Clifton Gardens, Mosman

Clifton Gardens - Mosman’s idyllic harbour-side haven  

By Alec Smart

Clifton Gardens is a grassed harbour-side reserve tucked along the Middle Head Walk, offering a relaxed and versatile space for families, swimmers and outdoor enthusiasts. The park features barbecues, shaded children’s play areas, an enclosed soft-sand playground for younger kids, and a basketball court, making it an easy choice for everything from weekend picnics to after-school catch-ups. Toilets and swimmer changing facilities are also available on site.

Set beside Chowder Bay — known to the Borogegal clans as Gooree — Clifton Gardens enjoys a naturally sheltered position on Sydney Harbour. A timber jetty extends into the bay and remains popular with local fisher-folk, while the netted harbour swimming pool provides a calm and safe option for swimmers of all ages. The pool is accessible via a wheelchair ramp, reinforcing the reserve’s inclusive design. The surrounding paths are well used by joggers and walkers, particularly those tackling sections of the Middle Head Walk.

At the northern end of the reserve sits the historic Submarine Miners Depot. Established by the Submarine Mining Corps, the site was not a submarine base, but rather a facility used to prepare and deploy marine harbour defence mines during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today, the buildings are managed by the Harbour Trust and have been repurposed into a dining precinct overlooking the water. Café La Mer offers a relaxed daytime option for coffee or brunch, while Ripples restaurant provides a more formal dining experience with sweeping harbour views.

Clifton Gardens has a rich social history and was once a major tourist destination in the early 20th century, complete with a luxury hotel, dance pavilion, leisure boat hire and frequent ferry services from Circular Quay. The bay even featured a vast swimming arena surrounded by a two-tiered timber walkway, with diving platforms built into the lower level. Over time, these attractions fell into disrepair and were ultimately demolished by Mosman Council in November 1967.

Today, Clifton Gardens has evolved into a quieter, community-focused reserve, popular with picnickers, families, dog walkers and fitness enthusiasts. Open lawns and shaded areas make it ideal for spending long afternoons outdoors, while the proximity to the water continues to be a major drawcard year-round.

Dogs are permitted off-leash on the beach and in the water east of the Clifton Gardens jetty at designated times, provided they remain under the control of a competent person. During winter, off-leash access is allowed before 9am and after 4pm on weekdays. In daylight savings months (October to March), off-leash hours are before 9am and after 6pm on weekdays.

The car park gate at the Morella Road entrance opens daily at 6am and is locked overnight at 9.30pm. Clifton Gardens is also accessible via local bus routes, making it an easy destination for those travelling without a car.

Blending natural beauty, accessible facilities and layers of history, Clifton Gardens remains one of Mosman’s most enduring harbourside spaces — valued as much for how it’s used today as for what it once was.

Clifton Gardens Reserve

Morella Rd, Mosman