Bungan Beach

Bungan Beach is a 600-metre surf beach situated between Bungan Head and Mona Vale Head. The beach faces south-southeast and offers good surfing conditions, particularly at its north end.

Access and Facilities

• The beach is accessible via a steep walk down Myola Road or via Beach Road from the west. There is no direct road access to the beach itself, and parking is limited to street parking on the roads above.
• This steep, difficult access helps to filter out casual visitors, preserving the beach’s peaceful atmosphere.
• The beach provides toilets, showers, a picnic area, and a playground.
• The Bungan Beach Surf Life Saving Club, established in 1953, patrols the beach during summer months. Swimmers should be aware of strong rips and currents.

Name Origin

• The name "Bungan" is likely connected to "Bongin Bongin," the name Indigenous people used for the broader Mona Vale region.

Bungan Castle

• On the cliffs of Bungan Head stands Bungan Castle, built in 1919 by Gustav Adolph Wilhelm Albers, a German-born artists’ agent.
• Constructed from local sandstone, the castle served as a gathering place for Australian artists during the 1920s and 1930s.
• Albers, who represented artists like Sidney Long and J.J. Hilder, filled the castle with collectibles, including medieval armour and Aboriginal artifacts. The property remains in family ownership.

World War II History

• In 1942, three Japanese mini-submarines attacked Sydney Harbour. Two were destroyed, but one of them, the M24, escaped and headed north. It is thought to have run out of power or oxygen.
• The submarine was discovered in 2006 by amateur divers approximately 5 kilometres from Bungan Head, lying 55 metres below sea level.
• The wreck is now a protected Commonwealth Government Historic Shipwreck and is listed on the NSW State Heritage Register.