Nature

Australia's second-oldest national park, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park is a recreational favourite for locals and visitors alike. This large park, located in Sydney's north, lets you feel at one with... nature without leaving the Sydney metropolitan area. A heritage-listed park, it combines important history with scenic beauty. Winding creeks and stretches of ocean meet rainforest and eucalypts, rocky cliffs and mangroves. Spend your time exploring walking tracks, mountain biking trails, breathtaking lookouts and significant Aboriginal sites. You'll still have plenty of time to discover its marinas, cafes, kiosks and well-equipped picnic areas.

Whale Beach is said to be named following a whale beaching here. It’s a 600m stretch of beach and tends to be a lot less busy than Palm Beach, although it can still draw a crowd in the peak of summer. Facilities: ... Disabled toilets Picnic area Playground Public toilets Rockpool Showers

At Careel Bay is the most significant area of estuarine wetlands in the Northern Beaches. It contains a combination of natural features, rare in the Sydney region, that provide habitat for a variety of... marine life and bird species. Birdwatchers will love the walking track and boardwalk that provide easy access for visitors. A total of 116 bird species have been recorded at Careel Bay including the endangered Bush Stone-Curlew along with the Mangrove Gerygone and international migratory species such as the Eastern Curlew, Whimbrel and Bar-tailed Godwit.