In the upmarket Northern Beaches, almost out to the peninsula's tip that ends at the Barrenjoey Headland, Whale Beach is a lovely spot for swimming, surfing, walking, or playing on the beach. There are ocean-fed baths at the southern end of the beach and a famous surf break named “the Wedge” off the northern end, which is fun for experienced surfers. Travelers typically visit Whale Beach independently while checking out Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
The beach has showers, public toilets, picnic areas, a kids’ playground, and ample car parking.
Ocean swimming here can be dangerous when there’s a strong shore break–swim when lifeguards patrol the beach or stick to the ocean-fed pool at the southern end.
There are many cafes and restaurants near the beach if you don’t want to take your own picnic.
Whale Beach is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of central Sydney. You can drive there by heading north across the Sydney Harbour Bridge and following the road past Manly and through Narrabeen. Public buses also travel the route and take about 90 minutes, but this is an affordable way of traveling.
Whale Beach is patrolled by volunteer lifeguards on weekends and public holidays between September and April, with the last weekend typically being ANZAC Day (April 25). This is the best time of year to visit to swim in the sea, but surfers and hardy swimmers frequent Whale Beach and the ocean-fed pools year-round.
Fans of the Australian teen soap “Home & Away”–which launched the careers of Chris Hemsworth, Heath Ledger, and many other Aussie actors–should plan to spend some time in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, where much of the filming takes place. The primary filming location is Palm Beach, just north of Whale Beach, but you may also recognize other spots, such as the Barrenjoey Headland. You may see filming in progress, but even if you don’t, you’ll see many of the spots that appear on TV. You’ll never watch the opening credits the same way again.