The view from Florence Head is one of the best on the South Coast and it’s unlikely you’ll share it with anyone else. I honestly wasn’t expecting too much from this little known walk, which made it all the more special when it turned out to be truly jaw-dropping - well, the view was incredible, the trail itself is unremarkable.
An easy track leads to a rocky outcrop, with views out over the rugged beauty of the Budawangs in one direction and the coast in the other. You can also see my favourite landmark in the area, Pigeon House Mountain, which looks more like an extinct volcano and is especially striking from Florence Head. It’s a wild and dramatic landscape that is particularly picturesque at sunset.
Here’s everything you need to know about the walk to Florence Head.
The Florence Head Trail
The stats
Distance: 6.3km return
Elevation gain: 70m
Difficulty: Easy
Trailhead: Little Forest Walk Car Park, Morton National Park
Summary: The walk to Florence Head is almost entirely flat, however, the trail can become a bit muddy and waterlogged after heavy rain. You can almost always squeeze around the sometimes giant puddles, but the mud can be a touch slippery in places.
It’s not awful, but wear shoes with grip if you know there’s been a lot of rain. In drier times the whole of the main trail is very easy.
Getting up to the rocky outcrop with the best views does require a small scramble, as well making your way along a few metres of very overgrown track.
Starting the trail: to the first lookout
From the parking area (details below) you’ll head onto the Little Forest Track. The first 500m are all on a very well maintained gravel path.
There are a couple of steps, but for the most part it’s flat. After 500m you will reach a signposted junction and the path to Florence Head is straight ahead of you.
Before continuing on, it’s worth making a 50m detour (each way) along the Rusden Head Track to a lookout (it’s to the right and signposted).
The wooden viewing platform offers a great view of Pigeon House Mountain and takes less than a minute to reach.
Incidentally, you could add Rusden Head onto the Florence Head Track if you wanted to do a much longer walk (it adds on 8.5km return).
However, this path is much, much worse in terms of mud and bog than Florence Head, so if there’s been heavy rain you need to be prepared for submerged boots!
Onto lookout two
Once you’re back on the path to Florence Head the terrain changes and it’s now a sandy track. It’s not long before it may become waterlogged, but it never flooded our boots as there was also a way around the edge of the puddles.
There are also long dry sections, so you’re not always having to watch your feet.
Parts of the track can be muddy, but there is usually enough grass to stop it being slippery, though you’ll need to watch out for the bare muddy patches which can be a little slick.
Roughly 2km into the track there’s a short eroded section of trail, but nothing difficult or steep. I noted it on the way, but actually didn’t even notice it on the way back down in the dark, so it’s definitely not too challenging!
Just 150m later (or 2.15km into the trail) you’ll see a worn path on the left. After 50m you will arrive at a rocky plateau with a great view over Ulladulla, Narrawallee Creek and the coast.
To Florence Head
Continuing along the main trail, there’s a very small amount of uphill before the path flattens again. It continues in much the same way terrain-wise for another 900m before you have a short descent and the path has some gravel.
You’ll see an obvious narrow bush track ahead and within minutes you’ll arrive at the first viewpoint at Florence Head.
There is dense forest as far as the eye can see, backed by the iconic peak of Pigeon House Mountain. There are trees either side of the view which stops it being expansive, but they add a bit of character and it’s well worth checking out. To the left you can also see the coast in the far distance.
From here briefly retrace your steps and take the worn, but overgrown path leading left (it’s only overgrown for a minute). It will bring you out to a rocky slope you need to climb down - it’s just a few steps and not slippery when dry.
You then need to climb up the rock you can see ahead of you. It’s probably around two big steps to get up and there is a good foothold as well as other good foot placements. There’s also a tree you can hold for extra stability if needed.
You’ll then be on a rocky plateau and seconds away from the best view. Reaching the final rocky outcrop requires stepping over a gap in the rock walls, but it’s not large and easy to get across.
Then you can sit, relax and enjoy the incredible view!
Florence Head
There’s a large rocky area with plenty of room to sit and take in the view and you don’t need to be near the edge as it’s completely unobstructed. You can see layer upon layer of mountains as well as one of the best views of Pigeon House Mountain we’ve seen yet.
It feels wild and untouched. It’s hard to believe a view this good can be reached via such an easy flat trail. It almost feels like cheating!
Although sunset happens behind the mountains to the right, rather than behind the ‘main view’, it still casts a beautiful light across the whole scene.
The ease of the path means that walking back in the twilight, or even in the dark as we did, is straightforward.
Just watch out for wombats on the drive back down to the main road as we saw them two nights in a row here!
Getting to Florence Head
The car park for Florence Head is located in Morton National Park, the exact location can be found here. It’s around a 30 minute drive from Ulladulla and Mollymook and 50 minutes from Husskisson in Jervis Bay.
The car park is very small, however, we’ve visited three times and never seen another soul here, so you shouldn’t have any trouble parking. The last 3km of the road to the car park is unsealed (with a small amount just before this) however, at time of writing it is suitable for any car.
There are some large potholes in places, but they were gravel rather than muddy - however, as unsealed roads can deteriorate over time, if you are planning to visit in a small car and are worried, it’s worth calling the parks service to get up to date road conditions.
There aren’t any facilities at the car park, the nearest toilet is just under a 10 minute drive away at the car park for Mount Bushwalker.
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