Fig Tree Flat Picnic Area is a large grassy picnic area just 800 metres from Audley and right next to the end of Lady Carington Drive walking track. It’s a great spot to park if you plan on doing the Lady Carington Drive track or heading the long way to Palona Caves and it’s also a good parking location if the other car parks in Audley are full.
Fig Tree Flat Picnic Area features an undercover seating area and public rest rooms not far away.
It’s a great place to spend a few hours or the entire day with friends and family relaxing by the river and breathing in the beautiful nature surrounding you.
Where Is Fig Tree Flat (Map)
Fig Tree Flat is located at the end of Lady Carington Drive and is drivable from Audley.
Turn off Sir Bertram Stevens Drive at the Audley Village and Visitor Centre and follow Lady Carington Drive as far as you can go to reach Fig Tree Flat.
Don’t cross over the bridge as this will take you to Currawong Flat and you cannot access Fig Tree Flat from that side of the river.
Click here to see the parking location of Fig Tree Flat Car Park on Google Maps
Click here to see the parking location of Fig Tree Flat Car Park on Apple Maps
Fig Tree Flat marks the end of the drivable part of Lady Carington Drive. If you want to continue on Lady Carington Drive (and I suggest you do it’s a great walk) then you’ll have to do so on foot.
Summary of Facilities at Fig Tree Flat
Fig Tree Flat is a pretty basic rest stop/picnic area and doesn’t have a great deal of facilities. But there is a lot of room to spread out and it’s less popular than Audley closeby so if you want a quieter spot away from the hustle and bustle this can be a good option.
Good Amount Of Parking
One of the great things about Fig Tree Flat is the large amount of parking.
This makes it one of the best places to park for Audley on busy days. The parking is around the circular dirt road and their are no fixed spots.
You will need to pay for parking via the Parkn’Pay app or by getting a ticket on the way into the Royal National Park or at Audley. There didn’t seem to be any pay stations at this parking location but Rangers do patrol the area and hand out fines to people without tickets.
You can also get cheap annual passes which I highly recommend. Click here for full details aboout Royal National Park fees and how to get cheaper annual passes.
Public Toilets
Located between Fig Tree Flat and Willow Tree Flat are public restrooms that features both male and female toilets as well as a disabled toilet.
They are nowhere near as nice as the new toilets at Allambie Flat Picnic Area but they are decent enough.
Undercover Picnic Area
While it’s definitely seen better days and is now a bit grungy there is an undercover picnic area right next to Fig Tree Flat Car Park.
It features 4 separate picnic tables which could be great for larger groups, birthday parties or just those trying to escape the rain.
The Fallen Tree
Between Fig Tree Flat and the toilet block is this large fallen tree that kids absolutely love to play on, jump over and balance on.
It’s amazing to see the imagination of children at work around this tree on a busy day.
Lady Carington Drive
Lady Carington Drive is a histroy cycling and walking track and offers some of the best of what the Royal National Park has to offer.
Step into another world and be surrounded by luscious forest. This track follows the Hacking River and is a 1-2 hour bike ride or approximately 2-3 hour walk each way. Ideally you want to organise a car or shuttle at the other end so you don’t have to walk back.
It was one of the first tracks ever created in the national park and remains one of it’s most popular tracks for good reason.
There are 3 picnic areas along the track as well as tracks that shoot off to Palona Cave and Waterfall as well as The Forest Path.
If you’ve never done this walk before in the Royal National Park I can’t recommend it enough.
Read my Lady Carington Drive Complete Walking Guide
Other Interesting Spots Near Fig Tree Flat
There are lots of other great spots not far from Fig Tree Flat. Here are a few of them I recommend.
Audley
Audley is the crowning pearl of the Royal National Park and one of the most popular spots in the entire park.
It features an abundance of beautiful picnic lawns spread out across the river, picnic tables, public barbeques, bike racks, eco-friendly bathrooms and kayak and canoe hire.
The Weir Cafe is open 7 days a week from 8am and serves breakfast and lunch and a variety of takeaway options. If you need a coffee in the national park this is the spot to go.
Upstairs there is the Audley Room which runs high-teas on weekends.
Overall Audley is a fantastic place to spend a few hours or an entire day relaxing by the river and enjoying the serenity of the Royal National Park.
Reids Flat
Located just 800 metre from Audley Village Reids Flat is a tucked away spot that has scenic views of the river, picnic tables, grassy areas to spread out and have a picnic on as well as public restrooms.
Reids Flat has the little Wants Beach area where the river bank gets sandy and kids and adults can all enter the water easily for swimming.
A lot of locations in Audley you can’t swim at but Reids Flats is an exception to that. So if you want to cool off on a hot summer’s day the Reids Flat is the place to be.
There is also a bush walk to the east of the picnic area if you’re up for a little bit of an adventure and want to get deep into nature.
Winifred Falls
One of the most popular and beautiful waterfalls in the Royal National Park, Winifred Falls is just a short 1.5 km hike and a beautiful location to visit especially after there has been some rainfall.
The waterfall flows all year around and is a great place to cool off in summer or to sit and enjoy some lunch at the top of the falls.
Park off Warumbul Road and access the falls via the Winifred Falls Fire Trail.
If you have it in you continue down the river to South West Arm Pool which is another great swimming hole.
