Walking Jibbons Head Circuit- Royal National Park

Looking for an accessible day hike in the overwhelmingly expansive Royal National Park? Try the Jibbons Head circuit from Bundeena for stunning coastal views, and a mix of beach and track walking. It is easily accessible with public transport, and easy to navigate!

Royal National Park spreads across coast and scrub for 15,091 hectares south of Sydney. The park  includes tons of day hikes, water features, cliff overlooks, and overnight walks for families to discover. So far, our adventures cover the Karloo Track (and pool) and Uloola Falls, both a refreshing and devastating walk (read all about it).

As for the remainder of the park, the biggest barrier for us is the commute. From the inner city, it is a over an hour on the train, with 4 more hours walking to reach the coast. There is one exception,Jibbons Head. Taking the the train from central is is almost 2 hours in total with transfers, but it is doable. After catching the train from Central to Cronulla (1hr), it is a short ferry ride (30min) to Bundeena. Admittedly, it is still a long trip, with transfers, but it is totally doable.

For our trip, we organized and left the house at a leisurely pace, which, regrettably, ate into our hike time. If you desire a longer hike or more relaxed pace, leave the city around 7am to catch the first ferry at 8:30am. If you have kids, you should be up early anyway. 🙂

As an FYI, the latest weekend ferries from Bundeena are at 6pm in winter and 7pm in summer, and perhaps more importantly, we did not see any taxies.

Public Transport to Bundeena

Taking public transport to Bundeena is a breeze – even if it’s a marathon trip! First, catch the T4 train from Central to Cronulla; grab a seat, pull out some books and snacks, and enjoy the scenery. We used some of our tips mentioned on flying with toddlers, in conjunction with CZ’s current fascination with these vinyl stickers and scenes to pass the time. Accustomed to longer train rides, CZ understands train etiquette now: sitting in the seat, or standing on the ground, and no yelling (ehh, sometimes). If all else fails, pull out the camera for some train selfie action!

When you arrive in Cronulla, check the time and determine your next move. The Bundeena ferry leaves half past every hour from 8:30 to 5:30 / 6:30 (winter/summer). If time is tight, we made it to the wharf in just under 5 minutes, without running. Exit the station, turn left immediately, and duck into the tunnel underneath the tracks. Walk down the hill towards the water, until you reach the wharf. The signage is good, and depending on the time, you will likely join a queue of other passengers.

Be aware that the Cronulla-Bundeena ferry does not accept Opal cards (bummer for those of us hoping to take advantage of $2.50 Sundays) or credit cards – cash only. Check out the website for their current prices. At the time of writing, one-way fares are: $6.40 – adults and $3.20 – kids, students, concession. If you need cash, there is CBA ATM across from the train station, and if you’re looking for a ferry snack, it happens to reside next to the entrance of an IGA! If time is of the essence, don’t worry about picking up snacks here, because you can can stock up at the IGA in Bundeena.

With cash in hand, climb onboard the historic Curranulla. Originally commissioned in 1939, this ferry is the oldest, regularly operating commuter ferry in Australia. As you file on to the boat, keep in mind that the front and rear decks offer limited seating, with outstanding views. If you have the opportunity, definitely snag a seat! The weather was a bit brisk on the day we travelled, so more people jockeyed to stay close to the warmth of motor, but I imagine the outer decks reach capacity on nicer days.

After approximately 30 minutes, you will arrive at the Bundeena wharf. If you are ready to hit the trails, turn left up the stairs to the trail and to Loftus St. If you want to use the facilities and/or purchase provisions, follow the road straight into town. The public restrooms are on your left up a small hill and the IGA will be in front of you across the street. For those of you with larger appetites, a word of warning: we ate breakfast at one of the four harbour side cafes in Bundeena, and can’t recommend our choice. If you want a proper coffee and breakfast, stop in Cronulla before you catch the ferry.

Bundeena to Jibbons Head Circuit

Continue along Loftus St away from the wharf. Turn left on to Neil St and walk in between the houses and down to the water. You arrived at Jibbon beach! The wide and long beach was quite empty during our cold, winter morning walk. We trudged through the sand with a couple other hikers, all of us watching, in awe, as a  lone swimmer ran down the beach in a rash guard and budgie smugglers, before diving in without a wetsuit!

Once you reach the end of the beach, you will see a small sign directing you up the bank and through some thick scrub. There is a nice picnic area here, along with some informational plaques

Even though the sun shone throughout the day, viscous mud mired us in various sections, and below is one of them! We regularly thank our hiking boots for additional support whilst carrying CZ, but their waterproof capabilities make them invaluable hiking accessories. In this case, our boots became quite bogged down in sticky, black mud, sometimes rising to our ankles. We were grateful that our feet stayed warm and dry after that experience so early in the hike.

About 2km into the walk, the stunning cliffs and coastal views at Jibbons Head begin to affect your pace. We walked around Jibbons Head, admiring the coast, cliffs, and crashing waves. I love the contrast of the white sandstone and the blue ocean waves, and took loads of photos. You may be tempted to do some rock scrambling, and take “epic” cliff shots – have fun! We spent time playing with our neutral density filter to produce that soft, milky water, in the photo below. We will have a more detailed post on that once we master using it.

CZ mostly hung out in the backpack so we didn’t risk a polar bear swim, but she soon tired of her confines without changing scenery. I pulled her out of the Kelty for some walking along the rocks, and let JZ have a turn with the neutral density filter. The relative isolation afforded us more spots to set up the Gorillapod, and the peacefulness provided the patience to wait for the perfect wave. We played at Jibbons Head for over an hour before packing up and continuing the hike. There were a few great waves, but we need more practice with the filter.

Our original goal was a long loop to Marley Beach, but we spent too much time frolicking on the rocks by the water on Jibbons Head. To compensate, we opted for the smaller circuit back to Bundeena, and amped up the pace. Fortunately the return section to Bundeena lacks in coastal scenery, as it turns inland and follows Beachcomber Rd Service Trail. The path through scrubby growth is wide and sandy – with random muddy sections. Noticing the lack of shade and water on the trail, we both remarked that the summer heat would be intense.

Before long, you reach a fork in the trail. One direction is 700m to the Bundeena lookout and the other takes you back to town. With the last ferry time approaching, we decided to visit the lookout another day, and we headed for the wharf. Once you exit the park, walk down Beachcomber Ave and turn left on to Scarborough St and then right onto Loftus, which will take you back into town.

Know Before You Go – Jibbons Head Circuit

• Distance: 6.5 km (from the wharf)
• Public transport from the city will take at least 90 minutes each way, minimum. Keep in mind that the Bundeena ferry only runs once an hour and stops service early (6pm/7pm winter/summer). Plan ahead to avoid missing the ferry!
• The ferry only accepts cash – no opal or credit cards.
• The trails can be extremely muddy, wear hiking boots, or shoes you don’t mind dirtying.
• There are NO facilities or drinking water available on the trail. The nearest bathroom is by the wharf parking lot, and you can buy water at the IGA.
• Some sections of the walk around Jibbons head are very close to the cliff, keep a close eye and/or  hand on little ones.