Wondabyne to Patonga | Overnight Hike Near Sydney

By Roberto (Updated Jan 2023)

⏱6 min

We both love hiking and outdoor activities, and wanted to try an overnight hike near Sydney combining friends, trekking, and a waterfall or a river. For these reasons, we decided to do the Wondabyne to Patonga hike that we present you here, and…we totally recommend it!

When we were in Sydney, we quite a few hikes in and around the city. Check out all the hikes we have done below. 

About Wondabyne to Patonga hike

• Location: Brisbane Waters National Park
• Distance: 21 km one way 
• Duration: 2 days, 1 night 
• Elevation gain: 850 m
• Difficulty: Medium-Hard. 

How to go: Take a train at Central Station (Platform 8) to go to Wondabyne. It takes a bit more than 1h. It’s SO important that you stay in the last car of the train. Otherwise, you can not stop and get out at Wondabyne station because it’s so small! To come back, from Patonga there is a bus that goes to Woy Woy, where you can take the train from.

Day 1 – From Wondabyne station to Karion Brook Falls

The hike starts at the curious Wondabyne Station. Curious because it’s literally in the middle of nowhere, without roads to get to it and isolated, next to Mullet Creek bay. One of the reasons we prefer doing Wondabyne to Patonga instead of the opposite way is because once you finish at Patonga, you have a nice restaurant and the beach to treat yourself to. Here, there is nothing!

A narrow path starts right at the station and goes up, and up, for around 20 minutes. It’s quite demanding but the bountiful nature helps a lot. Remember to put all your equipment in a backpack with a waist belt – the difference is extreme. If you are interested in photography and hiking, check this post:

The hike continues through a wider and flatter trail for a while, and if the sun is up, which was our case, there is no shade. So don’t forget your water (we recommend minimum 2liter/day per person). 

After combining trails and paths, we went down and felt how everything was turning green and fresh. A great key point of this hike is that it crosses the Koriong Brook Falls, which can have water, or not, depending on the rain from previous days. We were hoping to find a small lagoon plus the waterfall, and it was our motivation to keep going when we were sweating. 

After going down and crossing a river, we went up again with high expectations, and… yes! The waterfall was there, with a clean and cold pool to swim in, only for the brave – offering us a perfect spot for lunch.

Day 1 – From Karion Brook Falls to Mount Wondabyne campsite

This break gave us the energy to follow the other half of the way to our final destination: the campsite at Mount Wondabyne. For some reason, these 4 kilometers seemed twice as long, and we needed to stop at the base of the mountain to laugh at ourselves. This hike wouldn’t have been the same without the people, our jokes, and our conversations.

We headed up to the top of the mountain and finally, we arrived at the campsite, which is almost on the peak. Our problem was that twenty teenagers were occupying the majority of the space, and we didn’t want to share so… we looked for another area to set up our tents.

After some minutes, we found an amazing big flat boulder very close to the campsite! If you go there, try to find it in the bush, it’s really worth it.

After setting up our tents, we started the fire to prepare a barbecue, and enjoy the amazing food that one of us bought from Victor Churchill. Every time I see this photo, it makes my mouth water! 

The night was coming and lucky us, there was no moon nor clouds outside. This means that the sky was perfect to enjoy the stars while playing some games and listening to music. It’s been a while since we did our last camping and we really enjoyed the experience. 

Day 2- From Mount Wondabyne Campsite to Patonga

At 6 am, the sun started to wake us up, and after breakfast, we dismounted the tents and cleaned the area – remember to always clean up your mess! Take note that there is no garbage or water at the campsite.

Then, we were ready to cover the remaining 12 km to Patonga, expecting to arrive there by lunchtime. Our plan was to eat at the restaurant and enjoy a swim at the beach. The hike from the campsite to Patonga is demanding at the beginning and towards the end, but quite easy for several kilometers in the middle, which is nice to do on the second day. I wouldn’t recommend doing the hike in the opposite direction.

At the last part of the hike, near Patonga, we started to go down following a path close to the bay, with some viewpoints and the motivation of a pint of beer at the beach on a sunny day.

Finally, after 4 h of hiking with stops, we arrived at Patonga beach, where we ate at The Boathouse Restaurant and enjoyed a brief but well-deserved siesta on the beach, before swimming and taking the bus back.

The way back

To come back, we took bus #54 at Patonga to go to Woy Woy and took the train back to Sydney. Check the bus schedules beforehand and plan accordingly, because the frequency is really low.

We absolutely recommend this hike if you’re into walking and nature or just want to try a new experience. It’s also an easy peasy hike for experienced trekkers, but wonderful. If you have any doubts about the hike, don’t hesitate to ask us!

Hasta la próxima! ✋

Further Reading…

Check out some of the posts below on other must-visit places in Queensland, Australia!