TOUR 1

Walking Cronulla's story

Kurranulla, now called Cronulla, is the "Place of Pink Shells" in the language of its Traditional Owners, the Gweagal Clan of the Dharawal Nation. Gweagal traditional territory extends south from Botany Bay to the Shoalhaven River.

Gweagal warriors confronted Lieutenant James Cook when the Endeavour arrived at Kurnell, just 9 kilometres from Cronulla, on April 29, 1770. This foreshadowed European settlement.

We explore Monro Park, one of our most treasured gardens. It is deeply connected to Cronulla's heritage: its war involvements, its growth and even its struggles to connect Cronulla to the rest of Sydney.

Then we begin a walk along Cronulla's main shopping street, the Mall. It is flanked by historic buildings, including stylish examples of early 20th-century architecture - some of which are amongst Cronulla's earliest. 

A tower on the Mall features Australia's oldest clock, built in England in 1770, the year Lieutenant James Cook and the Endeavour arrived at Kurnell.

Next, towards the ocean, we stop at Peryman Place, to remember tragic Cronulla stories. And the darkest moment in its history.

Then, the Esplanade beckons. We will walk some of the superb 4km that sweeps from Wanda Beach in the north to Bass and Flinders Point in the south.

The tour continues past picturesque wave-washed rocks and ocean swimming pools to the sands of Cronulla Beach and its Surf Life Saving Club, which has guarded beachgoers since 1907. Its magnificent Art Deco clubhouse opened in 1940.

Our Tour ends here, leaving plenty of time for a coffee or lunch at the beach or after a quick walk back to the Mall at one of its many cafes.