Suggested excursions
Maps and directions
Please check your Booking Confirmation regarding your meeting point:
Bonnie Vale Picnic Area
This is the most common meeting point for primary school excursions arriving by bus.
Students can access toilets and water before reboarding the bus to relocate to Jibbon Beach (corner of Loftus and Eric Streets).
Directions to Bonnie Vale:
- Enter the Royal National Park at Farnell Ave (Loftus) or McKell Ave (Waterfall)
- Turn onto Bundeena Drive from Sir Bertram Stevens Drive
- Continue on Bundeena Drive until you reach the township of Bundeena
- Take the second left onto Sea Breeze Lane, towards Bonnie Vale Picnic Area
- Once you reach the parking bays at the picnic area, pull over at a safe spot and disembark students
- Buses can then continue down the road to turnaround at the circle just before the campground gates
Please advise your bus drivers that students will be reboarding the buses to relocate to Jibbon Beach.
* Buses for booked excursions do not pay an entry fee at the toll booth. Show your Booking Confirmation sheet; you will be invoiced park entry fee later.
Download map and directions via Loftus
Download map and directions via Waterfall
Getting here
Bonnie Vale is approximately 23 km from the Farnell Avenue entry of the Royal National Park and 24 km from the Waterfall entry.
Via bus, it takes approximately 30 minutes to drive to Bonnie Vale from the Princes Highway turnoff at Farnell, or from the Waterfall entry.
There is no need to pay at the toll booth. Show the Visitor Services Officer your Booking Confirmation and advise that student park use fees will be charged by National Parks following the excursion.
There is space to pull buses over to safely disembark students. There is a turning circle further down the road just before the campground gates.
Site details and facilities
Bundeena Wharf
This is the most common meeting point for high school excursions or for any group arriving by ferry.
Students can access toilets and water before walking to Jibbon Beach (corner of Loftus and Eric Streets) or relocating by bus.
Directions to Bundeena Wharf - via ferry
- Catch a train to Cronulla Station
- Walk to the Cronulla Ferries wharf
- Catch the ferry to Bundeena Wharf (ferries depart from Cronulla on the half hour and depart from Bundeena on the hour, with a break for lunch between 12:30 and 1:30 pm; the trip is 20-30 minutes depending on conditions.
- Meet your EEC teacher(s) adjacent to the carpark just uphill from the wharf
Check the Cronulla Ferries timetable on their website or use Transport Info NSW to get a complete route from your school to Bundeena (including Cronulla Ferries).
Directions to Bundeena Wharf - via bus
- Enter the Royal National Park at Farnell Ave (Loftus) or McKell Ave (Waterfall)
- Turn onto Bundeena Drive from Sir Bertram Stevens Drive
- Continue on Bundeena Drive through the township of Bundeena
- Veer left onto Brighton Street
- Veer right onto Loftus Street and pull over safely on the left (on Loftus Street between the ferry carpark exit and the Bundeena Community & Services Club)
- Disembark students for toilet access
Please confirm with your EEC teacher if the students will walk to Jibbon Beach or reboard the bus to relocate to jibbon Beach.
Download map and directions via Loftus
Download map and directions via Waterfall
Getting here
Bundeena Wharf is approximately 23 km from the Farnell Avenue entry of the Royal National Park and 24 km from the Waterfall entry.
Via bus, it takes approximately 30 minutes to drive to Bundeena Wharf from the Princes Highway turnoff at Farnell, or from the Waterfall entry.
There is no need to pay at the toll booth. Advise the Visitor Services Officer that you are driving to Bundeena and not stopping in the National Park.
Site details and facilities
Site information
Background information
Degree of difficulty
Moderate
Contact system
- Mobile phone reception is strong
Location details
Jibbon Beach is accessed via the suburb of Bundeena, in the north east corner of the Royal National Park, on the southern shore of Port Hacking. Activities take place along the beach and at sites on the rocky headland, including the rock engraving site. The walk along the beach is approximately 1 km and can be tiring walking on dry sand when the tide is high. There are some steep steps climbing onto the headland and uneven track around the headland. The total distance walked is approximately 2.5 - 3 km. Earth and environmental science students also access suburban streets for their fieldwork and the hind dune behind Jibbon Beach. It takes 30-40 minutes to return directly to the bus at Loftus St from the engraving site.
Students are in close proximity to water throughout the day. If they get their feet wet along the beach it can make the bushwalk unpleasant, in addition to making them cold on colder days. As the site is generally exposed it is recommended that students wear sturdy footwear and carry wind/rain proof jackets. There is a lot of glare from the sand and water, therefore sun safety practices should be encouraged.
One of the greatest potential risks to students is snake bite. The Jibbon area is renowned for snake activity in warmer months. Snake advice will be given throughout the day. It is important that students keep to the centre of tracks and behind the EEC teacher. Vigilance is required from all participants.
The track to the rock engravings comes in close proximity to steep cliff edges. The engravings are observed from a raised viewing platform, accessed by stairs on both ends. Vigilance will be required by teachers to ensure students do not walk too close to cliff edges or climb safety railings.
Infrequently, following heavy rains, sharps can be washed up along the beach. They tend to be located in the flotsam and jetsam at the high tide level.
The group is very likely to encounter members of the public. Supervising teachers need to be aware of where students are at all times. Child protection measures and supervision will be required when students access public toilets.
Once your booking is confirmed, we will email you a draft risk assessment and management plan to use in the preparation of your own plan. This plan details risks on excursion and controls to minimise them on the day.
Facilities
There are no toilet facilities at Jibbon Beach or headland.
Students should access toilet facilities near Bundeena Wharf or at Bonnie Vale Picnic Area before proceeding to Jibbon Beach. Consider if you need to allow time for a toilet break before your return to school. We recommend the facilities at Bundeena Wharf if stopping for a few or Bonnie Vale Picnic Area if stopping for most.
There is no drinking water available at Jibbon Beach or headland.
Please advise students to bring 2 x water bottles, with a minimum of 1.2 L per student. EEC staff bring water containers during terms 1 and 4 so students can top up their water bottles at the end of the excursion.