Murramarang South Coast Walk, one of the 13 Great Walks planned by the NSW Government, is now open for camping and cabin package bookings.

Murramarang South Coast Walk Cabins Now Open For Booking

Opening to the public on 28th of April, the new Murramarang South Coast Walk has been taking camping bookings for a few weeks and has just opened bookings for the three-day, self-guided cabin package, available from 30th of April.

This package allows hikers to forgo the tent while on the trail and sleep in cabins along the way instead. Unlike the camping package which includes a night of camping before starting the walk, the cabin package only includes two nights of accommodation – one night at Depot Beach cabins and one at NRMA Murramarang Beachfront Nature Resort at South Durras Beach. It also includes a transfer back to Pretty Beach (the start of the trail) or Bateman’s Bay once hikers have finished the walk.

 

 

The cabin package is only available for booking Sundays to Wednesdays as well as other selected dates.

Cabins can sleep a maximum of four people, and as it stands on the NSW National Parks booking website, the cabin package costs a total of $952.23 whether booked for a single person or up to a group of four.

What’s the new hike like?

The newly constructed 34km Murramarang South Coast Walk on Yuin Country is a three day journey along the gorgeous coastline from Pretty Beach, just south of Ulladulla, to Maloneys Beach near Batemans Bay.

 

Pretty Beach… and it is!

 

The Murramarang South Coast walk has been formed by linking together existing walking tracks, as well as upgrading some of these older sections and reinstating the now upgraded Oaky Beach campground.

 

The new Oaky Beach Campground

 

There’s also new signage to inform walkers about the cultural and environmental values and rich heritage of Murramarang National Park, as well as info on the diverse ecology and abundance of wildlife to be spotted.

The trail traverses through the bushy beaches the South Coast is adored for, including Spotted Gum forests that grow right down to the ocean, secluded bays, secret coves, rugged rock platforms and headlands, with endless vistas of the sparkling ocean.

Dark Beach

Expect to see mobs of Eastern Grey kangaroos lazing on sandy beaches, try to spot a range of rare native birds, and if you’re hiking during whale season, Humpback whales as they make their way up and down the coastline.

What does each day look like?

The day before the walk begins, hikers will camp at Pretty Beach, which is where the northern trailhead is.

Day One – Pretty Beach to Depot Beach

Distance: 10km
Duration: 3-6 hours
Campground: Depot Beach

Day Two – Depot Beach to Oaky Beach

Distance: 16km
Duration: 5-8 hours
Campground: Oaky Beach

Day Three – Oaky Beach to Maloneys Beach

Distance: 8km
Duration: 2.5-3.5 hours
Finito! No accommodation included

How can I book my hike?

There are a few different ways to experience the Murramarang South Coast Walk. All packages are available for booking between 28th of April – November 2023 and have a maximum capacity of ten people per day.

3 Days Camping – $56.38

For self-sufficient walkers, there’s the three day camping package at $56.38 per person. This covers hikers for three nights of camping including the night before the start of the walk at Pretty Beach, followed by camping at Depot Beach and Oaky Beach.

However, this package can only be booked between Sunday and Thursday, and isn’t available for hikers planning to camp at Pretty Beach on Friday or Saturday and begin the walk the following day. As it stands, hikers wanting to begin the experience on Friday or Saturday must book the more expensive camping, transport, and tour option listed below.

This isn’t the first time new nature experiences have raised concerns by possibly pricing people out of camping and hiking, and there’s an ongoing discussion in the Australian outdoor industry about the affordability of experiences in national parks.

Read more: Paradise Lost: Inequality in the Australian Alps

Book Here

 

Depot Beach Campground

 

3 Days Camping With Transfer and Tour – $235.75

This package includes the cost of campground bookings, car transfers to and from the start and end trailheads, as well as a welcome tour. This package is exclusively available to be booked on Fridays and Saturdays and costs $235.75 per person.

Book Here


3 Day Cabin Package With One-Way Transfer – $952

For walkers who would prefer to stay in a National Parks cabin rather than camp during the walk, a two-night, three-day cabin package has just opened for bookings. This option allows walkers to stay at coastal cabins at Depot and South Durras beaches. 

The cabin package is priced for groups of four, the maximum amount of people that can sleep in the cabins, and also includes a transfer back to Pretty Beach or Batemans Bay. 

However, as it stands, the price of the cabin package – $952.23 – is a set price and doesn’t reduce for bookings of fewer people. 

The cabin package is available from 30th of April to November. 

Book Here

 

Depot Beach cabins

 

If you’re not up for the whole 34km undertaking (or want to avoid paying for transfers and tours on the weekend) it’s also possible to take shorter half or full day walks along the track, in either direction, as there are plenty of entry and exit points. Murramarang South Coast Walk is one of 13 Great Walks the NSW Government is creating and upgrading around the state.

 

Photos thanks to R Brand of DPE