Is there anything that says Sydney summer more than being on one of our beautiful waterways? And there is hardly one more beautiful or diverse than our own Pittwater.

Named Pitt Water in 1788 in honour of William Pitt, the then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the area had been inhabited by the Kuringgai or Guringai people for thousands of years previously. People are attracted to Pittwater today for many of the same reasons they have been coming for millennia - to fish, sail, camp, play and live.

Take some time to discover, or rediscover the sparking turquoise waters and beautiful beaches of Pittwater this summer. Here’s a list of our Top 10 must dos in this gorgeous area:

1. Enjoy a Palm Beach and Hawkesbury River Cruise to Patonga Beach or visit one of the spots on the beautiful western foreshore
2. Discover the area’s rich indigenous heritage with ancient Aboriginal rock engravings at The Basin and ochre hand painting at West Head
3. Pitch a tent or enjoy a day visit at The Basin or rent an Eco Cabin at Currawong
4. Got a special occasion to celebrate? Book a flight on a seaplane from Rose Bay to land on the sparkling water at Palm Beach
5. Hire a kayak or stand up paddle board and explore the beautiful shoreline
6. Sip drinks and party into the night at a local waterfront bar or enjoy a romantic meal at a beachfront restaurant
7. Rent a yacht and set sail on a beautiful north-easterly breeze
8. Hike along to Barrenjoey Lighthouse and spot a whale frolicking off the headland
9. Discover local fishing spots off Palm Beach or Careel Bay
10. Let your dog run free at Bayview’s off-leash beach.

There’s so much to do and you don’t want to miss a second, so ensure a great day out on Pittwater and plan your visit. If you’re visiting Palmy or taking the ferry from 1 December, the best way to get there is by public transport transportnsw.info. If you need to drive, leave your car in our seasonal carpark at Careel Bay playing fields and catch the 199 to Palm Beach.

To improve parking demand and encourage visitors to spend time in local businesses and to enjoy the local area, we have made changes to parking conditions in the Pittwater Park carparks.

The Pittwater Park carpark (north) is now a dedicated carpark for vehicles displaying a Western Foreshore Parking Permit.

Spaces in the Pittwater Park carpark (south) are now limited to four and eight hours when you display your Northern Beaches Beach Parking Permit or purchase a P Ticket on weekends and public holidays. Two additional P5 (five minute) parking spaces have also been provided so that travellers can unload their vehicles near the ferry wharf and move their vehicles to a longer stay area.

Parking conditions remain the same in the Pittwater Park carpark (south) Monday to Friday but if you are planning a longer stay then you will only be able to purchase P Ticket parking for a maximum of five days up until Friday of that week.

If you are camping at the Basin or visiting Currawong this summer, please drop your camping gear at the ferry wharf and leave your car at the long-term parking at Careel Bay.