The Wedding Cake Rock walk: An easy trail that takes in the best of the Royal National Park!
Wedding Cake Rock is one of the most famous landmarks of the Royal National Park. The rock gets its name from its perfectly white and smooth appearance, resembling the white fondant of a wedding cake.
The rock formation itself is beautiful, but the walk to the rock and to nearby Marley Beach is the real highlight. Both Wedding Cake Rock and Marley Beach form part of the Royal Coast Track, a two day hike that takes in the best of the Royal National Park. If you don’t have time to do the whole Royal Coast Track, a return hike from Bundeena to Little Marley Beach is an easy day hike that takes in some of the most iconic sites.
Quick Facts
- The hike from Beachcomber Avenue, Bundeena carpark to Wedding Cake Rock is 3.5km one way. Allow 2 hours for return hike.
From the carpark to Marley Beach is 4.5km (9km return). - Easy walk. Suitable for most ages and fitness levels with occasional steep sections of stairs. Not suitable for prams or wheelchair users.
- Top sights: The Balconies, Wedding Cake Rock, Marley Beach
- Water and toilets available at start of trail.
- There is a park entry fee which you can pay at the Visitor’s Centre or on the ParknPay app.
Wedding Cake Rock walk
The trail starts at the Beachcomber Avenue carpark in Bundeena. From here, continue up the fire trail until you see a sign heading towards The Balconies. The entire trail is well-marked and sign-posted, making it easy to follow.
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The Balconies
The Balconies are the first view point of the walk. From white sandstone cliffs you can look out along the rugged coastline of the Royal National Park.
This first view point is only 700m from the carpark and until this point, the trail is mostly paved or walkways. If you are hiking with children or less-mobile adults, this easy part of the walk is a great way to get a taste of the Royal National Park.
Wedding Cake Rock
The next stop on the trail is Wedding Cake Rock. The walk to Wedding Cake Rock is a little bit more challenging. There are parts where you need to walk over rocks and some sections with stairs that are rather steep.
The trail is still easy and most fitness levels will be fine, just remember to wear appropriate footwear and bring plenty of water.
The path winds along the headland, through banksia forests, with stunning views until it reaches Wedding Cake Rock.
Onwards to Marley Beach
If you are only planning to walk to Wedding Cake Rock, you will turn around at this point and follow the same route back to the carpark.
If you have a little more time, or are planning to spend the day at the beach, I recommend continuing on from Wedding Cake Rock to Marley Beach or Little Marley Beach. This is my favourite part of the trail. Walk for another 20 minutes and you will emerge on Marley Headland with stunning views of the turquoise beaches below.
Marley Beach is unpatrolled and known to have some strong currents so take care when swimming here. The water is very shallow and there were a few people around so we felt safe going for a swim.
Little Marley Beach
Just a little further along is Little Marley Beach. Little Marley Beach is a little bit more protected than Marley Beach and a nice spot to take a rest. There are some shady spots on the rocks to the left of the beach to set up, enjoy lunch and a bit of sunshine.
The water here drops off suddenly and becomes quite deep. It is also an unpatrolled beach so only go in if you are a confident swimmer.
From Marley Beach it is 4.5km walk back to the Beachcomber Avenue carpark along the same trail.
Getting to the walk
If you have a car, park at the Beachcomber Avenue carpark in Bundeena. There are limited car spaces along the end of the road, which will likely be full on weekends. You should be able to find a space in one of the nearby streets if the parking is full.
If travelling by public transport, you can take the ferry from Cronulla to Bundeena. The ferry departs every hour. Check the ferry timetable here.
From Bundeena Wharf to the Beachcomber Avenue carpark takes about 20 minutes walking.
Things to bring on the walk
Whether you are walking to Wedding Cake Rock or onwards to one of the beaches, there is not a great deal of shade along the path.
I recommend bringing the following:
- Plenty of water
- Sunscreen
- Sun protective clothing and hat
- Decent walking shoes
- Snacks
- Towel if you plan on going for a swim
Safety along the Wedding Cake Rock walk
Wedding Cake Rock became “insta-famous” around 2014 which saw a massive increase in tourism. People were trying to get the perfect picture sitting on the edge of Wedding Cake Rock, which led to some pretty serious accidents, and even the death of one French tourist.
In response, Wedding Cake Rock was temporarily closed and a fence was built to prevent tourists from getting to close to the rock’s edge. The rock has been assessed as being unstable and signs warn that it could fall unexpectedly.
Unfortunately, the fence is a bit ugly, and it does prevent getting up close to Wedding Cake Rock which is a bit of a shame. However, the safety concerns are real and the fence is necessary to stop further accidents and damage to the fragile cliff face.
The walk is still worth it, with beautiful views of the rugged coastline of the Royal National Park and its unique sandstone cliffs. For the best photos of Wedding Cake Rock, head to the south end of the fence.
FAQs
How long is the Wedding Cake Rock walk?
The Wedding Cake Rock walk is a 7km return loop. It can be completed easily in less than 2 hours. You can turn it into a day trip by taking swimmers and continuing on to Marley Beach.
How difficult is the walk?
The Wedding Cake Rock walk is an easy walk. There are some steep sections, and some walking on rocks and sand. The trail is well-marked and well-maintained. It can be completed by most fitness levels.
Are there toilets along the Wedding Cake Rock walk?
There are toilets at the Beachcomber Avenue carpark at the start of the walk.
Can I fill my drink bottle up along the walk?
The only place to refill bottles is at the start of the walk at the Beachcomber Avenue carpark. Make sure you bring all of the water you need as it can get very hot.
Is there phone signal along the Wedding Cake Rock walk?
There is limited phone signal at the start of the walk. I am with Optus and had zero phone signal for most of the trail.
Do I need to wear hiking boots?
The Wedding Cake Rock trail is relatively easy and well-maintained. However, there are some sections that are steep or slippery due to water or sand on the rocks.
I recommend wearing decent, grippy shoes. I wore running shoes and it was fine. Hiking boots are unnecessary unless you are continuing on along the Royal Coast Track.
Taking a tour of the Royal National Park
If you are short on time and want to squeeze as much as you can into your time in the Royal National Park, consider taking a tour with a local guide.
This tour can be completely customised to your style, making it great for those travelling with families.
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