Friends of the Royal National Park

22/05/2026

Platypus update from UNSW scientists Gilad Bino and Tahneal Hawke, via ABC reporting:

There are at least 20 platypuses now living in the NSW Royal National Park's waterways, three years after their historic reintroduction.

16/05/2026

WALLUMARRA TRACK off Lady Carrington Dr is undergoing some construction work at the Bola Creek crossing - access is prohibited.

The large natural stepping stones which enabled walkers to cross Bola Creek were washed away by flooding several years back.

An alternative walk to the Wallumarra Track is the FOREST PATH (another 50m north down Lady Carrington, on the west side).

The Forest Path is a 4.5km loop track. Today's adventure saw: a leafy canopy of palms, turpentines and coachwoods filtering light and shadows, greens and more green, overhead were lush birds nest ferns, ropey strangler vines tangled and winding up trees, a juvenile lyrebird tossed mulch for a feed, thick moss-covered rocks, clumps of funghi, a few leeches, and a tree-hugger.

01/05/2026

WHALE WATCHING - Bring the binoculars!

Every year around 25,000 to 35,000 humpback whales migrate north along Australia's east coast. They travel over 5,000 km from Antarctic waters to the warmer Coral Sea, covering the longest migration of any mammal.

From May to August the whales travel to mate and calve, with specific groups arriving in sequence: young, non-breeding whales lead, followed by mature males, then pregnant females, and finally, mothers with newborn calves leading the return trip south between August and November.

While predominantly humpback whales, southern right whales are also seen, often closer to the coast in southern NSW.

MAY - JUNE (Early Northern Migration): Young adult whales and non-breeders are typically the first to travel north, looking to socialize.
Late JUNE - JULY (Peak Northern Migration): Mature, breeding males and females fill the corridor, passing Sydney and heading toward the Great Barrier Reef.
AUGUST- Early SEPTEMBER (Late Northern / Early Southern): The last of the mature humpbacks head north, while the first southbound whales start appearing.
SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER (Return South): The majority of the population heads back south, with mothers and new calves travelling at a slower pace.

Great whale watching locations in southern Sydney:
Cape Solander in Kamay Botany Bay National Park
The Royal National Park coastal track (Bundeena to Otford)
Cronulla Esplanade, and
Near Cape Baily Lighthouse, on the Cape Baily Track, Kurnell.

An exciting article on whales will be coming soon to friendsofroyal.org.au with plenty of images by Dave Robson.

01/05/2026

IT'S ORCHID TIME IN THE PARK

The Friends of Royal general meeting (30th April) had an informative talk by ex-NPWS ranger Patsy Nagle. Her presentation was dedicated to Margaret Bradhurst, who has been finding, photographing and recording native orchids in the southern Sydney region for over 25 years, and Alan Stephenson, an environmentalist who works in orchid conservation.

There are many terrestrial orchids and rock orchids out in flower in April/May and thru to July, to be seen around the Royal National Park.

The locations of orchids will not be divulged as they are so environmentally sensitive, endangered, and fragile - you just have to be observant!

Images:
friendsofroyal.org.au
david-noble.net
M. Swire

01/05/2026

AUTUMN IS FUNGI TIME

The best locations are to be found in the rainforest where deep, damp leaf litter occurs and an incredible diversity and abundance of fabulous fungi explode from the ground.

Some of the best places are in the wet forested areas around the southern end of Lady Carrington Drive, especially along Bola Creek, the Forest Path and the Wallumarra Track as it winds along the creek.

Rings of Shaggy Inkcaps (Coprinus comatus) may also be found on the lawns of the Bonnie Vale campground.

Visit the Friends of the Royal National Park website for more interesting facts and information on fungi:
https://www.friendsofroyal.org.au/fascinating-fungi-2026/

Images: Liz Donley - Wallumarra Track and Forest Path

19/04/2026

Deeban Spit

This week I met wiith;
Sutherland Shire Council
Birdlife Southern NSW
Transport for NSW
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
& Crown Lands to discuss the management of Shorebirds at Deeban Spit.

We discussed:
- how to protect the Shorebirds and Seagrasses of Port Hacking
- a mullti-agency plan of management and Wildlife Protection Areas
- threats and measures to deter disturbance
- signage, surveillance and education.

This is the beginning of the conversation and actions have commenced.

We all have a common goal to help save these vulnerable shorebirds and other species from extinction so that future generations can continue to study and enjoy their significance. They are so unique, we are so fortunate to have them at our back door.

10/03/2026

Fungi Season is here again.

With the onset of autumn and the weather cooling down, now is a great time to start searching for fungi as you walk through the Royal. Once again we have had a wetter than usual summer, keeping the soil and leaf litter moist. These are the ideal conditions in which to find mushrooms but they do not stay for long.

Please be mindful that many mushrooms are highly toxic. These poisons are the same chemicals they use to break down and recycle nutrients in the environment. Take only photos and you will be amazed by the variety of colours, structures and interesting growth habits you will encounter.

Areas with a dense cover of leaf litter are great places to start searching. Around the southern end of Lady Carrington Drive, along Bola Creek, the Wallumarra Track and the Forest Path are our local fungi hotspots but you can find them almost anywhere. It’s just a matter of looking.

Once again we will be joining the Sydney Fungal Studies group on their field trips to Bola Creek. If you are interested to learn more about these amazing organisms, this is a great way to start. The dates this year will be Saturday April 11th and Saturday August 1st.
Walks are FREE, but numbers are strictly limited, so register early on volunteer calendar of the Friends of Royal website. Link below:

https://www.friendsofroyal.org.au/volunteer/volunteer-calendar/

03/03/2026

Wattamolla Picnic Ground was the Ground Zero for 4 volunteers and Park Ranger Anita for Cleanup Australia Day last Sunday.

Just 2.5 hours of scouring the area produced an astounding result of rubbish highlighting PLASTICS and DRINK CONTAINERS as the most offensive material discarded.

Plastic drink bottles, plastic bottle caps, plastic bags, plastic baby nappies, plastic wet-wipes, plastic food wrappers, and cigarette butts. Plus, aluminium drink cans, glass beer bottles, metal beer bottle caps.

No surprises there! But who would toss a used baby’s nappy into the bushland when there are many skip bins for this bundle of fragrant but non-biodegradable plastic!

Leave nothing behind when you visit the Park – minimal impact.

Images: Cootes Creek weir above the Wattamolla waterfall. The boom across the lagoon.
Cleanup Team of Liz, Michelle, Ross, Ranger Anita, Peter.

03/03/2026

NO BUT ABOUT IT, BUTTS ARE BAD!! And there were plenty of them found at Wattamolla Picnic Area by the volunteers on site last Sunday for Cleanup Australia Day.

Despite it being ILLEGAL TO SMOKE CI******ES OR VAPES at any time of the year in any NSW National Park since 2016, visitors still risk a hefty on-the-spot fine and, at times, put the Park at risk of bushfire from a discarded butt.

Many people do not realise that cigarette butts are made from non-biodegradable plastic (primarily made from cellulose acetate, a type of synthetic, non-biodegradable plastic fibre). Once littered, butts accumulate in the environment and leach toxic materials (chemicals like arsenic, lead, and ni****ne). They break up slowly, shedding microfibres and taking up to 14 years to decompose.

Cigarette butts have been found in the stomachs of birds, turtles, whales and fish, where they affect digestion and potentially lead to poisoning or starvation.

Birds that line their nests with discarded butts may experience long-term genetic damage and other health risks due to their exposure to toxic chemicals.

For more information visit:
https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/parks-reserves-and-protected-areas/park-policies/no-smoking-in-parks

23/02/2026

CLEAN UP AUSTRALIA DAY 2026 at WATTAMOLLA
on Sunday, 1st March.

Tell your friends and family, support local efforts to remove rubbish and protect our beautiful natural environment which is important in all our lives.

NPWS Ranger Anita is running a Clean Up Australia site at Wattamolla picnic area on Sunday 1st March beginning at 10am-12 pm.

Participants can register here:

https://register.cleanup.org.au/fundraisers/daisyjenkins/npws-wottamolla-precinct-clean-up-in-royal-national-park

For more information on Cleanup Australia visit
https://www.cleanup.org.au/whats-on/