This nature reserve near Sydney is open for just 6 weeks a year

Where is it?

Muogamarra Nature Reserve is only a 45-minute drive from Sydney’s CBD, situated between the small suburb of Cowan and the iconic Hawkesbury River, which just got a brand-new walk. Its sheltered location, paired with a varied landscape and temperate climate, creates the perfect conditions for a flourishing environment.

Muogamarra Nature Reserve in Sydney, NSW

Muogamarra Nature Reserve sits near the Hawkesbury River. (Image: Tegan Burton/DCCEEW)

The natural sanctuary is a haven for Australian wildlife, with 14 native mammals, 16 reptile species and around 140 native birds recorded across its 2,274 hectares. Visitors are encouraged to keep their eyes peeled for echidnas, brushtail possums, swamp wallabies, kookaburras and lyrebirds, among others.

Muogamarra Nature Reserve is also home to a thriving wildflower population, making spring the ideal time to visit. Native flowers are especially abundant, including dazzling waratahs, delicate eriostemons, angophoras, boronias, Gymea lilies and even native wild orchids.

Stunning waratahs bloom throughout spring. (Image: John Spencer/DCCEEW)

Why the six-week limit?

The National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 was designed to conserve NSW’s diverse natural ecosystems, officially listed as ‘protected areas of NSW’. The network of nature reserves, including Muogamarra, is protected by the state government and managed by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.

While many protected areas of NSW can be accessed year-round, Muogamarra Nature Reserve is only open to the public for six weeks of the year. This is due to ongoing conservation efforts, as well as a range of scientific and educational purposes. The fragile environment has remained relatively undisturbed for centuries, creating a remarkable landscape of cultural, botanical and geological significance.

The nature reserve holds major botanical significance. (Image: Elinor Sheargold/DCCEEW)

Located on Muogamarra Country, it is also home to a number of important cultural sites for the Traditional Owners of the land, the Dharug and Guringai Peoples. Rock art, engravings, shell middens and earthenware offer insight into thousands of years of First Nations culture, a heritage that must be protected and preserved.

Add in the diverse array of flora and fauna that depend on this place, and it’s easy to see why it stays closed for most of the year. But for six weeks each spring, the gates open – offering visitors a rare chance to discover its natural beauty.

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Planning your visit

There are multiple ways to experience Muogamarra Nature Reserve. Guided hikes are run during the six-week open window, all offering a different perspective. Beginners are encouraged to join the three-kilometre Muogamarra Highlights Walk or the 3.5-kilometre Muogamarra: Bird Gully Guided Walk.

Take in views over the iconic Hawkesbury River. (Image: Elinor Sheargold/DCCEEW)

There’s also the Muogamarra: Lloyd Trig and Deerubbin Guided Walk, a 6.6-kilometre loop that provides uninterrupted views of the Hawkesbury River. If you’re up for a challenge, the 10-kilometre, full-day Muogamarra: Peats Bight Guided Walk is for you. Or tackle one of many gorgeous self-guided trails at your own pace. Hungry for more? Head to nearby Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, where you can explore bushwalks that lead to secret swimming spots.

Unfortunately, visitation in 2025 (from 9 August to 15 September) is completely booked out. But don’t despair – there’s always next year! Get in early to secure your spot now by emailing the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service directly or calling 13000 PARKS.

Bate Bay’s sweep of beaches has been crowned Australia’s best for 2026, placing Sutherland Shire in the spotlight as a top coastal destination just south of Sydney’s CBD.

The beaches fringing Bate Bay – Cronulla, North Cronulla, Wanda, Elouera and Greenhills – have topped Tourism Australia’s 2026 list of best Australian beaches (as curated by Beach Ambassador Brad Farmer). For locals, it’s less revelation, more recognition.

The mood shifts from the moment you step off the T4 train service from Central to Cronulla and catch a glimpse of the ocean. At dawn, the Esplanade is already buzzing with regulars, and by mid-morning, parents have staked out a toasty spot on Cronulla Beach where excited toddlers clamber over rocks, and the Jellybean swim squad at Oak Park have donned their bright pink caps while singing Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’.

By the afternoon, towels are being collected from across the sand as visitors wander back to Cronulla in loose formation.

North Cronulla beach — Dive into the world’s best beaches.

That’s the thing about Bate Bay beaches. This isn’t a story about a single beach. This long, uninterrupted sweep of sand and sea, where you can walk for kilometres without breaking stride, is not just enjoyed over summer; it’s a year-round destination. Here, Cronulla’s buzz gives way to Wanda’s wild edges, before stretching out to the quieter reaches of Greenhills.

But while Bate Bay’s beaches may have taken top honours in the 2026 Best Australian Beaches list, they’re only part of the drawcard. Sutherland Shire stacks up as a full-spectrum coastal escape, where good food, national park adventures and on-the-water experiences sit within easy reach of the shoreline. Whether you’re planning a long weekend or stretching out a stay, here’s how to make the most of Cronulla beyond the sand, sea and surf.

Beyond the beaches

Dining

The Sutherland Shire dining scene delivers from early morning to late at night with a mix of vibrant cafes, bars and pubs. Start your day at Grind Espresso, where the coffee comes strong and fast. From there, drift towards HAM for pastries, best eaten buttery warm.

By midday, locals linger across sun-lit tables. Loaf and Next Door appeal to the surfers who come in for snacks after chasing waves. Blackwood’s Pantry and The Press are also popular for breakfast and lunch, while Pilgrim’s continues to hold a special place in the hearts of vegans.

Newer arrivals signal where Cronulla is heading: Homer Rogue Taverna is being hailed as one of the best restaurants in Cronulla, with the confidence that comes from understanding what locals want. Ask a local to reveal their favourite restaurant for a special occasion, and it’ll likely be Pino’s Vino e Cucina al Mare, Yalla Sawa or Alphabet Street. Summer Salt, Sealevel, Benny’s, Bobbys and Pippis are a few of the best waterfront restaurants in the Shire.

Finally, when most places are winding down, Duke’s Providore shifts gears to become Duke’s After Hours – a low-lit romantic spot perfect for a date night. Parc Pavilion, Northies Cronulla and bars The Blind Bear, Las Chicas and Low & Lofty’s are also part of Cronulla’s identity.

Visit Bundeena

Bundeena Ferry Wharf — Catch a ferry to Bundeena.

A short ferry ride from Cronulla, Bundeena offers a counterpoint to Cronulla’s mighty surf beaches. If Cronulla is the Shire’s social heart, Bundeena – or Bundenesia, as it’s affectionately known – is the place to go to exhale and unwind.

Hop on the ferry from Cronulla, and within 30 minutes, you’ll be inhaling the eucalyptus-scented air. Check the creative pulse of the local community by timing your visit with the Bundeena Maianbar Art Trail on the first Sunday of every month.

One of the best things to do in Bundeena is paddle into Cabbage Tree Basin with Bundeena Kayaks. Follow the five-kilometre Jibbon Beach Loop Track that leads past quiet coves to ancient Indigenous rock art, or simply find a stretch of pearl-white sand to relax on.

Pristine walking trails

Royal National Park Cape Baily Walking Track — Cool off with a coastal stroll.

Beyond the coastline, Sutherland Shire offers myriad ways to shift gears. Royal National Park – the oldest national park in Australia – sits just minutes from the surf. Clifftop walks trace the edge of the continent, the rugged bushland is threaded with creeks and hidden waterfalls, and a network of tracks rewards those willing to go a little further.

Take the Coast Track, where the land drops cleanly into the ocean over sheer cliffs that have been stacked together like giant Jenga. Or veer inland, where pockets of forest cool the air and filter the light. It’s a reminder of how close nature sits to the bustle of suburbs in the Sutherland Shire.

Enjoy whale watching

humpback whale sighting noosa experiences — Spot whales from May to October. (Credit: The Edit Suite)

Twist your binoculars until the ocean is in focus, stretched like a creased blue sheet all around. Come May, the East Coast becomes the humpback highway. Thousands of whales migrate along this stretch of coastline each year, their movements tracked by keen eyes from vantage points like the Cape Solander platform in Kamay Botany Bay National Park, one of the best places for whale watching in Australia. There’s something quietly thrilling about seeing that first telltale spout or the arc of a breaching body against the vastness of the sea. From June to October, whale-watching cruises depart from Cronulla, offering a closer look at the migration.

Awards come and go. But places like Cronulla endure because they belong as much to the visitors as they do the early-morning swimmers, walkers and surfers.

Plan your escape at visitsutherlandshire.com.au.

This nature reserve near Sydney is open for just 6 weeks a year

The season is just about to start.

Where is it?

Why the six-week limit?

Planning your visit

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