5 parks listed

Best Walking Trails in Northern Beaches

Northern Beaches has parks with walking tracks ranging from easy paved paths to bush trails. All parks listed below have confirmed walking path facilities.

What to look for

The best walking parks have well-maintained paths, clear trail markers, and facilities like toilets and parking at the trailhead.

Comparison table — Best Walking Trails in Northern Beaches

Park	Suburb	Walking paths	Parking	Toilets	Water	BBQ	Details
Gumbooyah Reserve	Allambie Heights	✓	✓	?	?	?	View →
Trafalgar Park	Newport	✓	✓	✗	✓	?	View →
Aitken Reserve	Queenscliff	✓	✓	?	?	?	View →
Lakeside Park	Narrabeen	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	View →
Betty Morrison Reserve	Newport	✓	?	?	?	?	View →

Park profiles — Best Walking Trails in Northern Beaches

Gumbooyah Reserve

📍 Allambie Heights, NSW 2100

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Gumbooyah Reserve is a 5.1 acre bushland reserve at the end of Gumbooya Street in Allambie Heights, best known for its signposted Aboriginal rock engravings of whales, fish, human figures and a dolphin. The reserve also has trails for walking, running and hiking, plus an elevated lookout with extensive scenic views.

Aboriginal Rock Engravings at Gumbooyah Reserve

Gumbooyah Reserve contains a signposted Aboriginal rock engraving site with 68 to 70 figures, some of them very weathered. The carved subjects include whales, fish, a dolphin, hunting implements and human figures, one of which is large. Barricades protect the engravings, so visitors look at the carvings from an elevated position directly behind the barrier. That vantage point also looks out over the surrounding landscape and bush.

Bushland Trails at Gumbooyah Reserve

Gumbooyah Reserve has unnamed trails spread across its 5.1 acres of bushland. The trails range in difficulty, so walkers can pick an easier route or a harder one to match their fitness and experience. The bushland supports native plants, and flannel flowers grow beside the tracks. Hikers and trail runners can pair a trail outing with a stop at the lookout above the engravings.

Aboriginal heritage visitorsBushwalkersTrail runnersHikersScenic lookout viewsNative plant spottingStreet parking nearby

🅿️ Parking🚶 Paths

Trafalgar Park

📍 Newport, NSW 2106

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Trafalgar Park is a free neighbourhood park at Gladstone Street and Stuart Street, Newport, whose standout feature is a playground upgraded in September 2024. It has separate junior and senior play areas, an expanded swing zone and a nature-play area, set in open parkland among mature trees.

Playground at Trafalgar Park

Trafalgar Park has a junior play area for toddlers and preschool-aged children, with a low-level play structure, a slide, a shop counter for role play, and noughts and crosses. The senior play area at Trafalgar Park suits children aged 6–10 and has a larger climbing frame, a rock-climbing wall, ladders and monkey bars. The expanded swing zone has a flat swing, a high-back toddler swing and a basket swing. A nature-play area sits next to the structured equipment, and a small circuit path lets young children ride bikes or scooters. The play zones are surfaced with rubber softfall, synthetic grass and mulch.

Parkland and Picnic Areas at Trafalgar Park

Trafalgar Park sits within open parkland surrounded by mature trees, and every existing tree was retained and protected during the playground renewal. Re-landscaped areas at Trafalgar Park include sandstone terracing, new seating and picnic furniture, which make the park a practical spot for a family picnic. Trafalgar Park also has a drinking fountain, a sun shade and new park signage.

Kids playgroundToddlers and preschoolersAges 6–10 climbingBike and scooter ridingNature playFamily picnicsFree entry

🛝 Playground🅿️ Parking🚶 Paths

Aitken Reserve

📍 Queenscliff, NSW 2096

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Aitken Reserve is a recreation area beside Manly Lagoon in Queenscliff NSW 2096. Its standout feature is a children's playground with a climbing castle, twist and straight slides and a swing set, reached by paved level lead-in pathways over easy terrain.

Playground at Aitken Reserve

Aitken Reserve has a playground with a swing set, a climbing castle with steps, a ladder, and twist and straight slides. Bench seats sit near the play equipment. The climbing castle, slides and swings make Aitken Reserve a play space suited to young children. The playground is free to use and open every day, and Northern Beaches Council lists Aitken Reserve as a recreation area.

Accessibility at Aitken Reserve

Aitken Reserve has paved level lead-in pathways to the playground, and its terrain is rated as easy. The play area is rated for some play area access, so access to the equipment is partial. Aitken Reserve has no accessible toilet on site. The nearest accessible toilets are just under 400m away at Keirle Park, Lagoon Park, and the Queenscliff & Freshwater Beach Surf Clubs.

Kids playgroundFree family outingEasy paved pathwaysAccessible parkingLagoon-side visitsYoung children

🛝 Playground🅿️ Parking🚶 Paths

Lakeside Park

📍 Narrabeen, NSW 2101

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Lakeside Park is a 19.1-acre green space on Lake Park Road in North Narrabeen. Its standout feature is the Lakeside Park Exercise Area, a free outdoor gym open every day. The park also has a playground with a spider net, a cricket field, a bike path, BBQs and four walking and running routes.

Free Outdoor Gym at Lakeside Park

Lakeside Park has a free outdoor gym, the Lakeside Park Exercise Area, with about eight types of equipment including a leg press, a pull-up bar and an exercise bike. The gym is open access, so visitors train without a membership. Fitness users can combine a gym session with a run on one of the park's routes, then use the showers and drinking water on site.

Walking and Running Routes at Lakeside Park

Lakeside Park has four walking and running routes. The Lakeside Park route covers 1.9 miles in an estimated 32 minutes, with about 410 ft of elevation gain, and is rated medium. Pelican Path is an easy 0.5 miles with no elevation gain and takes around 7 minutes. The North Narrabeen Walk covers 3.8 miles and takes about 1 hour and 24 minutes to complete.

Free outdoor gymKids playgroundCricket and rugby leagueWalking and running routesPicnics and BBQsFamily visits with restroomsBike riding

🛝 Playground🔥 BBQ🚻 Toilets🅿️ Parking🚶 Paths🏅 Sports

Betty Morrison Reserve

📍 Newport, NSW 2106

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Betty Morrison Reserve is an urban bushland reserve on Myola Road, Newport, on the south-eastern tip of the Barrenjoey Peninsula. Its most notable feature is Bungan Beach, a quiet 600m beach between two headlands. The reserve is a Wildlife Protection Area, so dogs must be leashed at all times.

Bungan Beach at Betty Morrison Reserve

Betty Morrison Reserve takes in Bungan Beach, a 600m beach that runs south east between Bungan Headland to the north and Mona Vale Headland to the south. A single bar runs the full length of the beach. The rock platforms at its northern and southern ends are Intertidal Protected Areas. Access is mainly on foot, which keeps the beach quiet. Coastal processes, including beach and bluff erosion, keep reshaping the shoreline.

Bushland and Wildlife at Betty Morrison Reserve

Betty Morrison Reserve is an urban bushland area that provides habitat for many plant and animal species that would otherwise disappear from urban areas. Three broad vegetation types grow there: Coastal Scrub, Cliff-Face Open-Heath and Coastal Closed-Heath. The Yellow-faced Whip Snake and Eastern Whipbird use its scrub, beach and rock platform habitats, and significant records include the Long-nosed Bandicoot, Peregrine Falcon and Powerful Owl. The reserve is named after Betty Morrison, and the Bungan Beach Flora and Fauna Committee, formed in 1969, grew into one of the area's oldest Bushcare groups, which is still active there.

Leashed dog walksCoastal walkersWildlife watchingQuiet beach visitsBushcare volunteersNature lovers

🚶 Paths

Frequently asked questions

Which Northern Beaches parks have the best walking trails?

Parks with confirmed paths in Northern Beaches range from easy paved circuits to longer bush walks. Check individual park listings for trail length and difficulty.

Are there dog-friendly walking trails in Northern Beaches?

Many walking parks in Northern Beaches allow dogs on leads. Parks with confirmed off-leash areas are also listed under the off-leash dog parks section.

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