Garie Beach picnic area

You'll love this quick holiday fix just an hour or so from Sydney. Pack a picnic, herd up the clan and get down there nice and early to grab a great spot at Garie Beach in Royal National Park. It's also a popular spot for hikers exiting The Coast Track.

Head to the beach for a spot of whale watching in winter or for the feel of warm salt water on your skin and surf the waves in the warmer months. The beach is patrolled by Surf Life Savers intermittently during summer. If you're feeling lucky, try your hand at some beach fishing.

It's an ideal spot for birdwatching, so bring the binoculars for a chance to glimpse an albatross, sea eagle, or peregrine falcon as they cruise on the updraft from coastal breezes.

After lunch, explore the rainforest gullies around the beach where cabbage tree palms and ferns provide a shady spot. Be sure to take in the view from Governor Game lookout before leaving.

Take a virtual tour of Garie Beach picnic area captured with Google Street View Trekker.