Last updated: April 26, 2022
Bouddi National Park may not be on top of everyone’s list when looking for new walking tracks to explore. But this 15 km2 national park is actually home to some very pretty and unique bush and coastal walks.
Established in 1967 as a National Park, Bouddi was named after the local Aboriginal name of the area. There are still lots of Aboriginal sites to be found in the park, such as middens, engravings, and rock shelters.
The park has a very distinct landscape, with thriving bushland, sandstone cliffs, beautiful coastal paths, and long, isolated beaches. What’s great is that some of these beaches can only be reached via walking tracks.
Top 9 Bouddi National Park Walks:
| Walk | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bouddi Coastal Walk | 8 km (one way) |
| 2 | Putty Beach to Gerrin Point Lookout | 2.6 km (return) |
| 3 | Maitland Bay Track | 3.6 km (return) |
| 4 | Bullimah Spur Track | 2.4 km (return) |
| 5 | Box Head Track | 3.2 km (return) |
| 6 | Mount Bouddi Walking Track | 2.4 km (return) |
| 7 | Little Beach Trail | 1.5 km (return) |
| 8 | Rocky Point Trail to Allen Strom Lookout | 2 km (return) |
| 9 | Daleys Point Fire Trail | 3.2 km (return) |
Top 9 Bouddi National Park Walks
Here are 9 of our favourite walking tracks in Bouddi National Park, ranging from an easy 1.5 km to a more challenging 8 km in length.
If you prefer an even longer hike, it’s possible to combine some of the below walks, as they are all located within close proximity.
1. Bouddi Coastal Walk
Enjoy 8 kilometres of quiet beaches, lookout points, boardwalks, and panoramic ocean views, as you hike from Putty Beach to MacMasters Beach along the coast of Bouddi National Park.
Some of the highlights of this classic Central Coast walking track include the Gerrin Point Lookout, Maitland Bay and Bullimah Beach.
If 8 km is a bit too much, this walk can easily be divided into smaller sections; for example, MacMasters Beach to Little Beach, Little Beach to Maitland Bay and Maitland Bay to Putty Beach.
| Bouddi Coastal Walk | |
|---|---|
| Distance: | 8 km (one way) |
| Time: | 4 hours |
| Grade: | Moderate |
2. Putty Beach to Gerrin Point Lookout
Perhaps the most enjoyable section of the Bouddi Coastal Walk is the 2.6 km return walking trail between Putty Beach and Gerrin Point Lookout.
This is an easy, family-friendly walking track that takes in beautiful scenery, secluded beaches, lookout points and unique rock formations.
Ample parking is available at the Putty Beach campground, from where you can start this hike to the Tessellated Pavement, Bullimah Beach, and Gerrin Point.
You can find more details about this short but fantastic walk in our guide to the Putty Beach to Gerrin Point Lookout coastal walk.
| Putty Beach to Gerrin Point Lookout | |
|---|---|
| Distance: | 2.6 km (return) |
| Time: | 1.5 hours |
| Grade: | Easy |
3. Maitland Bay Track
The Maitland Bay Track is a short but steep bushwalk that winds its way down from the Bouddi National Park Information Centre to the stunning beach of Maitland Bay through beautiful rainforest.
While the track down to the beach may be very easy, the return trip is actually quite hard with some very steep sections to conquer.
Once you’ve set foot on the yellow sand of the beach, it’s recommended to venture out further east towards Bouddi Point where you can discover the remains of an old shipwreck.
| Maitland Bay Track | |
|---|---|
| Distance: | 1.8 km (return) |
| Distance to Bouddi Point: | 3.6 km (return) |
| Time: | 1.5 hours |
| Grade: | Moderate (steep) |
4. Bullimah Spur Track
Just like the Maitland Bay track, the Bullimah Spur Track also starts at the Bouddi National Park information centre, but this walk goes southbound towards the Bullimah Outlook.
The exciting walking track meanders through bushland with fantastic views of Maitland Bay to take in along the way.
The views from the lookout at the end of the walk are absolutely incredible, with Putty Beach, Broken Bay, Palm Beach, Lion Island and Box Head all visible on a clear day.
Parking is available at the Information Centre on Scenic Road. From there, follow the Maitland Bay Track for only a short while until it branches out into the Bullimah Spur track.
| Bullimah Spur Track | |
|---|---|
| Distance: | 2.4 km (return) |
| Time: | 1 hour |
| Grade: | Easy |
5. Box Head Track
The 3.2 km Box Head Track winds its way down through bushland heading towards the ocean, similar to the Maitland Bay track.
In this case though, the destination is the popular Box Head lookout located at the southernmost tip of the Bouddi National Park peninsula.
From the lookout the panoramic views of Broken Pay, the Hawkesbury River, and the Barrenjoey Headland are amazing.
| Box Head Track | |
|---|---|
| Distance: | 3.2 km (return) |
| Time: | 1.5 hours |
| Grade: | Easy |
6. Mount Bouddi Walking Track
The short but pretty Mount Bouddi walking track starts at the Mount Bouddi (Dingeldei) picnic area, and guides hikers through beautiful bushland to the Bouddi Lookout, offering great views of Maitland Bay.
This walking track connects with the Bouddi Coastal Walk and the Maitland Bay track.
If you’re feeling energetic, you could return to the picnic area via the Maitland Bay track and the Strom trail, which would probably take an extra hour.
| Mount Bouddi Walking Track | |
|---|---|
| Distance: | 2.4 km (return) |
| Time: | 1.5 hours |
| Grade: | Easy / moderate |
7. Little Beach Trail
The short walking trail to Little Beach (see map location) takes you though a peaceful stretch of rainforest and over a little bridge all the way to the sand and rocks of Little Beach.
While perhaps not the best spot to go for a swim, Little Beach is great for exploring and relaxing with a picnic.
There are also several camping spots available right behind the beach with excellent BBQ facilities. The Bouddi Coastal Walk also runs past Little Beach.
| Little Beach Trail | |
|---|---|
| Distance: | 1.5 km (return) |
| Time: | 1 hour |
| Grade: | Easy |
8. Rocky Point Trail to Allen Strom Lookout
The Allen Strom Lookout (see map location) faces west, offering scenic, panoramic views over Hardys Bay and Brisbane Water.
The Rocky Point trail that leads to the lookout is an easy 2 km return walk through bush and woodland that is also popular as a beginner cycling track.
This is by no means a hugely spectacular walking track, but it’s great for young children and the lookout is very rewarding. You can park your car on Wards Hill Road at the intersection with Maitland Bay Drive.
| Rocky Point Trail | |
|---|---|
| Distance: | 2 km (return) |
| Time: | 1 hour |
| Grade: | Easy |
9. Daleys Point Fire Trail
The start of the Daleys Point fire trail is very close to where the Rocky Point trail starts.
It’s best to park your car on Wards Hill Road at the intersection with Maitland Bay Dr, and then make your way north-west towards the Daleys Point lookout.
This easy 3.2 km return trip takes in several Aboriginal engraving sites, with large sandstone drawings clearly visible at the end of the walking track.
From Daleys Point, you can enjoy scenic views of Cockle Bay Nature Reserve, Rileys Island and Brisbane Water.
| Daleys Point Fire Trail | |
|---|---|
| Distance: | 3.2 km (return) |
| Time: | 1.5 hours |
| Grade: | Easy |
About Bouddi National Park
Located on the southern point of the New South Wales Central Coast near Gosford and Woy Woy, Bouddi National Park is an excellent weekend getaway destination, with lots of opportunities for hiking, swimming, fishing, camping and cycling.
Bouddi National Park can be easily accessed via the M1 Pacific Motorway. You can either head into the park via Gosford (Central Coast Hwy and Avoca Dr), or via Woy Woy (Woy Woy Rd and Empire Bay Dr).
The Scenic Road runs right through Bouddi National Park and gets you to most of the walking and cycling tracks.
Information Centre
The Maitland Bay Information Centre is located at 227-231 The Scenic Rd in Killcare Heights (see map location). The centre is opened from 11am to 3pm on Saturday and Sunday.
The Information Centre is where you can start several walking tracks, such as the Maitland Bay track and the Bullimah Spur track. Most of these walks also connect with the Bouddi Coastal Walk.
The Bouddi Coastal walk is one of the best walks around Sydney, and one of my favourite walks.
For a shorter walk, take the Bullimah Spur track, which has great views over Maitland Bay, as well as across to Putty Beach. Continue past Bullimah Outlook and down to the Bouddi Coastal Track. You can then return via Maitland Bay to the car park.
Thanks for the tip, Oliver!
Does the Bullimah track join the coastal walk at the end? In short can you reach Putty beach while walking down the Bullimah spur track?
Hello SD, officially the track ends at the lookout. However, it is possible to hike down to connect to the Coastal Track, but that is a steep descent and we wouldn’t recommend it for safety reasons. The alternative is to take the Maitland Bay Track to the beach and continue on the Coastal Track from there.
The Maitland Bay Track is a great walk, yes it is a bit steep but the reward of reaching the Bay is worth it. Plenty of parking is available near the Information Centre too. Highly recommend.
Thanks Michael, we couldn’t agree more!