SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: Many people are visiting La Perouse at the weekends. La Perouse is a small island in the south of the botany bay near cape banks. I have never been on this island because its only possible to walk around in a circle. But there is a more hidden track which goes through the bush and which us much more attractive than a walk around the island.
In this video, I take you on a walk from La Perouse to Cape Banks in Sydney, Australia. This coastal trail lies in the Kamay Botany Bay National Park, a place rich in both natural beauty and historical significance. Just a short drive from the city, this walk feels like a journey into a completely different world, with rugged cliffs, ocean views, and traces of Australia’s earliest encounters between Indigenous people and Europeans.
The walk begins at La Perouse, a headland named after the French explorer Comte de Lapérouse, who arrived here in 1788. Today, the area is known for its beaches, historic buildings, and the picturesque Bare Island Fort, which sits just offshore and can be reached by a wooden bridge. From here, the path leads into the national park, where the city’s bustle quickly fades and the sounds of waves and seabirds take over.
As the trail winds along the coastline, the scenery becomes increasingly dramatic. The sandstone cliffs rise above the Pacific Ocean, carved by wind and water into striking formations. Along the way, there are patches of native heathland, dotted with wildflowers and home to birdlife unique to the area. The combination of coastal rock platforms, open ocean, and natural vegetation makes this section of Sydney’s coastline especially beautiful.
One of the highlights of the walk is reaching Cape Banks, a rugged headland that juts out into the sea. From here, the views are breathtaking, with sweeping panoramas of the Pacific Ocean, Botany Bay, and the endless line of cliffs stretching to the horizon. Cape Banks is also a spot of historical importance: it was here that some of the first interactions between Aboriginal people and European settlers took place, and today it serves as a reminder of both the beauty and the layered history of this part of Australia.
Along the route, walkers can also see reminders of Sydney’s more recent history. The coastline near Cape Banks has the remains of World War II bunkers and defense structures, silent witnesses to the role this area played in protecting the harbour. This mix of natural and historical landmarks gives the walk a unique character.
The walk from La Perouse to Cape Banks is not especially long, but it is packed with variety. From beaches and historic forts to sandstone cliffs and wild ocean views, it offers a little bit of everything that makes Sydney’s coastline so special. For those who enjoy photography, the headlands provide excellent vantage points, especially at sunrise and sunset when the light paints the cliffs and sea in warm tones.
This video captures the impression of walking from La Perouse to Cape Banks: the starting point at La Perouse, the dramatic cliffs of Kamay Botany Bay National Park, the wild headland of Cape Banks, and the sense of both history and nature that accompanies every step. It is not a detailed hiking guide, but rather an overview of the atmosphere and highlights of this remarkable coastal walk.
For travelers and locals alike, this walk is a reminder that Sydney is not just about beaches and skyscrapers—it is also home to wild headlands, national parks, and landscapes where history and nature meet. Whether you come for the coastal views, the historic sites, or simply the chance to breathe fresh ocean air, the walk from La Perouse to Cape Banks is a rewarding and memorable experience.