Bondi to Maroubra Coastal Walk

The coastal path from North Bondi to Maroubra strings together the Bondi to Coogee walk and the Randwick coastal walkway into one long clifftop line. Dogs can walk nearly all of it on lead, but not the parts most people picture: the sand is off limits along the entire route, and so are Waverley Cemetery and the Malabar Headland National Park section at the southern end. Plan around those exclusions and this becomes one of the best long walks in Sydney for a fit dog.

Leash status

Waverley Council manages the northern half and Randwick City Council the south, and dogs are on lead the whole way across both. They are banned from the sand at Bondi, Tamarama, Bronte, Clovelly, Coogee and Maroubra, banned from Waverley Cemetery, and banned from Malabar Headland National Park, which the walkway crosses south of Maroubra. The national park ban is absolute, not a keep-them-close rule, so plan to finish at the northern end of Maroubra Beach rather than pushing past it.

Distance and terrain

AllTrails records the full out and back at 23.5 km and grades it moderate, which puts one way at roughly 10 to 12 km and three to four hours with a dog stopping to look at things. The surface keeps changing: sealed promenade, sandstone paving, boardwalk, and several long flights of stairs around Tamarama, Bronte and Clovelly. There is no flat alternative and no way around the stairs, so this is not a route for stiff joints.

Hazards

Long sections run along an unfenced or low-railed cliff edge with a serious drop below. Keep the dog on the inland side of you and the lead short through those parts. Shade is scarce and the sandstone gets hot underfoot by mid morning in summer, which is its own reason to start early.

Max: Short lead on the clifftop sections, and put your body between the dog and the edge. The gaps in the railing are wider than they look.

Water and stops

Bubblers sit at the main headlands at Bondi, Bronte, Clovelly and Coogee, and the cafes along the way will usually fill a bowl. Carry water regardless, because some stretches run half an hour with nothing. If your dog needs a proper off-lead run, Marks Park at Tamarama sits right on the path with timed off-lead hours, and Trenerry Reserve at Coogee is a clifftop off-lead reserve a few streets inland; check the on-site signage at both, since the hours differ between Waverley and Randwick.

Getting there and back

Buses serve North Bondi, Bronte, Coogee and Maroubra, so walking one way and riding back is the sensible plan. Parking near Bondi and Coogee is metered and fiercely contested on weekends; the Maroubra end is easier. Doing the walk in two halves, Bondi to Coogee one day and Coogee to Maroubra the next, suits most dogs better than the full distance.

While you're out there

Coogee to Maroubra works as a half-day version of the southern stretch. Coogee Dog Park is the off-lead release valve mid route. For a sit-down break, Seasalt at Clovelly and Cafe Rafaele are both within a block of the path and take dogs outside.

When to go

Weekday mornings outside summer are the sweet spot: cool stone, thin crowds and buses running often enough to bail you out. On a hot day the combination of stairs, exposed sandstone and no beach access makes this a poor choice for any dog. Best suited to big, fit dogs with a head for heights and owners happy to carry water.

The NSW trails guide has more coastal routes like this one, and the North Bondi page covers the dog-friendly listing around the northern trailhead.