How to Get to Bundeena: Drive Through the Park or Take the Ferry
Some places ask you to slow down before you even arrive. Bundeena is one of them. Just an hour south of Sydney, it sits tucked between Royal National Park and the sea — and whether you drive through the bush or take the Cronulla to Bundeena ferry across Port Hacking, the journey does something to you before you even reach the village.
Option One: Drive to Bundeena Through Royal National Park
For a Bundeena day trip from Sydney, the drive south takes around an hour. The change happens gradually. The city loosens its grip slowly — high-rises give way to houses, houses give way to bush, and somewhere along the way you realise you’ve stopped checking your phone.
The final stretch winds through Royal National Park itself, one of the oldest national parks in the world. The road narrows. The canopy thickens. Sunlight flickers through the trees. By the time you reach the village, something has shifted.
Bundeena sits at the end of that road, with no reason to pass through on your way to anywhere else. You come here deliberately, and the drive rewards that intention.
Getting here by car: From Sydney CBD, head south via the Princes Highway and into Royal National Park via Farnell Avenue and Sir Bertram Stevens Drive. Allow around an hour from the city, more on weekends. There is parking available in Bundeena village.
Option Two: The Cronulla to Bundeena Ferry
For many visitors, the Cronulla to Bundeena ferry isn’t just how you get there. It becomes part of the memory itself.
Take the train to Cronulla Station, walk down to the wharf, and wait for the historic Curranullah. The moment the ferry pulls away from the Cronulla wharf, Sydney recedes. Out here, crossing Port Hacking, time operates differently.
The ferry has been making this crossing for generations. It was originally started by the Simpson family to bring visitors across to their hotel — the building that once sat just below the cottage and is now home to the resident ranger of Royal National Park. The rhythm of the crossing hasn’t changed much since. It departs Cronulla on the half hour, arrives in Bundeena, unloads, loads up again, and heads back on the hour. Cash only. Tickets from the ferryman’s worn leather pouch. No pretensions.
Keep an eye on the bow wave. Dolphins follow the ferry regularly, weaving alongside the hull like old friends offering an escort. From May onwards, whales move north along the coast and on lucky crossings passengers spot them rising beyond the heads before disappearing back into the deep blue. It’s one of those moments you’ll find yourself talking about over dinner that evening.
Cronulla to Bundeena Ferry: What to Know
| Departs Cronulla | On the half hour (:30) |
| Crossing time | Approx. 30 minutes |
| Departs Bundeena | On the hour (:00) |
| Return trip total | Approx. 1 hour |
| Payment | Cash only |
| Getting to Cronulla | Train from Sydney CBD (T4 Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra line) |
Ferry timetables can vary seasonally. Check the current schedule with the operator before you travel official timetable .
What Happens When You Arrive
The scent of salt and eucalyptus mixes at the edge of the village. You notice it before you see the water. Royal National Park is right there, behind every fence line.
Early winter softens everything here. The summer crowds have thinned, the light turns golden earlier in the afternoon, and the village settles back into its natural pace. The walking trails through the national park are yours. The headland is quiet. The café has a table.
Staying at Simpson Cottage
Waiting quietly at the end of the road, behind its garden gate, is Simpson Cottage — the oldest building in Bundeena. It has stood watch over the village since the 1860s, welcoming visitors, watching them slow down and fall in love with this little corner of the world.
Bundeena is just an hour from Sydney, but that’s all it takes. By the time you walk through the gate and down the path to the cottage, emails, deadlines, and to-do lists have been forgotten. The days stretch. The pace softens. Plans become less important.
And by the time you leave, you’re already planning your return.