Spot gentle giants along these picturesque coastal trails.

Whale watching season on the NSW coast is well and truly here, with some 40,000 eastern Australian humpback whales estimated to be making the yearly migration from Antarctica to the Great Barrier Reef. While getting up close on a whale watching tour offers the most thrilling viewing experience, you can easily spot these gentle giants playfully thrashing in the ocean from the shoreline.

The NSW coastline is abundant with national parks and reserves that have spectacular walking tracks for both beginner and keen hikers. Taking adventurers to clifftop lookouts and across headlands, these short jaunts and multi-day journeys offer front-row seats to this fascinating natural phenomenon.

Cape Baily walking track – Kamay Botany Bay National Park

Distance: Eight kilometres return

Difficulty: Easy 

Suggested time: Approximately three hours

Starting at Cape Solander in Kurnell, Cape Baily and ending at the Cape Bailey Lighthouse, this eight-kilometre track is less than an hour’s drive from Sydney CBD. It features clifftop lookouts and a viewing platform where whales have been spotted just 200 metres away, with June and July being the peak months to see them. Along the way, you’ll pass dramatic sandstone formations and coastal heath and may spot dolphins, seabirds and native wildflowers.

Fairfax walk – Sydney Harbour National Park

Distance: One-kilometre loop

Difficulty: Easy

Suggested time: 30 minutes to one hour

This gentle walk in Manly starts at the end of North Head Scenic Drive and loops around the top of North Head. One of the best spots in Sydney for whale watching, it offers panoramic ocean and harbour views, best enjoyed from the two lookout points. Those looking to extend their adventure can continue further as this walk forms part of The Bondi to Manly Walk. This family-friendly track is suitable for prams and wheelchairs.

Bouddi coastal walk – Bouddi National Park

Distance: Eight kilometres one way

Difficulty: Moderate

Suggested time: Three-and-a-half hours one way

Located an hour and a half north of Sydney CBD, the Bouddi coastal walk is a beach-to-beach hike, starting at Putty Beach and ending at MacMasters Beach. Whales can be spotted from most of the track, with the best vantage point being the Gerrin Point lookout. The full return hike can be completed in a day (camping also available), or it can be broken up into shorter hikes, including the Putty Beach to Maitland Bay three-kilometre walk. The national park is home to Aboriginal sites, one of the country’s first protected marine areas, the PS Maitland shipwreck and wildflowers. 

Tomaree Coastal Walk – Tomaree National Park

Distance: 27 kilometres one way

Difficulty: Moderate

Suggested time: two to three days

Stretching 27 kilometres of coastline in Port Stephens, this picturesque walk takes hikers across ancient volcanic headlands, pristine beaches and coastal heathland. One of the NSW Great Walks, it’s best experienced over two to three days, but can also be broken up into shorter sections. A 161-metre walk up to Tomaree Head Summit reveals spectacular views out to the ocean where humpbacks breach and out to Cabbage Tree Island and Boondelbah Island.

Walgun Cape Byron walking track – Walgun Cape Byron State Conservation Area

Distance: 3.7-kilometre loop

Difficulty: Easy

Suggested time: One-and-a-half hours 

You’ll be joined by the Byron Bay regulars on this much-loved walk, where whale sightings are practically guaranteed from May to October. The 3.7-kilometre circuit, which passes Byron Bay Lighthouse, meanders through rainforest and along clifftops and beaches, showcasing unforgettable NSW North Coast views. Dolphins and sea turtles are also regularly spotted from this walk. 

Murramarang South Coast Walk – Murramarang National Park

Distance: 34 kilometres

Difficulty: Moderate

Suggested time: Three days

Designed to be tackled across three days, this NSW South Coast hike between Ulladulla and Batemans Bay reveals spotted gum forest, secluded beaches, dramatic rock platforms and crystal-clear water. Alongside seeing whales from coastal lookouts, dolphins, seabirds, and eastern grey kangaroos are common sightings. Hikers choosing to do the full hike can stay in cabins along the way or join a guided tour staying in private villas.

Light to Light Walk – Beowa National Park

Distance: 32 kilometres

Difficulty: Moderate

Suggested time: Three days

This multi-day hike near Merimbula and Eden on the Far South Coast of NSW reopened with new campgrounds and track sections last year. The significant upgrade has made it a must-do for hikers who are guided to rugged headlands, sheltered bays and fantastic whale-watching lookouts at Boyds Tower and Green Cap.  The best whale watching is from September to early December when humpback whales migrate back down to Antarctica.