Made Instagram and TikTok famous the secret Skylight Cave is just a 200 metre walk from the Cape Solander Whale Watching lookout and car park. However, you need to know exactly where to go otherwise you’ll find yourself wandering around the cliffs aimlessly for nothing.
The cave offers an incredible place to take that next photo for your socials or dating profile and will have your friends all commenting “omg where is that?”
NOTE: This guides exists to help show people the SAFEST way down to the Skylight Cave. However, this cave exists on an unstable cliff close to the edge. The ground at the cave can be quite sandy and slippery and if you were to fall this could lead to serious injury or death. There are signs advising you to stay out. Take extreme caution if visiting this cave and know you do so at your own risk.
No less than 7 people asked me where this cave was when I visited on a fairly quiet weekday. Some who had come over an hour away just for this one cave.
I can imagine that one weekends there would be even more people out searching for this cave.
There are A LOT of people searching the cliffs for this cave and taking risks looking over cliffs edges for it. I don’t want anyone to get hurt taking unsafe passages down to the cave. This guide exists to help people find the safest way down however THIS WALK IS NOT SAFE and this walk is done at your own risk.
Interestingly, the cave looks WAY BETTER in photos than it is in person. It’s a nice cave but it’s extremely small and you are unable to stand up in it.
You can fit maybe 2 people in the cave at a time and the sense of scale is simply from the camera being on the floor pointing up.
It makes amazing photos obviously and could be a nice place to sit and journal or chat with a friend but prepare to be underwhelmed by the small size of the cave.
You’ll want to set your camera or phone low to the ground to take a good photo.
I recommend this Ulanzi Flexible Tripod as it’s really well made and the flexible feet allow you to get it close to the ground and it’s perfect for taking photos or videos during bushwalks. You can even hang it on trees.
See the latest price of the Ulanzi Flexible Tripod
Secret Skylight Cave Key Information
Distance: 400 metres (return)
Elevation: 30 metres
Difficulty: 7-8 – some rock scrambling and danger being so close to cliffs edge
Opening Times:
- 7:00am – 7:30pm (August-May)
- 7:00am – 5:30pm (June-July)
- More info
Entrance Fee: Kamay Botany Bay National Park Entry Fees Apply – See Full Details
Facilities Nearby:
- Toilets and drinking water located at nearby Commemoration Flat Picnic Area
Potential Hazards:
- Rock scrambling
- Unstable cliff
- Very close to cliff’s edge
- Sandy and slippery floor near entrance to cave (at cliff’s edge)
- USE EXTREME CAUTION
Parking
Parking for the Secret Skylight Cave is at Cape Solander. There is a lot of parking here however it does fill up completely on weekends so you’ll want to get there early.
This is because this is also the location of the Cape Solander Whale Watching Lookout as well as the Cape Baily Lighthouse Track.
There is some more parking in the national park but it’s quite a long way away and they have put up barricades to try to stop people parking on the side of the road when the car park is overflowing.
Click here for Cape Solander Parking Location (Google Maps)
Click here for Cape Solander Parking Location (Apple Maps)
Summary of Directions
- Park at Cape Solander Lookout Carpark
- Start walking along Cape Baily Track
- Turn off the track BEFORE the first large rocky outcrop
- Walk through the path in the bushes
- Scramble down the rocks
- Walk along the obvious track
- Follow the path to the left down to the lower cliffs
- Walk along the cliffs to the Secret Skylight Cave
- BE CAREFUL!!!
Where Is The Secret Skylight Cave? (Detailed Maps)
The Secret Skylight Cave at Cape Solander in Kurnell is only around 100 metres walk from the main car park. However, it is notoriously difficult to find if you don’t know where it is or what to look for.
Click here to see the exact location of The Secret Skylight Cave (Google Maps)
Click here to see the exact location of The Secret Skylight Cave (Apple Maps)
The map above shows the wide view of where the secret skylight cave is.
While the cave itself is just after the first headland section, the path to the cave is before this.
Overhead View
Here is a closer view of the track you need to take to get to the skylight cave.
And the map below shows the key sections you need to look out for to find the correct path.
Full detailed instructions on all these sections can be found below.
3D View
This 3D view will really help you visualise the instructions below and should help you find the correct path.
How To Find The Secret Skylight Cave at Cape Solander, Kurnell [DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS]
The Secret Skylight Cave is just after the first large rocky outcrop on the upper cliffs, but the entrance to the track down to it is earlier.
The path down is even more difficult to find than the cave itself.
I saw people all the way up near Cape Baily Lighthouse (about a 1 hour walk from the car park) still looking for it.
You do not have to go far from the carpark to find the track down.
Follow the detailed instructions below and you shouldn’t have much issue finding it.
Start At Cape Baily Track
Start your journey at the Cape Baily Track which is located at the south end of the car park.
It’s extremely obvious you can’t miss it.
After Around 100 Metres Leave The Track and Follow The Path Between The Bushes
After about 100 metres you’ll reach this section with a small rocky outcrop on your left and off to the left there is a marrow path between two sets of bushes.
You want to leave the main footpath and follow this path.
The way down to the lower cliffs is right after this bushy path so you don’t want to miss it.
If You Reach This Rocky Outcrop You’ve Gone Too Far
The way down to the lower cliffs (and ultimately the secret skylight cave) is really close to the car park and it’s extremely easy to overshoot it.
If you reach this part of the track where there is a large rocky outcrop to your left then you’ve already gone too far and need to double back.
The secret cave is actually after this rocky outcrop and you can see it from the cliffs here – but the way down to it is further back.
Standing near the cliff you can see the cave if you look closely and look for the hole in the roof.
The picture above was taken with a 3x zoom lense so it’s a lot harder to spot with the naked eye.
Scramble Down The Rocks To The Track Below
After the bushy path there is a rock scramble down to a lower path.
You’ll need to be careful here and find the safest way down.
I personally didn’t find this too difficult or too dangerous myself but if you’re not an experienced climber you should taken care.
Once you get down the rocks the track at the bottom is extremely obvious and well worn.
Take The Left Path Down The Rocks (Not Right)
You’ll reach the end of the track to probably the most difficult section of the walk.
Again you’ll want to do some rock scrambling and climb down the rocks right in front of you. It’s not extremely difficult climbing, but again please take care.
There is a flat path to the right that goes under the overhang.
While this looks safer in the beginning there is a big drop at the end of this so you should not take this direction if you can avoid it.
Walk Along The Cliffs To The Secret Skylight Cave
The lower cliffs here are quite wide to walk across and (other than the unstable sandstone overhang) it feels quite safe as there is a lot of distance between you and the edge of the ciff.
You only have to walk about 50-100 metres along the lower cliffs in order to reach the secret skylight cave.
Be Careful Entering The Cave
Honestly, I think the most dangerous part of the entire walk is the entrance to the cave itself.
The entrance is RIGHT NEAR the cliff’s edge and the ground is full of loose sand. One small slip and someone could end up over the edge.
There are wooden pillar built at the door to the cave and I held onto these for support as I entered or exited the cave and I took EXTREME CAUTION.
Be smart, be safe.
What Is The Secret Skylight Cave Actually Like?
It’s not secret that this is a great place to take photos and the photos are super unique and amazing.
However the cave itself is way smaller than it looks in photos.
It’s not big enough to stand up in unless you’re standing directly at the hole and the further away you get from the entrance the tighter it gets rather quickly.
Expect to be crawling around in the cave whilst trying to set up the perfect shot.
The Closer To The Floor Your Camera Is The Better
Big tripods aren’t going to be your friend in this cave and a tripod that gets your camera low to the ground is recommended.
I recommend this Ulanzi Flexible Tripod as it’s really well made and the flexible feet allow you to get it close to the ground and it’s perfect for taking photos or videos during bushwalks. You can even hang it on trees.
See the latest price of the Ulanzi Flexible Tripod
I found the best spot for photos was on the left of the cave (if you’re looking into the cave from the entrance). But I’ll be the first to admit my photography skills are average at best.
Take your time in there and play around to get the best shot possible.
Other Interesting Places Near The Secret Skylight Cave
The Secret Skylight Cave is cool but the walk is so short and the cave so small that I don’t personally think it makes much of a day trip.
If you plan on going to this cave I suggest you also check out some of the other great spots in the area.
Cape Baily Lighthouse
The Skylight Cave actually exists just off the Cape Baily Lighthouse walk.
This walk takes you all the way along the cliffs giving you stunning views the entire way. Ultimately ending in Cape Baily Lighthouse or you can continue to walk to Potters Point.
The lighthouse isn’t amazing but the walk there is stunning, relatively flat and really nice to do.
Read my Cape Baily Lighthouse Track Full Walking Guide
Kurnell Whale Sculpture
Just off the coast from Commemoration Flat Picnic Area (or walkable from the main street in Kurnell) is the Kurnell Whale Sculpture.
Designed by Theresa Ardler and Julie Squires it features a whale mother and her calf and a bronze fishing net.
It’s a beautiful sculpture and also has lovely views across the bay to La Perouse.
Read my Kurnell Whale Sculpture Full Walking Guide
Cape Solander Whale Watching Lookout
A great spot in Kurnell is the is the Cape Solander Whale Watching Lookout.
This lookout is wheelchair accessible and one of the best places to see the whales as they migrate north to warmer waters.
June and July are the best times to do whale watching but they can also be spotted between May-October. You’ll just have to get lucky.
Sometimes they get as close as just 200 metres from the coast
Read my Cape Solander Whale Watching Guide
Commemoration Flat Picnic Area
Inside the national park and just a short drive from Cape Solander is the Commemoration Flat Picnic Area.
This grassy spot has barbeques, lots of picnic tablets, bathrooms, drinking water and even a cold shower.
It’s a great spot to have a picnic after exploring the other areas and it’s also very close to the Whale Sculpture.
Read my Commemoration Flat Picnic Area Guide
Kurnell Whale Sculpture
Just off the coast from Commemoration Flat Picnic Area (or walkable from the main street in Kurnell) is the Kurnell Whale Sculpture.
Designed by Theresa Ardler and Julie Squires it features a whale mother and her calf and a bronze fishing net.
It’s a beautiful sculpture and also has lovely views across the bay to La Perouse.
