Milk Beach in Vaucluse offers some of the best Sydney Harbour views in the Eastern Suburbs. Take the 325 bus to Vaucluse Road just before Strickland House, then stroll past Little Bay along the Hermitage Foreshore Walk around Hermit Bay.
Sydney’s beaches
Sydney has many magnificent beaches. Bondi Beach offers great people-watching and surfing lessons. Bronte Beach is great for families. And the snorkelling at Clovelly Beach is surprisingly good.
But some prefer the Sydney Harbour beaches due to the calmer water and safer swimming.
Of these harbour beaches, one has the feel of a closely-guarded secret. Milk Beach in Vaucluse isn’t on one of the ferry routes, like Watsons Bay or Manly. And it doesn’t have the Rose Bay restaurants and seaplane terminal.
Five great things to do while you’re in Sydney
- Take a small group tour to the Blue Mountains – with a Parramatta River cruise thrown in.
- See the landmarks and secret beaches – on a Sydney Harbour cruise.
- Discover Sydney’s most historic neighbourhood – on a Rocks walking tour.
- Go on a whale-watching cruise – and admire migrating humpbacks.
- Learn to surf at Bondi Beach – with beginner surfing lessons.
Views from Milk Beach
Milk Beach is small, and well-hidden in the Sydney Harbour National Park. But make the effort to find it, and there won’t be many other people there. Perhaps more importantly, Milk Beach in Vaucluse offers magnificent views out over Sydney Harbour and the city skyline beyond the sailing yachts.
Milk Beach sits beneath the grounds of Strickland House, a heritage-listed 19th century former convalescent home. You can’t get to Milk Beach directly from Strickland House, however, and have to take a slight detour.
Vaucluse by public transport – the 325 bus
If coming from Sydney CBD via public transport, you need to take the 325 bus from Park Street to Vaucluse Road. Get off in Vaucluse, one of the wealthiest parts of Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, 150 metres north of the junction with Carrara Road. From there, turn left down Tingara Avenue and walk to the end. A sign just before some steps announces that you’ve reached the Hermitage Foreshore Walk in the Sydney Harbour National Park.
Turn right here. The Hermitage Foreshore Walk passes along the shore of Hermit Bay. The first beach you come to is Little Bay, and the beach after that is Milk Bay. From the 325 bus stop on Vaucluse Road, the walk should take six or seven minutes.
More Sydney travel
Other Sydney travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Sydney’s top historic museums – including the Justice and Police Museum, Susannah Place Museum, Hyde Park Barracks and Museum of Sydney.
- 7 fantastic attractions in Sydney that most visitors overlook – including the Sirius anchor, the Macquarie Lighthouse, the Anzac Memorial, the Quarantine Station, the State Library of NSW and Elizabeth Farm.
- Planning a visit to Lane Cove National Park.
- Neighbourhood guide to Surry Hills.
- What to expect at Calmsley Hill City Farm.
