Southern Headlands Walk (20km)

The Southern Headlands Walk between Narrawallee and Burrill Lake offers a stunning mix of coastal scenery, pristine beaches, native flora, and inviting local cafes, making it an ideal destination for those looking to explore and unwind.

Stretching 20 kilometres through the Shoalhaven, New South Wales, this grade 3 walk typically takes around six to seven hours to complete. The route showcases some of the most picturesque parts of the NSW South Coast, a region known for its welcoming seaside communities, excellent coffee, and breathtaking beaches.

In January 2025, Shoalhaven City Council upgraded and connected existing paths to create a continuous walking trail from Narrawallee Inlet to Blackburn Head at Burrill Lake. The walk primarily follows established tracks, including the Narrawallee Foreshore Walk, South Pacific Walk, Gari Bagan, One Track for All, and Coomee Nulunga Cultural Walk. These connections offer flexibility, allowing walkers to tailor their journey by extending their route or choosing shorter sections. While much of the walk follows existing paths, new signage highlights fresh perspectives along the way.

A key feature of the trail is its passage through sections of the Sydney Basin’s Bangalay Sand Forest, an endangered ecological community characterised by its sandy understory and towering eucalyptus botryoides. This unique environment, found only in coastal dunes and subcoastal hills of southern NSW and eastern Victoria, is a highlight for nature lovers.

The walk features ten of Shoalhaven’s most scenic beaches, including Narrawallee, Jones, Mollymook, Golf Course Reef, Collers, Ulladulla Harbour, Corcoran Cove, Rennies, Racecourse, and Burrill. It also incorporates significant existing tracks such as One Track for All, Gari Bagan, Coomee Nulunga Cultural Walk, Narrawallee Foreshore Walk, and the South Pacific Walk. Hikers can explore areas of Bangalay Sand Forest, view 270-million-year-old fossils near Ulladulla Harbour, and spot migrating whales, dolphins, and endangered bird species along the route. The trail also passes two Holiday Haven Tourist Parks in Ulladulla and Burrill Lake, with convenient access to shops, cafes, public toilets, and picnic areas.

For those planning to complete the full 20 kilometres, a car shuffle is recommended—leaving one vehicle at the walk’s endpoint and using another to return to the start. However, shorter sections are easily accessible for families or visitors wanting a more relaxed experience, such as the walking trails and lookout at Ulladulla Lighthouse.

The Southern Headlands Walk complements other well-known tracks in the region, including the Pigeon House Mountain Didthul walking track in Morton National Park, the Murramarang South Coast Walk from Pretty Beach, and further south, the Light to Light Walk in Beowa National Park.