Best Landscape Photography Locations Around Sydney

Sydney's coastline mixes sandstone cliffs, ocean beaches, and harbor views, all within a short drive of the city itself. It's less about dark skies than most of the other regions here, given the light pollution of a major metro area, but the surrounding national parks and coastal walks still offer genuine landscape photography beyond the obvious cityscape shots.

By Robert Bridgewater · Last updated

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Barrenjoey Lighthouse, Palm Beach, Sydney, NSW

Beach
  • Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
  • On the coast
View on map

Ferry ride Palm Beach to Patonga, Sydney, NSW

Beach
  • Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
  • On the coast
View on map

Headland, Barrenjoey Headland, Palm Beach, Sydney, NSW

Beach
  • Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
  • On the coast
View on map

After the Storm, Freeman's Reach, New South Wales

Woodland
  • Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 20 m elevation
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Foggy sunrise Hawkesbury, Sydney, New South Wales

Landscape
  • Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 17 m elevation
View on map

Bushells Lagoon Sunrise Freeman's Reach

Landscape
  • Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 8 m elevation
View on map

Sunrise on the Hawkesbury River

River
  • Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 1 m elevation
View on map

Sackville Car Ferry, Hawkesbury River, Sackville, Sydney

River
  • Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 45 m elevation
View on map

Sea Cliff Bridge Lookout

Cliff Coast
  • Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 74 m elevation
  • On the coast
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Old Dairy house Freeman's Reach

Landscape
  • Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 11 m elevation
View on map

Water irrigator sunset Freeman's Reach, Windsor

Landscape
  • Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 9 m elevation
View on map

Forage Harvester sunset Freemans Reach New South Wales

Landscape
  • Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 8 m elevation
View on map

Pelicans walking the walk Bushells Lagoon

Landscape
  • Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 4 m elevation
View on map

Minnehaha Falls, Blue Mountains

Waterfall
  • Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Valley or low-lying terrain · 841 m elevation
View on map

Westhead Sunrise overlooking Palm Beach

Beach
  • Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Elevated terrain · 87 m elevation
  • On the coast
View on map

Palm Beach Lighthouse sunrise Sydney

Beach
  • Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Elevated terrain · 92 m elevation
  • On the coast
View on map

Footsteps sunrise at Palm Beach, Sydney, New South Wales

Beach
  • Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
  • On the coast
View on map

Looking back from the Lighthouse Palm Beach Sydney

Beach
  • Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Elevated terrain · 86 m elevation
  • On the coast
View on map

Barrenjoey Lighthouse sunrise Palm Beach Sydney

Beach
  • Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Elevated terrain · 93 m elevation
  • On the coast
View on map

Catherine Hill Bay Jetty Drone Newcastle

Beach
  • Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
  • On the coast
View on map

Barrenjoey Lighthouse, Northern Beaches, Sydney

Beach
  • Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
  • On the coast
View on map

Barrenjoey Lighthouse from West Head, Sydney, NSW

Beach
  • Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Elevated terrain · 109 m elevation
  • On the coast
View on map

Ferry Pano, Palm Beach, Northern Beaches, Sydney, NSW

Beach
  • Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
  • On the coast
View on map

Under the Sea Cliff Bridge Clifton New South Wales

Beach
  • Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Valley or low-lying terrain · 0 m elevation
  • On the coast
View on map

Taylors Point Wharf, Clareville, Sydney, NSW

Harbor
  • Bortle 2 — excellent to rural dark sky
  • Flat or gently rolling terrain · 0 m elevation
  • On the coast
View on map
Planning a night out at one of these locations? Use the free Milky Way Calendar to check moon phase and dark-sky windows, or read the Blue Hour & Star Trail Photography Guide for how to plan the shoot itself.

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