Green Cape to Pulpit Rock
Yuin Country

1 h 15 min to 1 h 30 min

3.5 km
oneway

↑ 65 m
↓ -76 m

Hard track
The walk to Pulpit Rock is a great way to see an amazing section of coastline. Traveling from Green Cape car park, near the lighthouse, the walk passes through large sections of heath and melaleuca to reach Pulpit Rock car park. Pulpit rock is quite a large formation with an excellent lookout, providing great views north up the coast. Let us begin by acknowledging the Yuin people, Traditional Custodians of the land on which we travel today, and pay our respects to their Elders past and present. 
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Green Cape Lighthouse car park. | Photo by admin, 2009.
Green Cape car park sign. | Photo by admin, 2009.
Sandy track through the melaleuca. | Photo by admin, 2009.
Ly-ee-moon graveyard sign. | Photo by admin, 2009.
Track marker along Light to Light walk. | Photo by admin, 2009.
Sandy track past Banksias. | Photo by admin, 2009.
Banksia. | Photo by admin, 2009.
Track just near Pulpit Rock Rd. | Photo by admin, 2009.
Sign on Pulpit Rock Rd. | Photo by admin, 2009.
Looking North up the coast south of Pulpit Rock Rd. | Photo by admin, 2009.
Wattle on Pulpit Rock Rd. | Photo by admin, 2009.
Sign before Pulpit Rock car park. | Photo by admin, 2009.
Pulpit Rock car park. | Photo by admin, 2009.
Pulpit Rock. | Photo by admin, 2009.
Stairs down to Pulpit Rock. | Photo by admin, 2009.
Track down Pulpit Rock. | Photo by admin, 2009.
Track looking north from Pulpit Rock. | Photo by admin, 2009.
View from Pulpit Rock north. | Photo by admin, 2009.
Ocean slamming rocks north of Pulpit Rock. | Photo by admin, 2009.
Pulpit Rock formations. | Photo by admin, 2009.
Pulpit Rock cliffs. | Photo by admin, 2009.
Downloads GPX PDF

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Safer Bushwalks
Tips on staying safe on track
Before you start any bushwalk ensure you;
• Tell someone you trust where you are going and what to do if you are overdue
• Have adequate equipment, supplies, skills & knowledge for the whole journey
• Consider the impact of weather forecasts, park/track closures & fire dangers
• Can respond to emergencies & call for help at any point
• Are healthy and fit enough for this journey
If not, change plans and stay safe. It is okay to delay and ask people for help.
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Getting There
Transport options and directions
Start (-37.2591865,150.0474774)
Mode Car (A park entry fee is required for driving into the park.)
DirectionsFrom Princes Highway, A1
  • Turn on to Princes Highway, A1 then drive for 1.3 km
  • At roundabout, take exit 2 onto Princes Highway, A1 and drive for another 27.3 km
  • Turn right onto Princes Highway, A1 and drive for another 6.7 km
  • At roundabout, take exit 2 onto Quondolo Street, A1 and drive for another 245 m
  • Turn slight right onto Bullara Street, A1 and drive for another 18.7 km
  • At roundabout, take exit 3 onto Mitchell Street, A1 and drive for another 18.3 km
  • Turn left onto Edrom Road and drive for another 5.7 km
  • Turn right onto Green Cape Road and drive for another 11.2 km
  • Turn left onto Green Cape Road and drive for another 6.8 km
  • Continue onto Green Cape Road and drive for another 2.5 km
Finish (-37.2397533,150.0341255)
Mode (end) Car Shuttle   Car   (A park entry fee is required for driving into the park.)
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Track Notes
Turn by turn instructions & maps
Getting started
From the intersection, this walk heads in the opposite direction to the 'Lighthouse Walkway' signs through the car park. The walk soon meets a bush track into the melaleuca and heath, which it follows to the signposted intersection of the Ly-ee-moon Graveyard.....
Turn map Directions & comments
Start.
There is a sign (about 125 m back from the start).
There is a toilet (about 95 m back from the start).
Green Cape (about 75 m back from the start).
Green Cape
Green Cape

Green Cape is a headland at the southern end of Ben Boyd National Park, forming the northern head of Disaster Bay. The cape's traditional owners are the people of the Yuin nation, from whom there remains evidence of a number of camps in the area. The cape was named 'Green Point' by Matthew Flinders in 1798. The area began its notorious fame in 1802 when eight of Flinders' crew disappeared when fetching water, in what he then appropriately named 'Disaster Bay'. The Imlay brothers and Boyd both established whaling business in the area in the early to mid 1800's, leaving several buildings in the park. There were many shipwrecks in the surrounding waters, the most famous being the SS Ly-ee-moon, whose victims are buried on the cape. The most visible feature on the cape is the 29-metre high lighthouse that is still operational today. NPWS run 1-hour tours of the site based on bookings . There is a composting toilet at the car park at the end of Green Cape Road. Accommodation is also available in the renovated lighthouse keeper cottages.
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Green Cape is a headland at the southern end of Ben Boyd National Park, forming the northern head of Disaster Bay. The cape's traditional owners are the people of the Yuin nation, from whom there remains evidence of a number of camps in the area. The cape was named 'Green Point' by Matthew Flinders in 1798. The area began its notorious fame in 1802 when eight of Flinders' crew disappeared when fetching water, in what he then appropriately named 'Disaster Bay'. The Imlay brothers and Boyd both established whaling business in the area in the early to mid 1800's, leaving several buildings in the park. There were many shipwrecks in the surrounding waters, the most famous being the SS Ly-ee-moon, whose victims are buried on the cape. The most visible feature on the cape is the 29-metre high lighthouse that is still operational today. NPWS run 1-hour tours of the site based on bookings . There is a composting toilet at the car park at the end of Green Cape Road. Accommodation is also available in the renovated lighthouse keeper cottages.

After 75 m to find the car park.
After another 140 m continue straight, to head along Light to Light Walk.
After another 25 m find the "Ly-ee-moon Graveyard" (10 m on your right).
Ly-ee-moon Graveyard
Ly-ee-moon Graveyard

The Ly-ee-moon Graveyard is a stark reminder of the horrific accident on the night of May 31st, 1886, when 71 men, women and children lost their lives. The white stone and single cross marks the positions of the unnamed graves. The nearby plaque names the people who lost their lives - sadly some names where not known and these people are remembered only by comments such as 'one who had a German accent'. During the dark night, the lighthouse keeper and assistant heroically rescued 16 people from the sea, and were left to listen to cries for help though the night of other people who could not be saved. The mother of Blessed Mary MacKillop, the first Australian to be beatified by the Catholic church, was one of those lost during the night. The fast and normally reliable ship, operated by the Australian Steam Navigation Company, was a single screw ship converted from a paddle steamer when it was brought to Australia in 1876. The graveyard is about 300m north-west of the Green Cape lighthouse, which was operational at the time the SS Ly-ee-moon struck the reef and sunk.
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The Ly-ee-moon Graveyard is a stark reminder of the horrific accident on the night of May 31st, 1886, when 71 men, women and children lost their lives. The white stone and single cross marks the positions of the unnamed graves. The nearby plaque names the people who lost their lives - sadly some names where not known and these people are remembered only by comments such as 'one who had a German accent'. During the dark night, the lighthouse keeper and assistant heroically rescued 16 people from the sea, and were left to listen to cries for help though the night of other people who could not be saved. The mother of Blessed Mary MacKillop, the first Australian to be beatified by the Catholic church, was one of those lost during the night. The fast and normally reliable ship, operated by the Australian Steam Navigation Company, was a single screw ship converted from a paddle steamer when it was brought to Australia in 1876. The graveyard is about 300m north-west of the Green Cape lighthouse, which was operational at the time the SS Ly-ee-moon struck the reef and sunk.

After another 1 km continue straight, to head along Light to Light Walk.
After another 285 m continue straight, to head along Light to Light Walk.
After another 1.4 km turn right.
After another 350 m continue straight.
After another 195 m continue straight.
After another 85 m pass the toilet (10 m on your left).
Turn right.
After another 10 m pass the car park (20 m on your left).
After another 20 m continue straight.
After another 10 m come to the end.
About 10 m past the end is a viewpoint.
About 65 m past the end is "Pulpit Rock".
Pulpit Rock
Pulpit Rock

Pulpit Rock is a large rock platform on the south-east coast of NSW, between Green Cape and Bittangabee in Ben Boyd National Park. The rock platform is a popular spot for rock fishing. Pulpit Rock is accessed via a staircase near the end of a service trail off Green Cape Rd. Near the car park is a pit toilet and garbage facilities. From the rock platform, there are great views north up the coast, with the red rock cliffs providing a spectacular highlight.
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Pulpit Rock is a large rock platform on the south-east coast of NSW, between Green Cape and Bittangabee in Ben Boyd National Park. The rock platform is a popular spot for rock fishing. Pulpit Rock is accessed via a staircase near the end of a service trail off Green Cape Rd. Near the car park is a pit toilet and garbage facilities. From the rock platform, there are great views north up the coast, with the red rock cliffs providing a spectacular highlight.

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Terrain
Know the Hills, grading & facilities

Green Cape to Pulpit Rock


Grading
Class 4/6
Hard track
Length 3.5 km
Time 1 h 15 min to 1 h 30 min
Quality of track Formed track, with some branches and other obstacles (3/6)
Gradient Very steep (4/6)
Signage Minimal directional signs (4/6)
Infrastructure Limited facilities, not all cliffs are fenced (3/6)
Experience Required No experience required (1/6)
Weather Foretasted & unexpected storms and severe weather may impact on navigation and safety (4/6)

Some facilities on route
Toilet: There are 2 on route, on average they are 1.2 km apart with the largest gap of 3.5 km.


Order of key facilities on route
ItemFrom StartName & link to notes
Toilet
-65 m[toilet]
Toilet
3.5 km[toilet]
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