Camp Cove Beach near Watsons Bay on Sydney Harbour

Camp Cove Beach near Watsons Bay on Sydney Harbour is one of the most appealing beaches on the south side of Sydney Harbour. It’s a short walk from the Watsons Bay Wharf.

Just north of Watsons Bay, Camp Cove Beach is one of the most appealing Sydney Harbour beaches. This is partly due to the local competition – the beach at Watsons Bay itself isn’t all that nice, and the Watsons Bay Baths are disappointing.

But Camp Cove Beach is a lovely beach in its own right as well. The golden, curving stretch of sand runs adjacent to the Sydney Harbour National Park in the small, wealthy Camp Cove neighbourhood.

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The Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains.

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Get perfect views of the world’s most beautiful city on a Sydney Harbour helicopter tour.
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Eat all you can at the Skyfeast at the top of Sydney Tower.
See migrating humpbacks – on a whale-watching cruise.
(Highly recommended ✅) Go behind the scenes of Australia’s most famous building on an Opera House tour.
Dine as the city lights up on sunset dinner cruise around the harbour.
Combine beers and stories on a historic pubs tour through the convict-era Rocks district.
Stand on your board and catch waves during Bondi Beach surfing lessons.
Go to wombat and kangaroo-spotting hotspots on a Southern Highlands tour.
Enjoy Sydney’s wild side on a Manly snorkelling & nature walk.
(🥇Top choice in Sydney) And, best of all, paddle to hidden beaches on a harbour kayaking adventure.

How to get to Camp Cove Beach

Getting to Camp Cove is pretty easy, but just difficult enough to keep the numbers on the beach down. From Watsons Bay Wharf, where the Watsons Bay Ferry comes in, Camp Cove Beach is a 600 metre walk.

Head north along Marine Parade, then cut along Cove Street before joining Pacific Street. You’ll see the short track to the beach just after passing the Victoria Point Reserve.

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Camp Cove parking

If driving, parking spaces are limited on Cliff Street and Victoria Street, but there is accessible parking in the Cliff Street Car Park. This is managed by the Parks and Wildlife Service, and the South Head Heritage Trail towards the Hornby Lighthouse starts just to the north of Camp Cove.

Camp Cove Beach is a relatively short one – it stretches for around 250 metres. But it’s a reasonably good bet for swimming, as waves are rarely anything like intimidating.

Camp Cove Beach near Watsons Bay, Sydney. Photo courtesy of Destination NSW.

The beach is, however, quite steep. If splashing in the shallows is your thing, try elsewhere, as you’ll soon be in above your waist.

The other aspect of this Sydney Harbour beach to look out for is the boats, although they are only allowed to moor at the northern end.

Camp Cove Beach kiosk

The northern end of Camp Cove Beach is also where you’ll find the kiosk. Don’t expect culinary wonders here, but for basic drinks and snacks it’ll do just fine.

Other Sydney Harbour beaches worth investigating include Milk Beach and Parsley Bay.

This article came as a result of a Melbourne to Sydney coastal road trip in March/ April 2022. This trip was supported by Tourism Australia.