We stayed at Long Beach near Batemans Bay on the New South Wales south coast for a week while we explored the area. Only a 10-minute drive from Batemans Bay, it was a quiet and peaceful alternative to staying in town.
From our back door, we could see over the bay and out to the Tollgate Islands. The backyard ended right on the beach, where two seats let you sit and look over the water. Sitting here at sunset was an amazing place to watch the sun go down.
This area allowed us to go for a walk in the early morning before setting off to explore or relaxing and walking in the evening after a day out.
View from the back doorLooking eastLooking westRocks at the eastern end of Long BeachRock platform at the eastern end of the beachSunset
Running along the Clyde River foreshore at Batemans Bay, The Sculpture Walk is a great way to take in the city centre of this NSW south coast town.
Getting There
Driving from Sydney will take a little over 3.5 hours, or two hours from Canberra. We were staying locally, so only had a 10-minute drive from our accommodation. We parked at the Clyde Street carpark, which is conveniently located at the start of the walk.
The Walk
Following the waterfront from the Princes Highway Bridge to the marina, the Sculpture Walk takes in 14 sculptures (the number grows each year) as well as passing street art and memorials. Sculptures are added each time the Sculptures For Clyde festival is held, as the winning sculpture is acquired and permanently displayed in Batemans Bay.
The walk is flat and paved most of the way with many places to stop, rest and take in the scenery. Coffee shops and restaurants on the waterfront also provide plenty of options for eating.
Tides by Joel AdlerSeating and information board on the foreshoreHeavy Metal Seahorse – Alex FiggisPortal by John FitzmauriceBuoyansea by Jesse GrahamFamily by RM. GombocDance by Haruyuki UchidaFracture 2 by David BallWeed by Richard Moffatt the 2023 winnerPelicant by Jesse GrahamLove in the Deep – Jesse Graham
The Clyde River
The walk takes you along the Clyde River, where you see several cruise boats waiting to take tourists up the river. There are also some fishing boats as well as restaurants that sell their catch. Many waterbirds also make the riverbank their home and we saw a lot of pelicans resting on the bank and jetties.
River Cruise BoatPelicansPelican
Memorials
Walking along the sculpture walk, two memorials stand out. The first is Batemans Bay War Memorial Cenotaph while the second, dedicated to the Vietnam War is in the park near the marina.
Batemans Bay War Memorial CenotaphVietnam War Memorial
Street Art
Street art can be found in several locations on the walk. The first and most obvious is on the Boatshed seafood restaurant. This has both ends of the building decorated with paintings of the area’s culture and history.
The second area if found in Graffiti Alley, which runs between Orient St and Murra Murra Mia Walkway. Here, you will find fantastic paintings of local wildlife.
The BoatshedStreet Art on the Boatshed Graffiti Alley near Promenade PlazaStreet Art on Orient St near Promenade PlazaStreet Art on Orient St near Promenade Plaza
Located in Murramarang National Park on the New South Wales south coast, the Acheron Ledge Walking Track is a 1.5km round trip through spotted gum forest with beautiful views over the ocean.
Getting There
There are several ways to start this walk, depending on how much you want to do. The full loop can starts at the Maloneys Drive, Archeron Track intersection, or you can shorten the walk by starting at Maloneys Beach. Although shorter, the second option means climbing stairs from the beach to the track.
We chose to park at Maloneys Beach, which is a great destination itself, with a wide stretch of sand and views across to Batemans Bay. The adjacent Hibiscus Close Reserve also had a large group of kangaroos in residence who were becoming active as we were there near sunset. Leaving the carpark was a slow drive as they were bouncing along the road and in front of the car.
The Track
Once the stairs were conquered, the rest of the track was relatively flat. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service rate the track at level 3 (Some bushwalking experience recommended, Clearly sign posted, Short steep hills, Occasional steps). We found that the track was well maintained, but strong wind the previous week had caused some trees to fall although they did not completely block the track.
Walking the track to Reef Point, we went though the spotted gum forest which was very relaxing. Along the way, gaps in the trees provide excellent views over Batemans Bay and out to the Tollgate Islands.
Ending at Reef Point, the track descends to Quirriga Beach, a small beach with more great views over Batemans Bay.
What Did We Think?
This was a short easy walk (unless you don’t like stairs – there were approximately 130 of them). We took about an hour and a half in the area, but this including looking at the beach and taking photos. You could probably do it in half this time if you didn’t stop. As it was sunset, the kangaroos were an added bonus.
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Entrance sign at the carparkMaloneys BeachMaloneys BeachStairs up to the start of the trackLittoral eucalypt forestThe cliff top walking trackMaloneys Beach from the cliff topThe Tollgate Islands in Batemans BayTrees fallen over the trackQuirriga Beach at Reef PointLooking down the stairs from the cliff topKangaroos at sunset near Maloneys Beach
