Wedding Cake Rock in the Royal National Park is a famous landmark enticing people over the years due to its standout, white and bright coloured appearance.
It is complemented with a jaw-dropping view of the ocean after a scenic walk along the coastal track.
Mother nature kindly gifted us this amazing naturally formed rock, but she will just as easily take it away.
There isn’t much time to view Wedding Cake Rock. The authorities predict it will collapse into the ocean within the next few years. Make sure you visit this infamous landmark before it is swallowed up by the sea.
We will give you all the information you need to know about the Wedding Cake Rock landmark, including how to get there and helpful tips to make the most of your time when visiting it.
How to get to Wedding Cake Rock
Wedding Cake Rock is within the Royal National Park, New South Wales, so you will have to head there first.
The Royal National Park is around a 40 km, 1-hour drive south of Sydney in the Southerland Shire.
To specifically get to Wedding Cake Rock from within the Royal National Park you will need to head towards and walk the coastal track. The coastal track starts at the end of Beachcomber Avenue in Bundeena.
How to get to Wedding Cake Rock by car
Driving by car to Wedding Cake Rock is the most convenient and time-effective way to get there.
However, it is not possible to drive straight up to Wedding Cake Rock, to take your photos and leave. You must drive into Bundeena and park up at the start of the scenic coastal walk.
It will take you just over 1 hour to drive from Sydney to Bundeena, right on the outskirts of the Royal National Park.
Wedding Cake Rock parking
Since the coastal walk towards Wedding Cake Rock starts at the end of Beachcomber Avenue, this would be the best place to park.
If you head there then you should be able to park for free on the street, just head into Bundeena. Alternatively, search Beachcomber Avenue in Google Maps.
We would recommend getting there as early as possible though as spaces may be scarce later during the day.
Wedding Cake Rock walk in the Royal National Park
The Royal National Park coastal walk towards Wedding Cake Rock is beautiful.
The views on the way are lovely and the fresh breeze and air gushing into your lungs helping you on the way is a blessing.
The walk itself will take around 1 hour before you reach Wedding Cake Rock. Make sure you plan at least 2 hours, taking into consideration the walk back. We can’t blame you if you take a little longer admiring the views and snapping some photos as we did.
Don’t forget to bring plenty of water. There isn’t much shade on the walk so a hat would be good too.
Once you eventually make it to Wedding Cake Rock in Royal National Park, you will be greeted with…a big metal fence. The fence wasn’t always there but the rock itself has become unsafe and not deemed fit for people to stand on.
In the past and probably still today if you’re silly enough to jump the fence, people have opted to take photos of themselves near the edge of the cliff.
We get it, it makes an amazing Instagram photo and it will look nicely placed on your feed. It’s just not worth it in this instance though.
There have been a few instances where rescue has been called out. On one occasion and there was, sadly, a death. Don’t jump the fence, it’s unsafe and if you’re caught you’ll be handed a hefty fine too.
In the near future, some viewing platforms are to be built so we can enjoy the rock from a safe distance.
Until then, the best way to capture the beauty of the rock is with a drone. It’s safe and you can get ridiculously good viewing angles.
With or without a viewing platform, it would be hard to capture such a beautiful birds-eye view shot. Capturing it’s equally beautiful surroundings.
Why is Wedding Cake Rock so white?
One question which is probably on the forefront of most people’s minds…How and why Wedding Cake Rock is so white.
It is to do with the way the sandstone layers are produced, called iron leaching. This also makes the sandstone soft and susceptible to cracking and collapsing.
Why is it called Wedding Cake Rock?
You will instantly notice how white the rock is compared to its neighbouring coastal cliff edges and sandstone.
It also has sharp and distinctive edges, giving it a shape like no other.
People have chosen to give it the name resembling a slice of white cake protruding out of the cliffs looking over the ocean, Wedding Cake Rock.
Wedding Cake Rock and the entire visit to the Royal National Park was great to visit in our time in Australia.
Another unique gem within the park is the Figure 8 Pools. Do not miss this naturally formed figured of 8 shaped swimming hole.
If you have any spare time, it’s especially nice in the spring and summer to cool off in the refreshing waters. Just make sure you visit in low tide as it is completely covered otherwise.
Wedding Cake Rock FAQs
The walk is 3.4km from the start of the coastal walk in the Royal National Park and will take approximately 1 hour one way.
You can not stand on Wedding Cake Rock anymore as it has been deemed unsafe by the authorities.
The surrounding areas of Wedding Cake Rock are safe to walk around, however, there is a large fence blocking people from standing on Wedding Cake Rock as it is estimated to collapse within the next 5 years.
