Image Andrew Gregory

Shelly Beach in Manly, Image Andrew Gregory

Sydney’s secret beaches

These quiet secluded beaches are the perfect place to escape city life. Find your secret Summer hideaway in Sydney.

Sydney’s best hidden beaches

Resolute Beach at Ku-ring-gai National Park. Image Andrew Gregory

Sydney’s most popular beaches can get busy in summer, so why not find your own secret beach? With so many beaches in Sydney, it’s still easy to find a beautiful sandy spot that’s close to the city.

At Milk Beach in Vaucluse, you’ll enjoy city views and complete serenity. Located behind historic Strickland House in the eastern suburbs, it’s just a short, scenic bushwalk from Milk Beach to Neilsen Park.

Take a short stroll along Manly’s coastal walk and you’ll find Shelly Beach. This sheltered north-facing cove is ideal for rock climbing, paddling and snorkeling. Hire a kayak from Manly Corso to reach Store Beach, at Manly’s North Head, as you can only get there by water. Perfect for a romantic picnic and spotting Manly's little penguin colony.

Further afield is Jibbon Beach in the Royal National Park where you can go scuba diving and snorkeling to spot seahorses. Travelling by boat is the easiest way to get to Resolute Beach, West Head north of Sydney. Alternatively, take the downhill track through Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park. Visit Point Piper and pretend you live on Sydney’s ritziest peninsula. Enjoy the serenity of Lady Martins Beach nestled in Felix Bay, you’ll find it down a narrow lane beside Royal Prince Edward Yacht Club.

Combine bushwalks and beach hideaways

North Head Lookout at Manly, Image Hamilton Lund

A summer bushwalk wouldn’t be complete without a cooling dip in the ocean or harbour, so make sure you pack your swimmers if you take the Rose Bay to Watsons Bay walk, or the Manly Scenic Walkway. You’ll find many secret beaches along the way, including Washaway Beach and Reef Beach, as well as others along the shore just north of Dobroyd Head

Swim, dive and snorkel at Camp Cove

Hidden along Short Street in Watson’s Bay in the eastern suburbs , you’ll find Camp Cove. Perfect for swimming with spectacular city views, and when the southerly winds are blowing the diving can be awe-inspiring.

Camp Cove at Watson's Bay. Image Andrew Gregory

Secret beach retreat

If you’ve fallen in love with Milk Beach, why not stay a few nights? Steele Point Cottage is available for couples only, perfect for a romantic escape with a million-dollar view. Book through the National Parks & Wildlife Service.

Milk Beach, Vaucluse. Image James Pipino

Point Piper’s exclusive beach

Enjoy the serenity of secluded and hard-to-find Lady Martins Beach in Point Piper. Nestled in Felix Bay, you’ll find it down a narrow lane beside Royal Prince Edward Yacht Club. The closest netted pool is Redleaf Pool in Woollahra in the eastern suburbs.

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