Long Reef Sunrise Headland Walk
On Friday 30 May 2025
Photos by Joe Mills
With the later sunrise at the moment, I decided to try Long Reef Headland & tidal flats as an experiment. I was the only one there at first (about 6:45 am) until a couple of joggers arrived a bit later. It was low tide and all the rock shelf was exposed.
The early light was beautiful, as usual.
Will have to try again later in winter when more clouds are about.
As always, enjoy nature.
Joe Mills
Warringah Council made a brochure for this walk which states the headland boasts a rich Aboriginal history, as would be expected with such an abundance of sea and land resources. Shell middens provide evidence of past meals.
The high conservation value of Long Reef Headland and the adjoining foreshore, beaches and dunes is acknowledged through its status as a Wildlife Protection Area. With 63 threatened species, the vegetation provides important habitat for native fauna, including 136 species of birds. The Long Reef Aquatic Reserve protects marine plants, animals and invertebrates on the rock platform.
The Council states; ‘’Explore at low tide, but please remember that this is a ‘No Take’ zone. Intertidal zone species are highly sensitive to disturbance, as are migratory birds that come to feed and nest. Dee Why Lagoon Wildlife Refuge has high conservation value as an important habitat for native animals, in particular, local and migratory birds. For instance, the Red Necked Stint which travels from Siberia each year.
Enjoy the many sculptures near the top lookout. Dance of the Tides is a public art installation in the form of rockpool imagery. At the peak is Kiah, the full-sized baby whale sculptured from granite. ‘’
There was once a small village of fisherman’s huts, hence the name Fishermans Beach. The first hut was built in the 1870s but today only one remains, along with a row of boat winches.
Numerous ships have been wrecked or scuttled off Long Reef, with the first official recording in 1816. In 1881, the paddle-steamer ‘Collaroy’ became stranded on the beach to the north, where it remained beached for four years. The suburb and beach were named after this.
Formed in the Triassic period 230 million years ago, Long Reef Headland is unique in Warringah for its chocolate shales, claystones and ironstones. An attempt to mine copper through a 30m long shaft into the south-facing cliff was abandoned after limited success. Fossils of fish and plants are not uncommon on shale rock platforms. In 1986 the Australian Museum uncovered the bones of a 200 million year old, 2 metres long Labyrinthodont amphibian, similar to an axolot.
Long Reef waves - Photos by Eric Gumley
Eric used to surf here during the 1970’s and still returns to have a look.
view east
view north
BeachWatch and SLS NSW state:
The reefs around Long Reef provide a few breaks during big east and southeast swell. Just south of the Collaroy pool is a short peaky left reef break called Brownwater, after the colour of the water that usually accompanied heavy rain and big seas. On the northern side of the rock platform a right, called Fishermans, runs along the side of the rocks and a little further out a right hander runs towards the rock, called White Rock. Little Makaha, a big wave break is located off the northern tip of the point, while Butterbox, a reef break on the southern side of the cliffs, is still a popular summer site.
There are some history insights available in:
- Dad's Fishing Shack at Long Reef by Ken 'Sava' Lloyd
- A Pearl Of An Idea: Long Reef Aquatic Reserve Celebrates 40th Anniversary (2020)
Mr. Lloyd's Fishing Shack at Long Reef. Painting by G K Townshend - courtesy Ken 'Sava' Lloyd'.
Joe's walk:
View over rockshelf from lookout
Views from lookout, pre-sunrise light
low tide on main rock shelf
Rocks at end of down track, looking north to Collaroy
Sunrise at whale sculpture ''Kiah''
lone shell
early morning jogger
Long Reef Golf Course view (Collaroy in the background)
Long Reef Golf Course view (Collaroy in the background)