Most visitors and citizens of Sydney will have heard of the spectacular Bondi to Coogee Walk, a fabulous coastal walk along some of the most beautiful beaches and bays that Sydney has to offer.
But have you also heard about the Coogee to Maroubra Walk? Well, I
didn’t, and when I found myself stranded in Coogee some weeks ago with
plenty of time to kill I spontaneously decided to tackle this stretch of
the Sydney coast to find out whether this walk would be just as nice as
the more famous cousin.
Starting from the sandy shores of Coogee Beach I head south along the
water, past the crystal clear Coogee Rock Pool, now in winter deserted
but just as attractive looking as in summer. From here I walk past Grant
Reserve, where you will find a nice shady playground and the
mother-and-child friendly Wylie’s Bath.
A little bit further on, the reserve changes into a rather
unpretentious park on top of a cliff with enchanting views of Wedding
Cake Island in the distance. The reserve is popular with local dog
owners, so maybe not a good place to have a picnic on the grass, but
there are benches from which you can enjoy the views and the fresh ocean
breeze.
From here onwards, the walk looks not much different to the one north
of Coogee Beach, a mix of gentle declines and ascents, soft limestone
rocks, hardy shrubs and grasses, boardwalks, and lots and lots of
gorgeous views. As if that’s not enough houses to my right are getting
ever more interesting and daring. From grand mansions to modern
multi-million dollar villas with manicured gardens and big panorama
windows, they themselves can qualify as an attraction on the walk.
Highlight on this stretch of coastal walk, however, is the area of
regenerated coastal wetlands that are now very accessible thanks to a
newly built boardwalk. Even though one of the signs state that this kind
of landscape used to be very common in the Sydney area, this is the
very first time I come across one.
The wetlands are situated on a rocky plateau that drops down to rocks
below on sea level, with a constant stream of water seemingly coming
out of nowhere. But I can tell there’s a lot of water crossing through
this area, there’s a constant murmur of water all around me and
underneath my feet.
If the stream was narrower, more condensed I am sure it would come
down with a big thunder, but since it can spread out over this wide
area, pooling here and there before falling off the cliff’s surface it
is more like an orchestra of trickling and gurgling sounds.
But more than that: I can hear the croaking of frogs around me,
somewhat surprising. I get down on my knees, inspect the pools to the
left and right of the boardwalk, and yes, now I can also see tiny fish
in the water. Insects and birds all around me, a little piece of
paradise right in the middle of one of the priciest areas in Sydney.
I spend a little bit of time reading the signs along the way that
explain the native wildlife and plants as well as some of the local
history. Not far from here used to be one of the first grand mansions of
Sydney, complete with a formal English garden and a generous porch
overlooking the ocean. If you look closely you can still make out the
rectangular area that this gentleman had had levelled for this own
pleasure.
From here I walk a little bit further along the water, enjoying the
views of the calm Pacific just below. I am not lucky today, but I know
that very often you can see dolphins in the water, and sometimes whales.
Fishermen are hoping for a good catch, dangerously balancing on the
rocks. There are rock ledges that I can climb down to, with water
collecting in the shallow holes of the rocks. The air down here is moist
and salty, standing down here feels like a baptism of some sort.
Not long now and I will need to return to make my appointment at
Coogee Beach. Shortly after passing through a narrow passageway between
two houses I turn around. The walk will soon be interrupted by a couple
of oceanfront properties, and if you are planning to make this walk
sometime in the future don’t be surprised that you will need to cut
through the residential streets of South Coogee first before you can
return to the coast.
I may not have made it all the way to Maroubra this time but I now
know how rewarding a walk along the coast will be. I promise myself to
return soon.
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