Figure 8 rockpool near Gawarra Farm

The Figure 8 rockpool is located in the Royal National Park, south of Sydney. Most people park their vehicle at Garawarra Farm and walk from the carpark.

If you are planning a visit only consider visiting around low tide and when the seas are calm. In other conditions the rock platform can be very dangerous with breaking waves causing injury.

The walk to Figure 8 rockpool requires a long descent to Burning Palms Beach.

On the day of our walk the conditions were reasonable for surfing and the second photo shows a pleasant wave with an uncrowded line up.

Once you arrive at the beach walk south to the end of the beach and from this point some rock hopping is necessary to get around to the second headland.

The Figure 8 rockpool is as you would expect uniquely and naturally shaped in the form of the number 8.

It is a deep rockpool and photographs particularly well if the sun is shining.

Several other smaller interesting rockpools are located nearby.

The Figure 8 rockpool is in fact two potholes that have merged or coalesced.

Two theories are put forward in literature on the creation of potholes in rock platforms.

One view is that a pothole is created by the swirling action of sand, gravel, pebbles and larger rocks associated with wave action that grinds out the hole.

The depth however of the two potholes (approximately 3 metres) is thought to be of such an extreme that it is more likely that the pothole was created by the chemical breakdown of the rock, enhanced by salt and grazing molluscs.

After enjoying the rock platform you may wish to spend some time at Burning Palms beach.

Visiting Figure 8 rockpool is a fine day out but make sure your legs are in good condition!

Burning Palms Beach surf

going down

chill pool

gourd

fortitude required