The Curra Moors Loop Track is one of the best wildflower walks in Sydney. It’s a great spring time track, but many of the flowers are also in bloom over the summer months, and there are even a few during the winter time too.

It’s not just about the wildflowers on this walk though, as you’ll also get to visit Sydney’s most spectacular waterfall (which cascades directly into the ocean) as well as the famous Eagle Head Rock.

It’s an easy and relaxing walk, which really allows you to soak up the peace and serenity of the area - which is perfect when you fancy something fairly leisurely. It’s also one of the few trails in this part of Royal National Park that we often get to ourselves.

Here’s exactly what to expect on the walk.

The Curra Moors Track in Royal National Park

Curra Moors Loop Track

The stats

Distance: 9.5km
Elevation: 171m
Difficulty: Easy

The Curra Moors Loop is one of the easiest walks in Royal National Park as it is almost entirely flat. However, it is 9.5km long and pretty exposed much of the way. We recommend allowing at least 2.5 hours for this walk.

Starting the trail - a wildflower wonderland

The trail starts from the small car park on Sir Bertam Stevens Drive (it’s pretty easy to miss) and heads straight into the bush. The path is narrow and the vegetation on both sides is dense, so it feels wonderfully secluded.

In spring we saw wildflowers almost from the very beginning, oftentimes it’s not huge clusters, but more subtle sprinklings along both sides of the track. It really adds to the already gorgeous scenery.

We saw the most Waratahs we’ve ever seen along the first kilometre of this track. Some are growing right beside the trail and others are further off in the bush, but they stand out even at a distance. The deep red against the green is beautiful.

There were also lots of spectacular white, yellow and deep blue flowers along the first part of the walk.

We’re not experts on wildflowers by any means and we don’t want to wrongly identify them, so we’re just going to talk about the colours, and apologise for our ignorance!

As you make your way through the forest you’ll head gently downhill and whilst it’s easy, it’s not a smooth path. There are some deep gullies through much of it, but you can always skirt around the edge of them.

After 1.1km you come out of the forest and into a more open area of heathland.

Along the heath

Although walking through the heath is not as beautiful as walking through the forest, there’s still a lot to like about this part of the walk. You’ll get your first glimpses of the sea in the distance, as well as views of the expansive clifftops further along.

The heath section of the Curra Moors Walk

There are plenty more wildflowers in this section and some are in huge swathes like the beautiful yellow flowers in the bushes, which shone like gold in the sunshine.

Others are dotted along both sides on the track, including lots of delicate pink ones, which were some of my favourites.

Butterflies and dragonflies were also in abundance. If you close your eyes and think of spring, it would probably look something like this!

Without the flowers this part of the walk would be nothing special (by Royal National Park standards) but with them, it was a constant delight.

Unlike some wildflower walks we’ve done, the whole trail isn’t ablaze with colour, but that made it feel like you were spotting hidden treasures along the way.

The path is also flat and smooth, making for a very relaxing walk, where you don’t need to watch your feet at all. However, it’s entirely exposed, which would make it quite intense in summer.

It looks like a few signposts have burnt down along the track, so to stay on the Curra Moors Trail, you want to go straight on at the first junction (1.75km into the walk), and straight on again at the next (2.8km into the walk). The heath section of the track is 3.4km total.

Arriving at Curracurrong Falls and Eagle Rock

After 4.5km you’ll arrive at another junction where you can see Eagle Head Rock to your left. The Curra Moors Loop carries on to the right, but it’s well worth making the short diversion to get a closer look at the falls and Eagle Head Rock.

After just 150m you’ll come to a cliff edge with a fantastic view of Eagle Rock, as well as the top of the falls. It’s a really nice spot to stop for a break and take in the waves crashing against the rocks below. We’ve been here so many times and it’s still as amazing as ever!

You don’t get a great view of the whole falls unless you wander a bit further along the trail. If you walk for around five minutes beyond the first view you get of the rock then you’ll get a fabulous view of the entire waterfall.

Continuing the circuit along the boardwalk

Back on the main trail and the circuit continues on metal boardwalk, you’ll get some lovely ocean views at the beginning, before you head into more heathland.

If you’re walking in whale season, keep an eye out because we’ve seen them many times around this part of the track.

Walking along the boardwalk in Royal National Park

The boardwalk will take you gradually uphill, but it’s never very steep. There were a huge number of white wildflowers along this section, as well as a peppering of other colours, which were just gorgeous.

There are also so many Gymea lilies, unfortunately only one was actually in flower for us, but if you’re lucky enough to see them when they’re all in bloom, it would be spectacular.

There is lots of birdlife along this section of track too, you’ll constantly see them flitting across the path and it’s all very serene.

After just over 2km on the boardwalk you’ll reach a junction. The Curra Moors trail is a right hand turn on the sandy path (there’s a post where I assume the sign for the turn off used to be!) or you could make a detour to Garie Beach.

It’s not far to get a view of the beach from above, but if you head down to the sand you’ll have a fairly steep climb back up to the Curra Moors loop. It’s one of the best beaches in the park though, so if you have the energy, it’s worth it!

Finishing the loop

Once you’ve turned right on the sandy path you’re in the land of Kangaroo Tails. Hundreds of them! It reminded me of walking in cactus country in America, but with an Aussie twist!

The kangaroo tails at the end of the trail

It makes this part of the walk, which might otherwise be a little uninspiring, quite fun. You’ll still see the odd patch of wildflowers, but in much lower numbers. The track is wide, flat and smooth for 1km, before you turn left (again not signposted) and the path narrows.

It’s still flat and as we were walking close to sunset, everything had a gorgeous golden glow.

At this point you’re back on the original stretch of track you came in on. Once you reach the forest, the path heads uphill all the way back to the car park, but the gradient is very gentle.

All in all, we really enjoyed this walk. It’s one for appreciating the interior of Royal National Park, which has its own unique beauty. Although having said that, you do still get to enjoy the best view in the entire park too!

If you’re looking for more great walks in Royal National Park, here are our favourites.

Essential information about the Curra Moors Loop Track

Parking at the trailhead

The parking for this trail is more of a layby, and whilst it’s not huge, we have never had a problem parking. In fact, we were the only ones there on our most recent visit. Unfortunately this track is not accessible by public transport.

Royal National Park entry fee

To walk the Curra Moors Track you’ll need to pay the $12 vehicle entry fee. If you plan on visiting several NSW parks in a year, you may be better off buying the $65 annual pass, which covers all parks except for Kosciuszko.

Packing suggestions for Royal National Park

Having the right gear can make a huge difference, especially in Royal National Park. Being on the coast, the conditions can change rapidly, so packing correctly can make a big difference.

Here’s what we pack and have relied upon for years:

Sunscreen: Cancer Council Active. With a high SPF, but not the greasy feel of other sunscreens. Makes a big difference when you’re working up a sweat on a sunny day! Check it out on Amazon
Good Rain Jacket: North Face This is an essential item we always pack in our bag! This jacket from North Face is designed to keep you dry but also comfortably warm (many rain jackets will make you feel like you’re in a sauna). Check it out on North Face
Day Pack: Osprey Talon 22 (we’ve owned this for years). Check on Amazon or direct with Osprey
Hiking Boots: Merrell Moab (for men and women). We’ve both used these for over three years and they just keep going. Check them out on Amazon
Trekking poles: We’ve used Black Diamond for years as they are light, solid and durable. Check them out on Amazon.
Reusable water bottle: To avoid single-use plastic. Check them out on Amazon

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, that we will earn a small commission if you click through and decide to make a purchase. This helps towards the costs of running our website. Thanks for your support.