Watsons Bay and The Gap

Watsons Bay sits on the narrow neck of South Head, and the walk from one side of it to the other takes ten minutes and changes everything: on the harbour side, sheltered water, small beaches, fishing boats and a beer garden that has been serving seafood since the 1880s; on the ocean side, The Gap, a cliff dropping sheer to the Pacific with waves breaking far below. Paths run north along the headland past Camp Cove and Lady Bay to the candy-striped Hornby Lighthouse at the harbour entrance, with views back down the whole harbour to the bridge. The ferry ride from Circular Quay is itself one of the better cheap harbour trips.

What you actually see

• The Gap - the ocean cliff with waves breaking at the base.
• Hornby Lighthouse - the red-and-white striped tower at South Head.
• Camp Cove - a small sheltered harbour beach on the calm side.
• The ferry approach - the harbour run out from Circular Quay.

When to go

September to May for warm weather and reliable ferries; the headland is exposed and windy year-round. Weekends fill the beer garden and the ferries. Whale migration between May and November is often visible from the clifftop.

Honest expectations

The Gap is a well-known suicide location, and there are crisis-support signs and fencing along the clifftop. Wind on the headland is constant and strong. The village is small, so weekend crowds concentrate in a few spots and parking is difficult.

Nearby

Bondi is south along the coast; the ferry returns through the harbour to Circular Quay.