Craggy cliffs at Kamay Botany Bay

 

It rained ever so heavily the night before, the first time during my stay in Sydney that I saw the rain come down much like the tropical monsoons we have in Malaysia.

 

Craggy cliffs and rocky shores at
Kamay Botany Bay National Park

And then next morning, there were reports of flooding and damage in some low-lying areas in and around the city. The skies were overcast and cloudy while temperatures cooled down substantially compared to the past few weeks of scorching sunshine.

 

I was having breakfast when Malcolm told me that we will go for a drive later. With the weather forecast for cloudy skies, I was relieved that his idea was for a drive rather than for a walk.

 

Last month, when we met with his friend, Geradine and daughter, Natasha, and visited St Charbel church, he wanted to take us to the Southern shores to show us the craggy cliffs at Kamay Botany Bay National Park. However, due to time constraints, he changed the plan and brought us to the La Perouse beach instead.

 

No pets allowed!

Malcolm was determined to show me this southern part of Sydney which he thinks is raw and wild yet very scenic compared to the more densely populated Northern Beaches.

 

While La Perouse is the northern headland of Kamay Botany Bay National Park, the Kurnell area near Cronulla, is at the southern headland of this National Park, renowned for NSW’s most significant heritage sites and an ideal lookout point for whale-watching.

 

Botany Bay, specifically Kamay Botany Bay National Park, is renowned as it was where Captain James Cook first landed in Australia in 1770, marking the start of the history of modern Australia.

 

The whale migrating season for humpback whales was June and July as they migrate to warmer waters but they may also be spotted between May and October. Some whales have even come as close to 200 meters from the coast.

 

A panoramic view of Kamay Botany Bay

We were however, not in any of the whale-spotting seasons, so I was going to be content just to experience the wild and wonderful natural beauty of this site.

 

The wind was whipping around me...

So we set off for a drive in a light drizzle, heading to Cape Solander in the Kurnell suburb. Along the route, I enjoyed reading the road names and as I saw that many were similar to road names in England, Malcolm and I had a chat about it.

 

He said that in almost every main city in Australia, there were streets, roads and lanes named after royalty as in King, Queen, Prince or Princess and their names like, George, Edward and Elizabeth. We agreed that this was probably because the British who first came to Australia decided on these names which were familiar to them.

 

On the comfortable track for a walk

When we arrived at the entrance to the Park in Cape Solander, the staff in a guardhouse said a one-time car entry fee was required. Malcolm remembered that in the past, cars were allowed to enter and required to pay parking fees at designated areas but the system has now been changed.

 

When we drove in, he discovered that the Visitor Centre was closed while parts of the Park was undergoing infrastructure upgrades. We parked near the main pavilion at the lookout point, got out of the car and was instantly whipped by gusty winds.

 

Malcolm told me that this sheltered pavilion as well as much of the paved walkway, designed with several blocks of concrete benches, were new structures provided for visitors to be more comfortable while whale-watching.

 

There were several walking trails throughout the Park but overlooking the cliffs, walking tracks have been marked out for a comfortable walk along the coast.

 

The rocky ledge with an edge to a sheer
drop to the restless sea below

Signs put up at clearly visible points reminded visitors that these were unfenced cliffs and people should stick to walking on the marked walking tracks.

 

However, if recalcitrant visitors did venture onto the rocks, it made sense not to walk close to the cliff edges as the overhanging rocks may be very thin due to erosion. Any extra weight on these brittle rocks may just cause it to break.

 

A rocky ledge looked deceptively safe but over its edge was a sheer drop below to the restless sea. In the distance, we saw wild waves crashing onto the rocky sides of the cliffs.

 

As we walked along the track, the wind that whipped around us was so strong that it threatened to knock me off my feet so I walked carefully to keep my balance.

 

Malcolm captured some good videos and panoramic photos of the vista and when we reviewed the videos, we could even hear the vibrating sound of the wild winds.

 

It was almost the end of summer in Australia so there were just a few others like us who ventured out this far south to explore and experience the rugged beauty of these mighty cliffs.

 

A we-fie with the rugged coast in background

As we enjoyed the wild and rustic views, I can understand why Botany Bay is a popular film location used for productions from BBC dramas to Tamil action films, along with being the backdrop for music videos and commercials.

 

After having our fill of the panoramic views of sea, sky and soaring cliffs, we left the Park and drove on to Cronulla for a drive-through to see this charming sea-side suburb.

 

Then onward to Hurstville where we stopped for a light lunch* and a walkabout in the shops before heading back slowly through after-school traffic.

 

*Only a light lunch because in these two days, we have family dinners lined up and we should ‘keep some space’ for feasting together again. My stay in Sydney is drawing to a close and I would like to dine with the family here before I leave.

 

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