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Snake Bay Walk, South NSW, Australia
The Snake Bay Walk is a 12-kilometre return walk along the lovely coastline of southern New South Wales (NSW), about 4 hours drive south of Sydney. Don't be put off by the name: we have never seen any snakes in the bay or along the walk during the several times we've done it.
The walk:
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is located in Murramarang National Park, a gorgeous area of spotted gum trees, burrawang palms and cabbage tree palms
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lets you see a lot of local wildlife, with a resident population of eastern grey kangaroos on Pebbly Beach (start of the trail)
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is home to many colourful birds including rainbow lorrikeets, king parrots and eastern yellow robins
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leads to Snake Bay where you can discover fish, crabs and sea anenomes in the clear rock pools
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has fantastic coastal views - look out for bottlenose dolphins and sea eagles.
Getting there
The walk starts from sandy Pebbly Beach.
From Sydney
To get to this very pretty place from Sydney, follow the Princes Highway south from Sydney past Ulladulla for about 3 1/2 hours. About 11 kilometres before Batemans Bay, signs direct you to Pebbly Beach. You can go there along Mount Agony Road (my favourite) from East Lynne or Pebbly Beach Road further south.
From Canberra
To get to Pebbly Beach from Canberra, follow signs for Batemans Bay, then turn left on Princes Highway rather than right to enter Batemans Bay. About 11 kilometres further on, there is a signposted turn off along Pebbly Beach Road.
Without a car
If you do not have a car, you can get a bus from Sydney or Canberra to Batemans Bay from where you can organise day trips to Pebbly Beach. You can also camp or stay in a cabin at Pebbly Beach.
About the walk
Once at Pebbly Beach, a map by the car park directs you to the trail, which is well maintained and signposted. It can be steep but should be easily managed by people of moderate fitness.
The return trail is about 12 kilometres long (6 kilometres one way), including a side trip to Clear Point, a good spot for views and kangaroos. It takes about 3 hours to walk if you maintain a moderate pace, but if you meander and look at the plants and wildlife, which is well worth it, you will spend more time there.
Wildlife on the walk
On Pebbly Beach itself, it is easy to see eastern grey kangaroos and various lizards including eastern water dragons and goannas or lace monitors. On the trail, there are more kangaroos and some lovely birds. You have a good chance of spotting parrots such as king parrots (see first photo here and video), crimson rosellas and rainbow lorrikeets (in video). Common smaller birds include eastern yellow robins (last photo and in video)and willie wagtails (in video). Go early in the morning or late in the afternoon to spot the greatest array of birds.
We nearly always see red-necked wallabies (see third photo here and video). They are quite shy and hide in the bush but make a lot of noise so are easy to pinpoint.
At Snake Bay there are seabirds and rock pools containing a range of interesting creatures such as starfish, crabs and fish. You could also see sea eagles.
From the viewpoints, bottlenose dolphins are often spotted.
Natural features
The walk meanders through forests of spotted gum with plentiful burrawang palm and cabbage palm trees. There are many flowering plants too, especially at Clear Point which is heathland.
There are interesting rock formations on the walk and at Snake Bay, and fantastic coastal viewpoints along the way.
Where to stay
You can stay in Murramarang National Park. The National Parks and Wildlife Service has campsites at:
You can stay in basic but comfortable cabins at:
If you prefer hotel or motel accommodation, there is a wide variety of places to stay in the nearby town of Batemans Bay.
What else to do
http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/murramarang-national-park
There is plenty to do in Murramarang National Park, including:
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short trails to and along beaches where you can swim, snorkel, kayak and fish
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the longer walks from Pebbly Beach to Durras Mountain (6.6 kilometres return) and from Durras Mountain to Pretty Beach (10 kilometres return), or combine them for a 17-kilometre return day walk
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bird watching and wildlife viewing on any of the trails.
There is also a lot to do in the nearby town of Batemans Bay which has safe swimming beaches, mini golf and the nearby attractions of:
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Cullendula Creek Nature Reserve with different species of mud crab and mangroves.
Why do the Snake Bay Walk
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It has a huge variety of plants, trees, birds and animals in a relatively small area.
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There are great ocean views, and you may even spot dolphins.
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There are swimming beaches off the trail so take your swimmers.
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It is peaceful and sublime and a great opportunity to relax with nature.
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It is not an overly hard walk but steep sections will keep you fit.
Do you have questions or comments about this article? Email maddestinations@gmail.com or leave a comment under the video.
