The Magazine Track is one of the quietest trails in what is already a quiet national park. This is the only walk in Sydney we’ve done in the middle of the day and not seen anyone else at all for the whole hike! If solitude is your thing, then it makes a really great choice. It’s also a lovely bush track with lots of birdlife and great water views.
The jewel in the crown of the track is the beach at the end, which has definite Robinson Crusoe vibes. We’ll be honest, we weren’t expecting much and then it completely took us by surprise.
Here’s what to expect from the trail and why you should add it to your Garigal National Park hikes list.
Flat Rock Beach on the Magazine Track
Magazine Track
The stats
Distance: 6.8km
Elevation: 224m
Difficulty: Moderate
Type of trail: Return
The Magazine Track is a moderately difficult walk in Garigal National Park, primarily because the track is a bit rough at points and undulates most of the way.
The trail isn’t too long though, and it should take about one hour each way.
Starting the trail
This walk starts at a residential street, but goes straight into the bush on a narrow fire trail. You follow the signs for the Bates Creek Track at first, which will be a right hand turn from the main trail, 250m in.
The bush immediately gets more dense and we were serenaded by kookaburras for the first section of the track. The trail is a dirt path and it is quite rocky so you do have to watch your footing.
There are some beautiful tall tree ferns along the first bit of the track and you quickly feel like you’ve left the residential area far behind.
After another 350m you will cross over the creek and head left, it’s not signposted at this point, but a little further along the trail you’ll see the signpost for the Magazine Track.
Heading around to Bantry Bay
The path is flat at first, and then starts heading downhill on a fairly rough track. It’s not a scramble, but it involves walking over some quite big rocks.
After a kilometre, you will start to get some glimpses of the bay through the trees. You’ll then begin following a narrow bush track with a wire fence on your left. The fence sort of takes away from the being out in nature feeling but don’t be put off because it doesn’t last that long.
You will be following the water for much of the way, and even though it’s obscured by the bush, it still has a very peaceful feel to it. You’ll also pass some nice overhangs, which look like honeycomb.
After you’ve been walking for 2.8km you’ll come to a little side trail on your left which takes you to your first fully open view of the water.
It only takes 30 seconds to get to the large rocky platform. It’s both a great view and a nice spot to sit and relax, or even have a picnic. At this point you are 700m from the end of the trail.
Continuing on to Flat Rock Beach
After the viewpoint you will start to get much more open views of the bay for the rest of the walk. It’s a gorgeous part of the trail and we enjoyed watching lots of kayakers paddle by.
The path becomes much flatter, and just before you reach the beach passes through an area of dense ferns, which was absolutely beautiful.
At low tide you can walk down onto the rocks and follow them around to the beach - just watch out though because they were pretty slippery. If it’s not passable you can continue along the main track and then head down the staircase to the beach.
The beach itself is a real hidden gem, and one of Sydney’s best secret beaches. We had no idea it was going to be such a lovely spot and have that wild Robinson Crusoe vibe. There are lots of rocks on the beach which make a good place to sit and just soak up the serenity of the place. The bay is really calm so it’s a great place to take a mid walk dip.
Just behind the beach there is a three tiered waterfall. The flow won’t be massively impressive unless there’s been heavy rain, but it’s still pretty cool. You can actually hear it when you’re sitting on the beach, which makes for quite a unique backdrop.
Heading back
You head back the same way you came. There’s a little more uphill on the way back than the way there, but there aren’t any big climbs, just many short uphill sections.
I only really realised that we must have gone downhill quite a bit on the way there, because of the uphill on the way back!
Overall this is a lovely quiet bush track which you can walk in a leisurely two hours. The bay views and fab beach make it a very worthwhile hike.
Packing suggestions for Garigal National Park
Having the right gear can make a huge 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 Amazon
Bushman Spray: Good for keeping off the mozzies and any other bugs. Check it out on Amazon.
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
Essential information about the Magazine Track
Parking for the walk
The start of the the track is at a corner on Cook Street, which is a residential road. There should be plenty of free parking spaces.
If you are using a GPS, put 76 Cook Street, Forestville, 2087 for the location. It’s a 20 minute drive from the city.
Public transport to the walk
The easiest way to get public transport to the start of the walk is to hop on the 270 from Wynyard. This will drop you off within a 10 minute walk of the start of the trail.
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Are you planning on a walk in Garigal? Would you do the Magazine Track? Let us know in the comments below!
