Tamarama, Coogee & Clovelly Beach Parking: Ultimate Guide to Free & Paid Spots
By Visit Bondi Beach Editorial Team ·
Part of our Parking guide.
Driving to Tamarama, Coogee or Clovelly on a warm weekend? Here's the honest short version: on-street parking is free at all three but tightly time-limited, and it fills scandalously early. Arrive before 9am, or don't drive at all.
- Tamarama
- Waverley Council - a handful of time-limited on-street bays, no beach car park
- Coogee & Clovelly
- Randwick Council - free 4-hour (4P) on-street
- Best free lot
- Clovelly's car park, southern side of the beach
- Busy-day reality
- Closest bays gone by 9–10am in summer
- Pay by
- PayStay app at the metered Coogee car parks
Tamarama: the trickiest of the three
Tamarama is my favourite little cove and the hardest place to park in this whole stretch. It sits in Waverley Council, and there simply isn't much room - a handful of bays on the streets around Tamarama Park and Tamarama Marine Drive, and no council beach car park at all. On a sunny Saturday those are gone by mid-morning. Most carry a daytime limit (often signed 2P) that's actively enforced, so read the pole before you walk off.
Coogee: free 4P on-street, plus metered car parks
Coogee and Clovelly both sit in Randwick City Council, which in January 2021 brought in a 4-hour limit (signed 4P) across its beachside streets. So on-street parking near Coogee Beach is free, but capped at four hours during enforced hours - fine for a swim and lunch, not a whole lazy day.
- Free 4P bays run through the grid around the beach - Arden, Beach and Brook Streets and back from there.
- The Coogee Beach and Coogee Oval car parks are metered via the PayStay app - pay only for the time you use and top up from your phone.
- Come early. In peak summer the closest bays are taken by 9–10am and you'll be walking in from several blocks back.
Clovelly: the easiest place to leave the car
Of the three, Clovelly is where I rate your chances. As well as free 4P on-street bays, there's a free car park on the southern side of the beach, by the grassy park and playground. It still fills on a hot day, but the odds beat Tamarama - and you're steps from that flat-water swimming channel that makes Clovelly so good for kids and nervous swimmers.
Or skip the car entirely
On summer weekends I'd genuinely leave the car at home. From the city, routes 373 and 374 run to Coogee (about 30–40 minutes from the CBD), the 339 loops down to Clovelly via Central, and the 381 covers Tamarama from Bondi Junction. Confirm current times and stops with Transport for NSW before you head out.
- Before 9am
Drive if you must
Aim for the Clovelly beachside car park or an on-street 4P bay while they're still open.
- Peak day
Park & walk
Grab any 4P bay a few blocks back and walk in - far less stressful than chasing the front row.
- Anytime
Take the bus
373/374 to Coogee, 339 to Clovelly, 381 to Tamarama - or walk the coastal path from Bronte for Tamarama.
Frequently asked questions
Is parking free at Coogee and Clovelly?
Yes - on-street parking at both is free, but limited to four hours (signed 4P) during the enforced hours set by Randwick Council. The Coogee Beach and Coogee Oval car parks are metered and paid via the PayStay app. Always read the sign on the pole.
Where can I park for free at Clovelly Beach?
There's a free car park on the southern side of Clovelly Beach beside the park, plus free 4P on-street bays through the surrounding streets. Both fill early on hot days, so come before mid-morning.
Why is Tamarama so hard to park at?
It's a small cove with only a handful of time-limited on-street bays and no council car park, so on busy days they're taken by mid-morning. I usually walk in from Bronte - it's only a few hundred metres along the coastal walk.
How long can I leave my car?
Most beachside on-street bays at Coogee and Clovelly are 4-hour (4P) limited during enforced hours; Tamarama's are typically shorter (often 2P). Check the exact limit on the signpost, as they're actively enforced.
Which bus goes to each beach?
From the city, the 373 and 374 serve Coogee (roughly 30–40 minutes from the CBD), the 339 loops to Clovelly via Central, and the 381 runs to Tamarama from Bondi Junction. Check Transport for NSW for current timetables.