🌳 Royal National Park Announces Extensive Closures and Pest Control Operations

Significant Closures and Operations Announced for Royal National Park

The Royal National Park has issued a series of alerts regarding upcoming pest management programs and ongoing track closures, advising visitors to plan their trips carefully and observe all signage.

Aerial Deer Shooting Program Underway

An aerial deer shooting program is scheduled to take place in the Royal National Park fromTuesday, May 27, to Thursday, May 29, 2025. During this period, several key areas will be closed to ensure public safety. These include:

• Wattle Forest and Currawong picnic areas (west of Varneys Bridge at Audley)
• Wattamolla Picnic area
• Forest Path and Bola Creek
• The Engadine Track east of Parklands Fire Trail (between East Heathcote and Audley)
• All bushland areas surrounding Robertsons Roundabout (between Audley and Kangaroo Creek)
• Walking tracks and management trails around East Heathcote, including Karloo Pools, Bottle Forest, Parklands, and Goarra Ridge
• The Uloola Track between Uloola Campground and Audley (Uloola Campground is also closed)
• All bushland areas around Artillery Hill (bounded by The Hacking River, South West Arm, and Sir Bertram Stevens Drive), including Anice Falls track west of Mt Bass fire trail intersection and The Meadows and Gundamaian Fire Trails
• All bushland areas surrounding Cabbage Tree Basin (bounded by Maianbar Road, Bundeena Drive, and The Basin Track)
• Areas east of Sir Bertram Stevens Drive, Bundeena Drive, and Lady Wakehurst Drive, stretching from Bundeena to Otford
• The Coast Track, including Jibbon Loop Track
• Mount Bass and Winifred Falls trails
• Warumbul Road and Warumbul picnic area

While Bonnie Vale campground will remain open, surrounding walking tracks and service trails are closed. The Basin Walking Track between Maianbar and Bonnie Vale will be open to local residents, though short delays may occur, and visitors must adhere to NPWS staff directions. Bushland areas immediately adjacent to this track are closed.

Fox Control Program Utilises 1080 Baits

An aerial baiting program using 1080 poison (sodium fluoroacetate) for fox control will be conducted fromTuesday, May 6, to Saturday, May 10, 2025. This initiative aims to enhance the park's eco-health by reducing predation on ground-dwelling mammals and small birds, specifically along the Hacking River to aid the re-introduction of platypus.

All baiting locations will be clearly signposted. Visitors are urged not to touch baits. Domestic pets are prohibited in NSW national parks, and 1080 is lethal to cats and dogs. Pet owners in the vicinity must ensure their animals are restrained or muzzled and do not enter baiting areas. In case of accidental poisoning, immediate veterinary assistance is crucial.

Ongoing Track Closures for Upgrades and Safety

Several tracks remain closed for repairs and upgrades:

• Deer Pool Walking Track:The section of Marley walking track between the carpark and fire trail is closed for repairs untilJune 30, 2025. Big Marley and Little Marley fire trails remain open.
• Temptation Creek/Loftus Loop Area:Some walking and mountain bike trails within the Loftus Loop network, including Farnell Avenue, Rawson Parade, and Savilles Creek trails, are closed untilMonday, June 30, 2025, for upgrade works. Fire trails east of Farnell Avenue will stay open.
• Werrong Beach Track:This track is closed until further notice due to landslides.

Partial Closures Affect The Coast Track and Garie Precinct

Walking the entire length of The Coast Track is currently not possible due to multiple closures caused by erosion, rockfall risks, and ongoing upgrade works. Key sections affected include:

• The Garie to Little Garie section, closed due to hazardous rockfalls and erosion.
• North Era campground, closed until further notice due to operational activities.
• Garie Road, Garie Beach, and the entire Garie precinct are closed until further notice due to road surface damage and subsidence. Walkers approaching from the north should exit via Curra Moors track.

Bushwalker access is available for the following sections:

• Southbound:Bundeena to Curra Moors track via Wattamolla and return only (no access to Garie Beach).
• Northbound:Via Garawarra Farm Ridge trail and Burgh Ridge track to North Era and return (during track upgrades).

Garie Road itself is closed until further notice for extensive repairs, with no reopening date currently known. Visitors should check Live Traffic NSW for updates.

Penalties apply for non-compliance with closure directives. For more information, contact the Royal National Park Visitor Centre on 02 9542 0648 or the NPWS Audley office on 02 9542 0632 during business hours. For after-hours inquiries, call the NPWS call centre on 1300 056 294.