Barrenjoey Lighthouse - Palm Beach, New South Wales

Prakash B.

Barrenjoey Lighthouse, Palm Beach – A Cinematic Paradise

Barrenjoey Lighthouse, perched at the tip of Palm Beach in NSW, is one of the most breathtaking spots you’ll ever visit. The walk up is a little steep, but the reward at the top is more than worth it — sweeping panoramic views of the blue Pacific Ocean on one side and the golden stretch of Palm Beach on the other.

Sunsets from here are absolutely stunning — the sky lights up in shades of orange, pink, and purple, creating a scene that looks straight out of a movie. If you're into photography or videography, this is a dream location. Every angle offers a perfect shot, whether you're capturing the lighthouse itself, the coastline, or the endless ocean horizon.

It’s the kind of place that feels peaceful yet cinematic — ideal for a quiet moment, a romantic visit, or a creative shoot. Whether you're going for a sunrise hike or chasing the golden hour, Barrenjoey is a must-visit gem on Sydney's northern beaches.

Nerine C.

Located at 1199D Barrenjoey Road, Palm Beach, New South Wales, Australia 🇦🇺
This is a fantastic place to go, especially on a clear day. It was built in 1881 and is heritage listed. It’s made from sandstone quarried onsite and is featured in the TV show ‘Home and Away’. I didn’t see Alf though, too bad. It’s an iconic Sydney attraction. It’s a lovely walk from with several options for walking trails from the beach. It’s no possible to drive directly to the lighthouse, there’s a required walk of about 1 kilometre and it might be a hard walk for some people. The walk requires moderate fitness. It takes about 30 minutes approximately from the parking area. Make sure to wear good walking 🚶 shoes. But, it’s well worth it, the panoramic views are amazing, absolutely stunning. Everywhere you turn, you have magnificent views. There is no park entrance fees but you might have to pay for street parking 🅿️ at Governor Phillip parking area. Between May and September, it’s a great place for whale 🐳 watching. The walking track itself is great, providing enough space to overtake other walkers and the trees provide plenty of shade from the sun if required. The views of the water along the way are beautiful. There’s toilet 🚻 facilities near the lighthouse at the top and they were clean. This is definitely worth a visit, absolutely stunning. Thumbs up!!! 👍👍👍

J F.

The lighthouse is located at the top of a hill. To get there, it is a walk from the car park through a beach before the start of the ascend via a grade 2 or 3 route. The water views along the way with beautiful greens in the background is truly a nice start to the hike. There are no restrictions to heading up and down from the lighthouse but it is still worth considering the path you may find easier.

For me, grade 2 option was my choice up and down as it was easier although there are multiple slopes with quite a gradient. It was not difficult to catch a breath partway if the climb is a bit much or if you are not used to it. There is sufficient walking space too for people to overtake or to walk in the opposite direction. Saw folks of all ages - young and old in both directions.

Some key tips:
- The trees and plants provide a good shade cover when walking up and down regardless of the option grade 2 or 3 track.
- During whale migration season, the top is a good viewing spot and there are clear indications of which side of the top you could see it
- There are unisex toilet facilities near the lighthouse at the top. They were clean and well maintained when i visited.
- There are tours at selected times to the lighthouse.
- Good footwear and light clothing is important when hiking up to the lighthouse even when it is sunny and not a hot day.

It is a beautiful spot to enjoy the afternoon. I spent bout 2 hours there and enjoyed savouring the views and fresh air. Loved too the variety of birds from kookaburras to lorikeets + many others. Also, a lot of natural sandstone that adds on to the natural beauty of sand, water and the bush.

A place worth visiting if you haven't been before.

brajendra S.

Such a beautiful location.You need to walk 800 m from the car park at palm beach to have some most stunning views of the Pacific and Hawkesbury river together.To watch sunset from up there is recommended.

Darren S.

Beautiful scenery from the bottom to the top of the trail. Two ways up/down of different difficulties, but both are relatively short walks. Even on sunny days, there is plenty of canopy shade as you climb!

Raymund

The Grade 2 route is perfect for kids—manageable yet rewarding! The view at the top? Absolutely breathtaking! You get a stunning panorama of the entire beach, making it feel like a slice of paradise. Spent quality time with my wife and kids, soaking in the beauty of the surroundings. Highly recommended for a family adventure!

Vince C.

A nice place to do a walk. The preferred way is to go up the slope unless you prefer the stairs.

I came here twice, once in the morning to scope the place for my real purpose-to do some astrophotography. Yes it's possible if there is no full moon. However the surrounding areas do add to some light pollution.

Sherly C.

Definitely a must visit place all the surrounding of palm beach is super pretty also it’s worth the 15 mins hike although the trail wasn’t the best 🤍.