6 things to do in La Perouse
La Perouse has always been one of my favourite suburbs. The pristine blue beaches and the vibes of the suburb is absolutely amazing. It is a wonderful place to spend a day, relaxing by the beach, learning about the history and cherishing the food at local restaurants.
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About La Perouse suburb
La Perouse is a suburb in Sydney. It is named after the French navigator La Perouse. The suburb of La Perouse is on the peninsula, which is the northern headland of Botany Bay and is in the city of Randwick. The waters around the suburb are very popular among the scuba divers and there is a lot of aboriginal history in La Perouse suburb.
Captain Arthur Philip’s first fleet landed in La Perouse, just a few days (supposedly 4 days) prior to La Perouse’s arrival.
About La Perouse (French navigator) and his history
La Perouse was a French navigator and explorer who stepped foot in the suburb of La Perouse, just a few days after the First Fleet. He had arrived at Botany Bay on 24 January 1788, where he had met the First Fleet settlers. La Perouse along with his French men stayed with the British for six weeks and both French and British offered each other assistance and supplies.
Before departing Sydney, La Perouse had decided to send his journals and letters back to Europe with the British merchant ship. In early March, the French left New South Wales, to travel to the islands of New Caledonia, Solomon Islands and others. Even though he was expected to be back at Port Jackson in Sydney by June 1789, no news was heard about La Perouse and his ships by the Europeans.
- Sources: Wikipedia and guide at La Perouse museum.
How to reach La Perouse suburb?
Driving
La Perouse is around 14 kilometres from Sydney city. The best and quickest way to get to La Perouse is to drive. However, one needs to park at the Anzac Parade Terminus and after the walk take a bus or an Uber back to the Anzac Parade Terminus from the Maroubra beach.
Public transportation
The cheapest way to get to the Anzac Parade is by taking public transport. There is no train station at La Perouse but there are frequent buses between Sydney Circular Quay (bus number L94), Martin Place or Sydney Central stations, and Anzac Parade Terminus. More up-to-date information can be found on the Transport NSW website.
Things to do in La Perouse suburb
La Perouse Museum
The La Perouse museum is a great place to start exploring the suburb of La Perouse. Housed in the old heritage listed Cable station, the museum is a great place to learn about the history and see the aboriginal art. It hosts the exhibits and history of La Perouse.
- There is no entry fee to visit La Perouse museum.
- Timings: Wednesday & Friday (10 AM to 2 PM) and Saturday & Sunday (10 AM to 4 PM).
- One needs at least an hour to see and read all the exhibits and information.
The Barrack Tower
The Barrack tower is a watch tower and is the oldest building in the suburb of La Perouse. The tower is not open for visitors.
Swimming at Congwong Beach
The Congwong beach is an ideal spot in La Perouse where one can swim and relax by the beach. The water is extremely clear and pretty.
Whale watching
La Perouse is a great spot to see some whales during the whale migration season. Humpback and Southern Right whales are often spotted on the eastern coast between the months of May and October. As they pass through the coastal line of New South Wales (NSW), every visitor takes an opportunity to be at the coast to look out for these beautiful gentle giants.
For best places to see whales, read Whale watching in Sydney.
Walks
La Perouse to Maroubra (14 KMS)
The La Perouse to Maroubra coastal walk is one of the famous coastal walks in Sydney. The 14 kilometres walk provides views of the ocean from the breathtakingly beautiful cliffs.
- Type of walk: One way.
- Total distance: 14 kilometres (including Henry’s Head & Cape Banks).
- Distance: approx. 4 hours.
- Grade: Easy.
Henry Head Walking tour (2.9 KMS)
The Henry Head walk is an easy walk offering great views of the ocean and is a good spot for whale watching (even though I did not see a single whale on all the times I have been there). One can view the World War II bunkers and a fort at Henry Head.
- Type of walk: Return or one can continue to the Cape Banks.
- Distance: 2.9 kilometres one way.
- Time taken: 30 minutes.
- Grade: Easy.
Bare Island (1 KM)
Bare Island is a heritage listed islet in La Perouse area of Sydney. Located in the Botany Bay National Park, Bare Island was home to former war veterans. The island is connected by a timber footbridge to the mainland of La Perouse. A walk around Bare Island is an easy and relaxed walk, which is hardly around a kilometre walk.
- Beware of the rocks as they can be slippery.
- There is a fort on the Bare Island and it can be visited as part of a guided tour. The 45 minutes guided tour is available every Sunday at 1:30 PM, 2:30 PM and 3:30 PM and cost AUD 15 per adult. More information can be found on the National Parks NSW website.
Brown Rock
A famous fishing spot is the Brown Rock. It is a side track while walking from Anzac Pde to Henry Head. The side track from the deviation is around 280 metres down hill.
- Type of walk: Return.
- Distance: 280 metres one way from the deviation. Note: From Anzac Pde, the Brown Rock is 2 kilometres.
- Time taken: 10 to 15 minutes from the deviation (steep uphill while returning).
- Grade: Easy.
Other walks
Some of the other walks to do when in Botany Bay are:
- Jennifer Street board walk (350 metres).
- Coast Hospital Cemetery.
Scuba diving and Snorkeling at Bare Island
As I mentioned in the beginning of the post, the waters around La Perouse especially around Bare Island is very popular among the scuba divers and the snorkelers. I have dived at Bare Island and even though it was not one of the best dives I have done in Sydney, it was still a good experience.
Is it safe for solo female travelers?
Sydney is very safe for solo female travelers. And so is La Perouse as a suburb. However, while walking be extra cautious near the cliffs, edges, and golf courses as they can very dangerous especially when it is windy and there are golfers playing.
Closing Notes
The suburb of La Perouse is definitely worth exploring. It is a great suburb to spend a day or two and is also one of the easily accessible suburbs in Sydney. I love the beaches of La Perouse and also the walks in Botany Bay. So, I usually visit the suburb at least once a month.
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