Nielsen Park
Sydney Harbour National Park
Overview
Sydney serves up its best outdoor offerings at Nielsen Park, located at Vaucluse. Cool off with a swim at Shark Beach, lay a picnic blanket under the trees, grab refreshments at the cafe, or take a short walk and enjoy views of Sydney Harbour.
- Type
- Picnic areas
- Accessibility
- Easy
- What to
bring - Hat, sunscreen
- Please note
- If you plan to visit Nielsen Park with more than 20 people, (schools, corporate or private) you'll need to make a group booking in advance. To book, please phone between 9am–5pm, Monday to Friday: 02 9337 5511.
- Protect your picnic and cover food so the local birds don't steal it. Please do not feed the birds as this may lead to agressive behavior and fines will apply if you're caught feeding wildlife in a national park.
- Several venues are available for hire at Nielsen Park including The Nielsen (Halbert Pavilion), Bottle and Glass Point, Shakespeares Point, and Greycliffe Gardens.
Nielsen Park offers one of the most picturesque locations on Sydney Harbour for a picnic, swim, and a short walk. Located in Sydney Harbour National Park at Vaucluse, it boasts 3 large, sheltered picnic areas and expansive lawns. Relax on the grass and enjoy your lunch beneath a shady fig tree.
Once you've taken a swim at the glistening Shark Beach drop into The Nielsen cafe for a coffee or an ice cream while the kids build sandcastles.
Stroll along the scenic foreshore walking track or explore the area by kayak. For a longer walk, explore Bottle and Glass Point or take a 3.6km return walk along the unmissable Hermitage Foreshore track for ultimate views of Sydney Harbour.
If you'd like to stay longer you can also book accommodation at Steele Point cottage or Gardeners cottage.
Learn more about the project to upgrade the Nielsen Park seawall, or take a virtual tour of Nielsen Park captured with Google Street View Trekker.
Tours and events at this location
-
Greycliffe House and Nielsen Park heritage tour
Enter the world of the mid 1800s when you visit Greycliffe House. It's been a part of Sydney's history since its first residents moved in. Pack a picnic lunch to enjoy in the grounds after the tour.
Also see
Sydney native habitats in 360
Explore our 360-degree interactive national park habitats in and around Sydney's urban fringe, and the protected plants and animals that live here.
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General enquiries
- National Parks Contact Centre
- 7am to 7pm daily
- 1300 072 757 (13000 PARKS) for the cost of a local call within Australia excluding mobiles
- parks.info@environment.nsw.gov.au
Operated by
- Nielsen Park office
- Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
- 02 9337 5511
- npws.sydneysouth@environment.nsw.gov.au
- Greycliffe House, Nielsen Park, 6 Steele Point Road, Vaucluse NSW 2030
Park info
- in Sydney Harbour National Park in the Sydney and surrounds region
Sydney Harbour National Park is open sunrise to sunset but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
-
Park entry fees:
Bradleys Head: $8 per vehicle per day. North Head: $5 per vehicle per day. Tap and pay card or phone payments accepted at pay machines. Coin payment available at Fairfax carpark machines only. Chowder Bay: Monday-Friday: $3 per hour, to a maximum of $16 per day. Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays: $4 per hour, to a maximum of $20 per day. If you hold an NPWS All Parks or Multi Parks Pass, you can park free for up to four hours per day - additional time can be purchased. Car parks operated by Sydney Harbour Federation Trust or Mosman Council are not covered by your pass. Please check signs carefully. Park’nPay: You can also pay for your visit to any area via the Park’nPay app.
Other fees:
Landing fees or tour fees apply to visit Sydney Harbour islands. All public visitors to Shark, Clark or Rodd Island, need to pay a $7 per person landing fee. To arrange, please contact 1300 072 757 (13000 PARKS). Annual NSW Parks Passes do not cover landing fees.
Buy annual pass
What's nearby:
Things to do (101)
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- Historic heritage (37)
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- Waterfalls (2)
- Wildflowers (seasonal) (4)