Clifton Gardens

Beach

Clifton Gardens is located in Chowder Bay, a 300 m wide southeast-facing semicircular shaped bay, bordered by steep rocky shore and largely occupied by the curving 280 m long Clifton Gardens beach (SH 24). The beach is bordered to the east by former naval facilities including a concrete jetty, the... Read more

Clifton Gardens is located in Chowder Bay, a 300 m wide southeast-facing semicircular shaped bay, bordered by steep rocky shore and largely occupied by the curving 280 m long Clifton Gardens beach (SH 24). The beach is bordered to the east by former naval facilities including a concrete jetty, the facilities now occupied by the Sydney Harbour Institute of Marine Science. A central wooden jetty then tidal pool occupies the western half of the beach. The beach is backed by a low seawall, then large flat grassy park and car park, with vegetated slopes rising into Sydney Harbour National Park to the north. A walking track extends from the southern end of the beach via Chowder and Bradley heads to Sirius Cove.

Swimming

All the northern Sydney Harbour beaches are relatively safe under normal low wave to calm conditions. Some like Sandy Bay and Sirius Cove never receive ocean waves, while Washaway, Reef and Obelisk commonly receive low swell. The biggest hazard to children and non-swimmers is the often deep water off many of the beaches, and boating activity off some of the beaches.

Surfing

None, except during huge outside swell when surfers head for Dobroyd Point, Grotto Head, Edwards and Balmoral beaches.

Fishing

The entire harbour shoreline attract thousands of anglers, with most fishing from the relatively safe rocks and many jetties, as well as off the beaches fronted by deeper water.