The Taronga to Balmoral Beach walk is one of our favourite harbour walks in Sydney and we find something new to see every time we do it. It’s a walk that can be done for exercise in just over an hour, or you can make a day of it by relaxing at various stops along the way.

On this walk you’ll get epic harbour views, lots of lush foliage, secret bays and bigger beaches as well as a great snorkel opportunity and of course some fabulous places to eat at the end.

Here’s exactly what to expect from the walk and where to stop along the way.

Taronga Zoo to Balmoral Beach Walk

The stats

Distance: 6km or 7.2km including side trails
Elevation: 176m
Type of walk: One way
Difficulty: Easy (but there are some uphill sections)
Start of Trail: Taronga Zoo Ferry Wharf
End of Trail: Balmoral Beach

The Taronga to Balmoral walk is an easy 6km walk, and it takes about 2 hours to walk from one end to the other. We recommend adding some more time to take in the views and have a couple of stops.

We’re going to get straight into the walk, but all the details on getting to and from the trail heads can be found at the end of this post.

Starting the trail

After a scenic ferry ride from Circular Quay, you’ll begin the walk by heading right out of the ferry terminal until you come to the entrance to the zoo. Your path is directly opposite the entrance, on the right, and heads away from the road and into the bushland, you can’t miss it.

The signage for the walk is even better than it used to be as has become part of the Bondi to Manly walk and extras signs have been added.

If you’re really lucky, you might hear the sound of some of the animals in the zoo as you walk along the trail. I’ll never forget walking the first bit of the track to the melody of Gibbons calling to each other; it was like being transported to the jungles of Southeast Asia, and an absolute delight.

Arriving at Athol Bay

After just 600m flat walking on a lovely bush trail you’ll come to the sign for Athol Bay. It’s a really short detour, of just a few minutes, but well worth making the effort for.

Most people continue straight on because it’s so early in the trail and this leaves Athol Bay all for you - we’ve never seen anyone else there!

*The view from the lookout at Athol Bay*

On the left you can get a view of the Harbour Bridge through the tree branches, and it makes for a picturesque and unusual shot of this famous icon.

The real treat though, is to the right where you’ll head down some steps to the bay itself. It’s very small, but incredibly peaceful and - of course - has yet more wonderful and unobstructed views of the harbour. It’s one of our favourite secret beaches in Sydney!

On to Bradleys Head

After Athol Bay head back to the main trail and you’ll have an easy 1km stroll to Bradleys Head. The path is narrow and lined with lots of plants and trees, which offer some shade if you’re hiking on a hot day. You will regularly get views out to the Harbour and there are often benches along the route to sit and admire them.

There are a few short staircases on this section of track but for the most part it’s completely flat. If you’re walking with kids they will probably enjoy the little signs along the way which show which animals live in the area.

*Enjoying the flat, easy boardwalk on the Taronga to Balmoral walk*

Unfortunately you’re unlikely to spot them all but it could make a fun game for kids to try! We actually learnt something too because we had no idea that Bandicoots live in this area, an animal we’ve yet to see in Sydney.

When you get to Bradleys Head you can walk down a few steps to a concrete jetty. We prefer the old wooden jetties but it is still a nice place to take in the amazing harbour view. Sometimes you’ll spot people fishing from here.

To the left of the jetty is another little beach which has amazingly clear water. It’s yet another cove we have never seen anyone at, so if you’re after a secluded picnic spot this could be the one!

On to one of Sydney’s best snorkelling sites

You’ll have just under 3km of trail to reach Chowder Bay from Bradleys Head, and it’s almost all flat or downhill, so you can relax and take in the spectacular surroundings. You could rush through this section really easily (and we’re often guilty of doing that) but when you slow down and take in the scenery there is a lot to appreciate.

The track is lined on both sides with huge, lush tropical plants (I always love seeing the ginormous Monstera plants and thinking of the little one I have in my flat!) and lots of flowers. There’s one section which has so many ferns it was hard to believe that if I peeked through the bushes to the right I could still see Sydney Harbour!

Once you get to the section around Taylor’s Bay (which is another little cove you can walk down to if you want) you’ll see a few flats and houses on your right. We always stop and marvel at how amazing it is people can live in a city and have views of stunning bays and masses of plants which look like a jungle!

From Taylors Bay it’s a short, predominantly downhill stroll to Chowder Bay (this area is also known as Clifton Gardens). If you want a picnic spot with facilities along the trail this is your best bet.

There’s everything here: BBQ’s, a huge number of picnic tables, toilets, a playground and even basketball hoops. But our favourite thing about it is of course the bay itself. It’s such a pretty little spot with a long jetty and a netted swimming area.

It’s also one of Sydney’s best snorkel sites which is something we’d never have known if we hadn’t bumped into some divers the first time we ever did this walk.

The reason that it’s so good is because it’s an easy place to see seahorses and as they hang around the jetty area you don’t even have to go far! You might also spots rays and Cuttlefish.

One of our favourite walks in Sydney: The Bondi to Coogee Walk

Time for a climb

Once you’re ready to tear yourself away from Chowder Bay, head along the beach and up the staircases past the buildings.

There will then be a staircases on your left and you’ll see the restaurant Ripples. I’ve always wanted to try Ripples but haven’t yet. If you wanted a proper lunch on this walk rather than a picnic it has a lovely view of the bay.

The path is to the left of the fire hydrant

You’ll come up the stairs and into a car park area, it looks like the track carries straight on but that’s not the Taronga Balmoral route. You need to cross the car park and go up the track which is right next to a staircase into the Lands Edge building.

This is the only steep section of the whole walk. For around 400m you’ll be climbing up stairs and after such an easy walk to this point it always feels like a bit of a puff!

It’s not long before you reach the top though and then you can make the short detour (it’s just seconds off the track) to Georges Head Lookout. The views of course are great, and for those interested in military history, there are some old military fortifications from the WWII era.

There are several information boards to help you understand what you are looking at and even some tunnels you can wander through.

The grand finale

Once you leave Georges Head Lookout you are very close to the end of the walk, with less than 1km to go. You’ll follow the bush track until you come to a zebra crossing, cross over the road and the trail continues on.

You’ll soon come to the top of a huge staircase - at which point you can feel smug that your climb is done as you watch others puff their way up - that is lined with trees and ferns on both sides. It’s one of the prettiest staircases we’ve seen in Sydney!

*The final part of the Taronga to Balmoral walk*

Once at the bottom you arrive at the sports field just in front of Balmoral Beach. The paved track skirts the edge of the field and then you can cut on to beach.

Relax at Balmoral Beach

Balmoral is a fantastic beach and there’s plenty of space to laze on the sand or go for a swim (there’s also a very large netted area).

Our favourite way to end the walk is either to head to The Boathouse (which is the same brand as the one in Palm Beach) and grab lunch or a coffee, on the deck if we can get a seat, or if it’s closer to the evening we undo all our good work by going to one of our favourite fish and chip shops in Sydney - the Bottom of the Harbour.

If you’ve still got plenty of daylight left The Boathouse also hires out kayaks and paddle boards, or you could explore the small headland which you access at the northern end of the beach. It’s a peaceful spot and somewhere we like to sit and watch the world go by.

If you’re looking for other great Sydney walks, we’ve got a whole list of favourites here.

Transport for the Taronga to Balmoral Beach walk

The trail starts from Taronga Zoo Ferry Wharf which is a 12 minute scenic ferry ride from Circular Quay. The trail ends at Balmoral Beach.

To get back to the city from Balmoral you can get a bus from right beside the Bottom of the Harbour fish and chip shop, on the corner.

The buses don’t run late into the evening and are not very regular so if you find yourself stuck with a long wait or you’ve missed it completely you can walk up the hill to the Spit where there are very frequent buses into the city. Just be warned it is a long, steep hill, and every time we miss the bus we regret it : )

You could drive and park at one end of this walk but parking is expensive near both trail heads so it really is cheapest to do it by public transport and not have to worry about racking up big parking fees.

Packing suggestions for the walk

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

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.

Like it? Pin it!

A full guide to the Taronga Zoo to Balmoral Beach walk - a trail which includes so many incredible stops! We’ll tell you in detail about the best things to see, one of Sydney’s top snorkelling spots, the views, the secret beaches, the beautiful bush…

Follow us on Social Media

Are you planning on a hike in Sydney? Where does Taronga Zoo to Balmoral Beach rank in your favourite Sydney hikes? Let us know in the comments below!