Clifton Gardens, Mosman: Netted Harbour Swim, Jetty & Seahorses

Clifton Gardens is a big, easy harbour beach on Chowder Bay in Mosman. There's a sweep of white sand, a netted swimming enclosure, a long timber jetty reaching out into the bay and a huge shady reserve with picnic tables, barbecues and a playground. It's the sort of place where a quick swim turns into a whole afternoon.

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It's also one of Sydney's best-known spots for macro diving. Under the jetty live seahorses, octopus, cuttlefish and colourful nudibranchs, so the snorkellers and divers you see here are looking for very small things. We've included Clifton Gardens among the calm harbour swims in Swim New South Wales.

Swimming at Clifton Gardens

Inside the net the water is calm and flat, with a shallow, sandy bottom that suits kids and anyone after a gentle float. Outside the net it's a different story: the bay drops away into much deeper harbour channels, and boats come and go from the public jetty. If you're not a confident open-water swimmer, stay inside the enclosure.

The jetty is worth a wander even if you're not swimming, for the views down into the clear water. The pylons and nearby seagrass are important habitat for the endangered White's seahorse, so look but don't touch: never handle or disturb anything living on the pylons, and keep plastic bags and food wrappers from blowing into the water.

Behind the beach, restored 19th-century buildings from the old submarine miners' depot add some history to the picnic, and bush tracks in Sydney Harbour National Park wind around the headlands either side.

How to Get to Clifton Gardens

Clifton Gardens Reserve is on Morella Road, Mosman. By car, turn off Bradleys Head Road onto Thompson Street and follow the signs down Morella Road. It's steep with tight bends, but sealed all the way to a large paid car park right behind the reserve. Mosman Council rates apply and a full day can add up, so check the meter. The car park gate is locked from 9:30pm to 6am.

Without a car, take the ferry to Taronga Zoo wharf and walk the coastal track around Bradleys Head to Chowder Bay. From the car park, it's a flat, accessible walk across the lawn to the sand and the jetty.

Know Before You Go

• Works update: Mosman Council is renewing the baths decking, replacing timber piles and upgrading the jetty steps from 13 August to 30 October 2026. Access to the baths and jetty may be disrupted, so follow on-site signs.
• No lifeguards. Swim inside the netted area unless you're a confident open-water swimmer.
• Watch for boats using the jetty and moving through Chowder Bay. The water deepens sharply outside the net and off the end of the jetty.
• Toilets, change rooms, a kiosk, picnic tables, barbecues and a playground are in the reserve.
• Paid parking applies, and fines are strict.
• Never touch or disturb marine life on the jetty pylons. Keep plastics out of the harbour.
• Harbour water quality can drop after rain. Check Beachwatch before swimming.

Clifton Gardens FAQs

Is Clifton Gardens netted?

Yes, there's a netted swimming enclosure off the beach. Council works on the baths and jetty run until 30 October 2026 and may affect access.

Can you see seahorses at Clifton Gardens?

Divers and snorkellers often spot White's seahorses around the jetty pylons and seagrass. They're endangered, so look only, never touch.

How do you get to Clifton Gardens without a car?

Catch the ferry to Taronga Zoo and walk the coastal track around Bradleys Head to Chowder Bay.

Is parking free at Clifton Gardens?

No. It's paid Mosman Council parking, and the gate is locked overnight from 9:30pm to 6am.

More Mosman Swims and Sights Nearby

• Sydney Harbour Beaches & Netted Pools: The Calm-Water Swims
• Balmoral Baths, Mosman
• Chinamans Beach, Mosman
• Bradleys Head Amphitheatre