Kamay Botany Bay National Park

This is a nice place for a picnic, a swim or some easy walks. On the foreshore is an obelisk, marking the spot where Captain James Cook landed in April 1770, initiating the first contact between Aboriginals and European Explorers and the start of modern Australia. Be aware that it costs $ 7 for a day pass if you park in the actual national park itself. I don’t mind paying as it contributes towards the upkeep of the park, but if you want to avoid it you can park in one of the surrounding streets and walk into the park.

Nice park, and manageable by walking. It seems a little too geared for cars to me, though, with roads going right through the middle of it. And if you’re on the wrong side it’s hard to ignore the refineries, desalination plants, and airport takeoffs.
But on the right side there are paths through the bush, dramatic cliffs, and whale-​watching from the shore.
Cooks’ landing place also has a memorial.

Pass through famous Cronulla and head north on a road that appears first to take you to an industrial estate then a wasteland, and you come to Kurnell, a surprising little beach side suburb on the southern edge of Botany Bay.
Kurnell is at the entrance to Kamay Botany Bay National Park, a park that pays tribute to the headland’s extraordinary history and natural beauty. It is the site of the first contact between Aborigines and European explorers — Captain James Cook landed there in 1770, with his colleagues naturalist Joseph Banks and botanist Daniel Solander (hence Botanist Bay, which is now Botany Bay).
There are monuments to several of the early European explorers, as well as exhibits that explain the location’s historical Aboriginal significance and the impact European settlement has had on it.
Walking tracks from a central Visitors Centre head around a loop taking in the various monuments, and towards the ocean coast where the sea pounds the limestone cliffs incessantly. Views are spectacular, especially on a sunny day when you can truly appreciate the beauty of the endless Australian sky. In season, Cape Solander is a popular whale-​watching spot, and you can also choose to trek all the way along the coast back to Cronulla (around three hours).
At the Visitors Centre there is a small museum, and education centre used by local schools, a gift shop and a kiosk selling coffee, drinks and snacks. Toilets are available and there is no shortage of excellent potential picnic sites.