Middle Harbour Beaches West of the Spit (Battle Boulevard, Clive Park Pool, Pickering Point, Flat Rock Beach, Echo Point Park, Creek Beach)

Middle Harbour, the northern arm of Port Jackson, flows from its headwaters in the upper reaches of Garigal National Park south-east to its mouth between Grotto Point and Middle Head. It’s only a few kilometres north of Sydney’s CBD, but you wouldn’t think it as you float in its tranquil waters, surrounded by towering, rugged foreshores, covered by lush bushland. Much of it remains underdeveloped, protected by parks and reserves, barely changed since European settlement.

The heritage-listed Spit Bridge, running north to south, splits the harbour in two, opening occasionally to let boats through. On the eastern side of the bridge are the harbour’s better-known spots. Here you’ll find the infamously scenic Spit-to-Manly Walk, the turquoise waters of the stunning Balmoral Beach, and the safe-and-gentle Clontarf Beach popular with families. But there are also a series of unique beaches hiding underneath the leafy suburbs on the bridge’s western side.

You don’t have to go far to find the first one; it’s easy to spot as you cross the Spit. But if you’re not a resident of Battle Boulevard, it’s not so easy to get down to. Save the battle of scouring the walls of the beachside mansions and come to it by water. Launch a boat or kayak from the dock at the bridge to share an almost private beach with locals. Refresh in the gleaming blue water as you watch pelicans and sail boats pass underneath the Spit.  

Battle Boulevard Beach

Be careful to dodge them as you head westwards towards the next beach on the harbour. The sandy shore of Clive Park Pool protrudes beneath the north-shore suburb of Northbridge. One of the smallest tidal pools in Sydney, it was constructed in the 1940s using two large rocks as walls. A galvanised pipe and screen made of steel once connected the walls, but both have since disappeared, leaving behind concrete pillars to outline the shape of the pool.

You can also get here overland via a steep, stepped hike down through Clive Park. Watch out for woodland birds and species of skinks as you traverse the path. Burst out at the shore underneath overhanging red gum branches. At lower tides, the beach will appear. A hidden spot, if you time it right, the pleasant views of Peach Tree Bay will be all yours to enjoy.

Clive Park Pool

From here, if you squint hard enough, you’ll just be able to make out the next swimming spot on the harbour. Pickering Point Baths sits below a steep climb down from Gurney Crescent, at the edge of Seaforth’s backstreets. It juts out to views of mooring boats amongst descending bush-covered hills.

Avoid the clutter of oyster shells on the low-tide-exposed beach and use the boardwalk to enter the baths. Back delicately down an old rickety ladder to emerge yourself in the water. Hostile and hungry bull sharks will frequent nearby mangrove trees in search for dinner; but don’t worry you’re safe here swimming laps in the protected enclosure.  

Pickering Point Baths

Flat Rock Beach, further along on the upper reaches of the harbour, is less protected, but apparently the sharks don’t venture that far. Best be careful though and wade in the shallows, hidden amongst anchored, bobbing row boats. Peer back on the secluded bay, sheltered by eroding sandstone cliffs. Let your eyes follow a trickling waterfall flowing down through the bush, onto the beach, and into the harbour.

Flat Rock Beach

When it’s time to leave, you can head back to the suburbs by climbing up the escarpment to Flat Rock Track, on the southern tip of Killarney Heights. Navigate past fishbone ferns and tall eucalypt trees high above the shoreline, peeking through to catch views of the expansive harbour landscape beneath you.

But don’t head home just yet. On the other side of Bantry Bay, across the bustling Roseville Bridge, is yet another place where you can swim. No, I’m not talking about the demolished Roseville Baths, the remains of which now crumble into the water. For 50 years, until water pollution forced its closure in 1974, the constant sounds of splashing and laughter echoed out from the timber structure here across the harbour.

The water quality has since improved and now the beach underneath Echo Point Park is the preferred spot at which to cool off. Head here after enjoying the surrounding terraced gardens, barbeques, and grassy picnic spots. 

The beach at Echo Point Park

From here you can access Two Creeks Track, one of the many tracks that crawl through Garigal National Park. The national park is named after the Indigenous Garigal or Caregal people - the traditional custodians of the country here known as Guringai. Thousands of years of their history is recorded throughout the park in numerous shelters, cave art, rock engravings, middens, and grinding grooves.

The white man’s history in this area is much more recent. Governor Phillip first came here on an expedition from Manly Cove in April 1788 searching for food. You can follow in his footsteps along the Governor Phillip track by the Carrol and Middle Harbour Creeks.

Over steppingstones and through a wooded valley of bloodwoods, scribbly gums, and stringy bark, home to screeching cockatoos, this track will eventually lead you to Creek Beach. Curving round onto the emerald waters of Middle Harbour Creek, the beach’s sand is strewn with fallen logs from over leaning trees, out of which butterflies flutter. Fritter away the day resting here in the sun.

Middle Creek Beach

Total beaches: 70/170