Last verified 04/26
Maitland Bay is a stunning beach in Bouddi National Park on the Central Coast. The only way to reach it is by walking through the bush. The path takes you down to a 600-metre sandy beach surrounded by thick bushland. The walk is worth it.
Maitland Bay has become popular and can be busy on weekends. If you want a quieter experience, visit on a weekday.
The Walk
The easiest way to get there is by taking the Maitland Bay Track. It’s a 900-metre walk from the carpark next to the Information Centre on The Scenic Road in Killcare Heights.
The track heads steadily downhill through gullies and dense plants. It’s steep, but the path is paved and there are stairs, so most people, including families with young children, can handle it. Our four-year-old nearly made it back up on his own.
Walking down takes about 20 minutes, while the return climb takes around 50 minutes. The round trip is 2 kilometres and usually takes about an hour.
Start your walk next to the Information Centre, located across from Maitland Bay Drive on The Scenic Road in Killcare Heights. Free parking is available at the carpark. The Information Centre is open on weekends and public holidays.
The Beach
Maitland Bay is a 600-metre sandy beach surrounded by dense bush. There’s no road access and no facilities. The water is clear, and on sunny days it turns a bright blue that’s hard to believe is only 90 minutes from Sydney. On cloudy days, the quiet and thick bush make it feel wild and remote.
There are no lifeguards at the beach, so be careful if you swim and always check the conditions before going in.
When we last visited, we saw dolphins swimming in the bay.
The Shipwreck
The bay is named after the SS Maitland, a ship that sank off the coast on 6 May 1898. The ship left Sydney the day before but ran into severe weather, with winds close to 100 kilometres per hour. Water filled the ship overnight, and in the early morning it hit the rocks and broke in two. Twenty-seven people lost their lives.
The disaster was in the news for months. Afterwards, many people claimed to have seen ghosts on the beach.
At low tide, you can still see the remains of the wreck on the eastern side of the beach. Walk to the eastern end and out along the rocks to find them. Fishermen recovered the ship’s bell in 1957, and it’s now kept at the Henry Kendall Museum in West Gosford. The bell on the memorial in front of the Information Centre is a replica. The memorial incorrectly lists the date as 5 May, but the actual date was 6 May.
Other Ways To Reach Maitland Bay
The Maitland Bay Track from the Information Centre is the shortest and most direct way to reach the beach. You can also get there via the Mount Bouddi Track from the end of Mount Bouddi Road, or as part of a longer walk from MacMasters Beach, Little Beach, or Putty Beach along the Bouddi Coastal Walk.
Getting There
Maitland Bay is about 1 hour 30 minutes from Sydney via the M1. Take the Gosford exit and follow signs through Kincumber toward Killcare Heights. The carpark is on The Scenic Road opposite the corner of Maitland Bay Drive. Parking is free.
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