A short, steep climb from Palm Beach to the 1881 sandstone lighthouse on Barrenjoey Head, with views over Broken Bay.
The climb is short. The payoff is huge. Barrenjoey Lighthouse stands 91m above sea level at the northern tip of Sydney, built in 1881 from sandstone quarried on site.
Two tracks lead up. The Barrenjoey track is about 1km and takes around 30 minutes each way from the Governor Phillip Park parking area. Smugglers track is shorter and steeper, built by customs officers around 1850 to watch for contraband heading into Broken Bay.
At the top, take in Broken Bay, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and the Central Coast. Whales pass from May to September, so bring binoculars. Guided tours of the lighthouse interior run on Sundays.