During a rough swell crawling through the narrow passageway of Gosangs Tunnel feels like entering the dragons lair. A wafer thin crack in the tunnel floor produces a sound not dissimilar to a blow hole and the effect as you make your way through the passage is nothing short of eerie. It doesn’t get any less dramatic when you reach the rock ledge at the other side.
Giant waves crash against the rocks below creating a sea of cascades and white water. Visit on a calm day and things are going to be much more tranquil, but no less beautiful.
Here’s what to expect when visiting Gosangs Tunnel.
The walk to Gosangs Tunnel
The stats
Distance: 3.5km return to Gosangs Tunnel (not including side trails)
Elevation gain: 100m
Difficulty: Easy
Trailhead: Abraham Bosom Reserve
Summary: The walk to Gosangs Tunnel is on a well maintained path for the most part. A large portion is on fire trail, though it can get waterlogged in places following heavy rain.
As you get closer to the tunnel the conditions are rougher underfoot, with some rocky track, though it’s generally not slippery. There are many side trails you can take to extend the walk and these are generally on good paths.
It’s important to note that while access to Gosangs Tunnel is permitted, the area is said to be potentially unstable and you enter the tunnel at your own risk.
You can choose to walk directly to the tunnel (3.5km return), but if you have a bit more time you can add on various side trails to a shipwreck and two small beaches that will add another 1.8km to your walk.
Starting the trail
From the car park at the Abrahams Bosom Reserve you head over the small bridge and after 80m turn right at the junction.
You can visit the small beach beside the car park before or after your walk, we opted for after and were treated to a very beautiful twilight over the water.
Heading to the tunnel for sunrise or sunset is definitely the most picturesque time to visit.
The first part of the walk is on a sandy/stony fire trail between pretty coastal forest and it’s almost entirely flat.
Roughly 275m into the walk you will reach a clearing and begin following signs for Mermaids Inlet (the second right), which is located moments away from Gosangs Tunnel.
Alternatively you could head left to make a detour to check out the S.S.Merimbula ship wreck.
The ship wreck detour
To check out the shipwreck, you make a left at the fork and follow the path for 475m to a stony beach. The shipwreck is 150m away (900m from the car park) and is best accessed at low tide. You’ll need to make your way towards the sea, heading roughly straight, first over some rock platforms and then over rocks. Unfortunately we have misplaced our photos, so for context, there isn’t much left to see but I still think it’s worth a look.
It is very uneven underfoot, but not difficult and it only takes a few minutes to reach once you leave the formed path behind. The rusty remains of the S.S.Merimbula are scattered around the rocks, but you can find them easily enough. The ship sank in 1928 during heavy rain but thankfully no one onboard was injured.
After visiting the wreck you head back along the track to the junction and turn left (east). Continuing along the track for another 350m will take you to a side trail on the left which leads to Wilsons Beach.
In a place with as many stunning beaches as Jervis Bay, Wilsons Beach is not going win any awards, but it is pretty and normally very quiet.
When you’re ready to leave Wilsons Beach, head back along the trail and continue straight where you’ll reach a junction for the Coomies Walk fire trail.
Heading on to Gosangs Tunnel
After turning left at the junction you’ll see a signposted turnoff for Lobster Bay 170m later. A flat path followed by well maintained stairs will bring you down to Lobster Bay after 230m.
It’s a rocky bay, but the water is clear and calm. The fact it’s rocky almost guarantees you’ll get it to yourself which is always a bonus.
From Lobster Bay you head back up to the main fire trail and this is the section which had some very large puddles on our visit.
Three of them required a big jump or using rocks and logs to get across with dry boots, but I imagine it’s not usually so bad as it had been particularly wet.
You’ll continue along the fire trail for another 430m before you come to another junction, you want to follow the track left, signposted for Mermaids Inlet.
You’ll now walk a narrow bush track for 270m until you reach the junction between Gosangs Tunnel and Mermaids Inlet. It’s right beside the warning sign about the potential risks of entering the tunnel.
The entrance to the tunnel is 100m away to the left.
Gosangs Tunnel
Even the entryway to the Gosangs Tunnel is atmospheric. You have to climb down a couple of rocks to reach the entrance and the tunnel ceiling looks incredibly low.
It’s around 20m long, which doesn’t sound like much, but when you’re hunched over on all fours, it’s enough!
As mentioned, we visited on an unusually high and rough tide so our conditions were pretty wild.
The foreboding sound of the waves below the crack in the tunnel floor was just like a blow hole and it made the whole experience exhilarating.
No water actually came through the crack or I definitely would have aborted!
There is enough light coming through either end of the tunnel that you don’t need a torch, you just need to crouch low and shuffle through. The view on the other side is spectacular.
The sheer sandstone cliffs have been beautifully sculpted and the waves pounding against the rocks below create constant waterfalls, not to mention an unbelievable roar. Nature feels all powerful here and really leaves you with a sense of awe.
You can walk along the rock shelf and to the right where there is a much larger platform and more great views.
If you happen to visit when the swell is really rough as we did, don’t go anywhere near the edge. I didn’t think there was any chance the waves could reach us high up on the rock platform, but around 20 minutes or so into our visit, they did, which is when we decided it was a pretty smart time to leave!
Visiting when it’s wild definitely adds to atmosphere, though it’s a spectacular place in calmer times too.
Continuing to Mermaids Inlet and finishing the track
From the entrance of Gosangs Tunnel you can head left (when exiting the tunnel) and follow the worn path slightly uphill to a great view over the cliffs and ocean.
It’s then very much worth heading back to the junction with Mermaids Inlet and following the narrow path above the inlet for 100m to the ‘viewpoint’.
It’s not an official viewpoint as such, but it’s a stunning vista over the wild ocean and rugged cliffs. I could have spent hours watching the waves crash against the rocks.
From the inlet you retrace your steps back to the car park and if you decided to head out for sunset you should catch the last light over Abrahams Bosom Beach.
Getting to the Gosangs Tunnel trailhead
The walk to Gosangs Tunnel begins from the car park at Abrahams Bosom Reserve, which you can see here on Google maps. There are no facilities at the car park, but there is a toilet block about a minute’s drive away which you’ll pass on the way in.
Please remember to carry any rubbish out with you.
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