Discover Chinamans Beach and Rosherville Reserve in Mosman

Last updated: January 12, 2021

Chinamans Beach is a hidden treasure in Sydney’s Middle Harbour. Unlike its bigger neighbour Balmoral Beach, Chinamans Beach never really gets super crowded.

Rosherville Reserve, located just behind the beach, is a quiet park area, perfect for a picnic or a barbecue.

Lots of free street parking is available around Chinamans Beach and Rosherville Reserve, but do note that there is a bit of walking involved to get to the beach.

The park does have a small (paid) car park along McLean Crescent in Mosman (map), which tends to fill up quickly on sunny days.

Public transport is also an option, with various buses passing through Mosman from the city and Neutral Bay. Check the timetables on the NSW Transport Info website.

While Balmoral Beach attracts thousands of visitors each day in summer, next door neighbour Chinamans Beach is a much quieter alternative, beautifully tucked away behind Rosherville Reserve.

The 230 m long beach is located in Mosman and faces Middle Harbour and Clontarf Reserve on the opposite side. The beach is bordered by rocks on both sides.

You won’t find any shade on the beach, so it’s recommended to bring beach umbrellas or tents and lots of sunscreen. Rosherville Reserve provides plenty of shade though, if you need a breather on a hot day.

There are no cafes or kiosks at the beach so make sure you bring enough drinks and snacks. There are lost of places to eat and drink nearby though, for example at The Spit, Balmoral Beach (only a kilometre walk away) or in Mosman.

Chinamans Beach was named after the Chinese residents who organised market gardens in the park back in the day.

Swimming

Chinamans Beach is the perfect place for a quiet swim. Swimming is considered very safe here (like most beaches in Sydney’s Middle Harbour) due to the very calm conditions.

Be mindful though that the water can get quite deep and there is a lot of boat activity further out.

Snorkeling, Canoeing or Kayaking

Chinamans Beach is also a great spot for water sports such as snorkeling, canoeing and kayaking. Best to head out to either the north side or the south side to avoid swimmers.

Fishing

Fishing is a popular pastime in many areas in Sydney’s Middle Harbour. Fishing at Chinamans Beach is best done at the rocky areas at either side of the beach.

Surfing

Chinamans Beach is not suitable for surfing. The beach is quite secluded, away from the ocean, so there’s not a lot of waves action.

Hiking

There are some really good hiking tracks near Chinamans Beach. For example, the short walk to Balmoral along the forehore around the rocks is quite scenic.

Or further away, the coastal trail between Balmoral Beach and Taronga Zoo is one of the best hikes in Sydney Harbour.

The huge park area (around 3 ha) behind the beach is a beautiful and quiet oasis, the perfect spot to relax and to have a picnic or a barbecue.

With an abundance of large trees, there is plenty of shade to be enjoyed in Rosherville Reserve.

There is also a small playground where children can spend all their energy, and the park also has modern shower and toilet facilities right behind the beach.

You can access Chinamans Beach via Rosherville Reserve which has a small path to the beach. Parking is available at the park (paid parking) and in the streets of Mosman nearby (free).