Wedding Cake Rock in Royal National Park is a beautiful oddity: a vivid white cliff edge when everything surrounding it is yellow sandstone. It’s a completely natural rock formation and it’s so photogenic that it has been drawing crowds for years.

When we first visited you used to be able to stand out on the rock but in recent years a huge crack has appeared. If you really want to see Wedding Cake Rock you should go sooner rather than later as nobody knows how long it will be until the whole thing crumbles into the sea!

You can no longer stand on it, but is it still worth going? We think so! It just so happens to be that the walk to get to it is also one of the most beautiful in Royal National Park.

Here’s what to expect from your visit.

How to get to Wedding Cake Rock

There are several routes you can take to get to Wedding Cake Rock but the route we are going to detail is the quickest and starts in Beachcomber Avenue in Bundeena. Parking is free.

It’s less than a five minute drive from town if you need any supplies. Otherwise there is a toilet and drinking fountain at the start of the track but no other facilities.

Details of how to get there by public transport are at the end of this post.

Tips for Wedding Cake Rock

One look at Google Images and you’ll see the main reason why the majority of people come!

Google Image results for Wedding Cake Rock

This aptly leads onto our top tips for an enjoyable and safe trip to this crazy rock formation.

Sadly, Wedding Cake Rock is closed. You can walk all the way to it, and see it, but you can’t walk on it. Due to the risk of the rock falling, and the dangers of the crowds that visit, there’s now a pretty big fence surrounding it. If your only reason for visiting is to get a photo of you on the rock, then don’t come - you’ll be disappointed.
The most obvious one is don’t jump the fence! Sadly, there have been deaths at Wedding Cake Rock when people have taken photos too close to the edge. Normally we believe that it should be up to the individual if they want to sit on a cliff edge but not in this case as Geologists believe the rock will crumble at any time, so you don’t want to be the one on the news who tipped it over.
It is still worth seeing though? Wedding Cake Rock is such a strange formation and completely alien to the surrounding landscape. It’s in the middle of a beautiful walk that is great, even without the rock.
Keep an eye out for whales in the winter! We’ve often seen them when visiting Royal National Park, so keep an eagle eye out to the sea for any that may breach in the distance. It’s a magical sight.
Check the weather. This track gets the full brunt of any weather coming off the coast line, and can mean some heavy wind and rain!
If you start at Beachcomber Avenue, you don’t have to pay the national park fee. Any visits to Bundeena are exempt from it.
Whilst it isn’t long, we still recommend putting on comfortable shoes and bringing water. The path isn’t suitable for flip-flops - even if you can manage nearly 6km in them.
If you have time, bring some swimmers and head to Marley Beach afterwards. This is a wild beach that is only accessible on foot, so why not go the extra 1km for a swim in a stunning spot.

If you’re still game after all that, then here’s our guide to the track and what to expect.

The Wedding Cake Rock Walk

The stats

Distance: 5.7km
Elevation: 92m
Difficulty: Easy
Type of trail: Return

Starting the trail: to The Balconies

The walk begins on fire trail and after 150m you’ll come to the signpost telling you to turn left for Wedding Cake Rock. If you’re here predominantly to check out the rock and not so much for the walk then you’ll be pleased to know that the signpost is wrong!

The sign says the walk is 3.4km each way and hard, it was actually 2.8km and fairly easy. Easy is obviously subjective but it’s flat for the most part with just a few staircases to climb towards the end of the trail.

The fire trail at the start of the walk to Wedding Cake Rock

After a further 600m on flat and easy but not so inspiring fire trail you’ll reach the coast, and from here on in, the walk is spectacular. The track is in great condition throughout and it makes the walk much easier than it used to be!

You’ll begin walking on a long stretch of boardwalk with heath on either side of you and the ocean to your left.

We walked on a fairly gloomy day but it was still breathtaking, and it was the biggest swell we’ve ever seen in Royal National Park! Listen out for frogs along this section of track, they were so loud on our most recent visit!

You’ll soon reach the Balconies which offers epic views of the rugged coastline. It’s a spectacular spot and walking along the natural sandstone path makes it feel truly wild. The waves crashing against the rocks is pretty mesmerising and you can really feel the power of the ocean.

if you’re lucky and visiting between May and October you might even spot Humpback whales on their annual migration. We see them most visits!

When you can tear yourself away from the Balconies you have a couple more kilometres to go until you reach Wedding Cake Rock.

The walk continues to have incredible views the whole way, you’ll be walking on a mixture of boardwalk and sandstone - it’s a great walk to do if there’s been a lot of rain because very few parts of the track collect large puddles, unlike a lot of walks around Sydney.

The boardwalk makes all the difference! We hiked after over four days constant rain and there were just two major puddles to contend with, on other hikes we’ve had to turn back and abandon them!

On to the Waterrun

The track is almost entirely flat, with the odd small ups and downs along the sandstone until you get to the Waterrun. This is the point where you have to walk down a staircase - look left here because the swell always seems even bigger - and then up several staircases on the other side.

This is the only real climb of the walk but it’s over quite quickly. If you’re not used to hiking you can stop as much as you need to, and there’s plenty to entertain you, whether it’s the waves or the cute little New Holland Honeyeaters which flit in and out of the vegetation on either side of the track.

Arriving at Wedding Cake Rock

Between the start of the stairs and Wedding Cake Rock is just 900m so it won’t be long before you arrive at the fence……

Yes, the fence.

It’s a real shame but nowadays for safety reasons Wedding Cake Rock is behind fencing.

They’ve also shut the little side trail which used to offer the best views looking back at the rock. It is a shame as the fence is ugly but sadly people have died here so we can understand it.

Still, if you zone out the fence then it’s a gorgeous spot and such a strange natural phenomenon.

The view of Wedding Cake Rock from the fence

If you have more energy you can continue the walk on to Big Marley Beach which is a kilometre away and one of the most spectacular beaches in the park. If not, it’s time to head back!

Heading back

You follow the same trail back so there are no surprises. It’s also easier because you have even less stairs to climb in this direction! You could easily walk back in less than 45 minutes.

If you’re looking for other great coastal walks in the area, we have you covered in this guide.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to walk to Wedding Cake Rock?

The track is pretty easy, so you can get to there from Beachcomber Avenue within 45 minutes but allow an hour as it’s a gorgeous walk. You can use other routes which take longer if you’re after a proper hike.

Why is it called Wedding Cake rock?

Once you see it, you’ll realise that Wedding Cake Rock looks like a perfectly cut piece of wedding cake. Erosion has created perfectly straight cut lines, completely flat top and lines that look like tiers of sponge combine to make it truly look like a wedding cake (plus its white colour also adds to the appearance).

How do I get to Wedding Cake Rock by train?

There are two ways to get to Wedding Cake Rock by train. The first way is to get the train from Sydney to Sutherland Station (this is the Blue line which you can catch from Bondi, Kings Cross, Martin Place, Town Hall and Central Station).

From the train station you can get on the shuttle bus which goes directly to the north end of the Coast Track - the starting point for the hike to Wedding Cake Rock. This costs $9 for a single journey or $15 for the day pass (on top of the cost of the train).

The second option is to catch the train from Sydney to Cronulla Station and hop on one of the ferries that go to Bundeena. This is a much more picturesque trip, but you’ll have to walk further - about 1.5km to the trailhead at Beachcomber Avenue from the wharf.

How do I get to Wedding Cake Rock by car?

This is the easier option! The best way to get to Wedding Cake Rock is by car is to drive to and park at Beachcomber Avenue in Bundeena (you can see the spot on this map). There’s a gate at the very end of the street which is the start of the walk.

Can you go from Wedding Cake Rock to the Figure 8 Pools?

The reality is that going from Wedding Cake Rock to the Figure 8 Pools is a mission, even in a car. You can walk, but you will be hiking for nearly 19km in one direction!

The easiest way is to drive from Beachcomber Avenue to Garrawarra Farm and walk (and this takes a couple of hours minimum as well!).

Packing suggestions for Royal National Park

Having the right gear can make a huge difference, especially in Royal National Park. Being on the coast, the conditions can change rapidly, so packing correctly can make a big difference.

Here’s what we pack and have relied upon for years:

Sunscreen: Cancer Council Active. With a high SPF, but not the greasy feel of other sunscreens. Makes a big difference when you’re working up a sweat on a sunny day! Check it out on Amazon
Good Rain Jacket: North Face This is an essential item we always pack in our bag! This jacket from North Face is designed to keep you dry but also comfortably warm (many rain jackets will make you feel like you’re in a sauna). Check them out on Amazon
Day Pack: Osprey Talon 22 (we’ve owned this for years). Check on Amazon or direct with Osprey
Hiking Boots: Merrell Moab (for men and women). We’ve both used these for over three years and they just keep going. Check them out on Amazon
Trekking poles: We’ve used Black Diamond for years as they are light, solid and durable. Check out on Amazon.
Reusable water bottle: To avoid single-use plastic. Check them out on Amazon

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