Walk 3:- Roseville to Macquarie Park At A Glance

Route Summary:- This walk is all on road or track. The first 1.4 km is along Roseville streets, followed by about 0.9 km on walking track to busy Lady game Drive and about 150 m. along this to the Koonjeree Picnic Area and about 500 m. through this via a crossing of Lane Cove Weir; then on walking tracks (Great North Walk) for about 4.3 km to just before Burgh Bridge and up to Lane Cove Road; then 1.45 km along Lane Cove road to Macquarie Park Station

RQI:- 62

 Highlights:- Lane Cove River valley river views; rock formations; Koonjeree Picnic Area; easy access close to Central Station

Negatives:- 2.6 km of this walk is along public vehicular roads, about 1.5 km of this is along the very busy Lane Cove Road

Length:- 8.80 km

 Grade:- Easy

 Weather:_All weather except after heavy rain when Lane Cove weir may be flooded

 Time:- 2 hrs 30 min. continuous walking

Train Time from Central to Start :- 28 minutes

 Train Time to Central from Finish :- 34 minutes

 Total Climb :- 80 m

 Total Descent :- 120 m.

 Water:- At Roseville and Macquarie Park Stations; at Koonjeree Picnic Area

 Toilets:- As above

 Café/Kiosk :- At Roseville; Riverside Café at Fullers Bridge; Eden gardens Café at Macquarie Park

 Published 1:25,000 Map :- Parramatta River

Walk No 3 Track Notes

Roseville to Macquarie Park

               09/03/14

Km./Hrs.min.                                  Kilometers in bold are shown on map 

0.00/0.00      At Roseville Station; walk up steps to rail bridge and turn right; continue straight past garden shop/ café and take pedestrian lights across the Pacific Highway; turn right after crossing and walk about 30 m to a laneway on left next to James Café

0.10/0.03       At laneway, turn left and follow this for about 35 m across Larkin Lane and past a green transformer box down some steps to a junction with Larkin Street.

0.22/0.05       At Larkin Street, cross this at right angles to some more steps down, then walk along a bridge over a valley to an intersection with Shirley Street

0.38/0.07       Path intersects Shirley Road; cross this and turn left; follow Shirley Road for about 800 meters past Alston Crescent and Abignon Road both entering from the right to Longford Street also on right.

1.21/0.15       At Longford Street, turn right and walk about 80 m to the corner of No 31 Longford St. where there are steps down on left and signage:- ‘ Valley View Close’

1.29/0.17       take the ‘Valley View Close’ steps down; the path crosses Valley View Close with its turning circle just on right; after crossing, continue on steps down between Nos 12 and 14 Valley View Close; down on bitumen ramp with parallel concrete footpath to the start of a walking track on left next to Sugarbag Creek.

1.43/0.20      At start of walking track, turn left and follow this for about 70 m to a signboard:-‘ Lane Cove National Park’ and ‘Fullers Park 750 m’ continue along this good track with Creek on right

1.64/0.22       Ignore faint track on left; continue straight on arrowed green post.

1.66/0.23       Track veers right, down some sandstone steps and continues adjacent to Sugarloaf Creek

1.75/0.24       Track crosses Blue Gum Creek on boulders just upstream of its junction with Sugarloaf Creek; good track continues after crossing.

1.77/0.25       Track T junction and signage:- ‘Blue Gum Creek Track’ back track; continue straight with Blue Gum creek on right

1.92/0.28       Directly under old concrete sewer bridge.

2.15/0.31       At grassy clearing with covered picnic table; continue on track left of clearing.

2.27/0.34      Walk up bitumen ramp and locked gate to Lady Game Drive with signage:- ‘Blue Gum Creek Track’ and ‘Valley View Crescent 1 km’ both back track; turn left, walk about 30 m along Lady Game Drive to a T intersection with Delhi Road; turn right, cross Lady Game Drive on traffic lights, then follow Delhi Road, to cross the Lane Cove River within a few meters on a bridge.

2.43/0.37       Immediately after crossing bridge and about 15 meters from a bus shelter, turn right and take four steps down to a concrete footpath at the edge of Koonjeree Picnic Area where this walk joins The Great North Walk.

Note:- Signage is somewhat confusing here, partly because there is a walking track on each side of Lane Cove River- the Riverside walk and The Great North Walk

Follow the footpath beside the Lane Cove River, past the grassy picnic area on left to a junction with a public vehicular road and large signboard overlooking the Lane Cove River Weir, about 50 m in from the toll booth:-‘ De Burgh Bridge 4.1 km’ and ‘Great North Walk’ , follow vehicular road over weir ; walk over weir.

2.66/0.42      Middle of weir daming Lane Cove River; veer right along sealed vehicular road after crossing and follow this road as it curves left around Jenkins Hall, then uphill past the ‘Staff Car Park’ on the left to a walking track up on steps on right and signboard

3.03/0.51       At signboard:- ‘Great North Walk’ , ‘De Burgh Bridge 4.2 km’ and                   ’ Thornleigh Oval 11 km’; take this track up on steps, then follow wider service road around an old circular quarry face

3.21/0.55       Track junction- tracks to right and straight ahead are closed; veer left still on service trail

3.37/0.57       At arrowed green post turn left onto walking track, leaving the service trail

3.41/0.58       Track T junction with sealed service road and locked gate about 50 m on right; turn left on arrowed post and walk down sealed service road for about 15 m to another arrowed geen post and walking track on right; go right now on walking track.

3.75/1.04      Walking track at T junction with service trail and confusing arrow signage; there is no signage when approaching service road along walking track, but there are arrows in both directions when viewed from service trail back along walking track ;turn right to continue on Great North Walk but turn left to walk down on service trail to another picnic area, drinking water and toilets.

4.12/1.12      At picnic area; then back track to T junction above.

4.46/1.19      Back at T junction; continue straight along service trail

Note:- From this point to the turnoff just before De Burgh Bridge The Great North Walk is clearly marked at track junctions with arrowed green posts

4.56/1.21       Service road narrows to walking track

5.29/1.24       Beside Lane Cove River at track T junction with signage:- ‘ Blue Hole’ straight on; ignore track on right- continue straight; about 100 m further on, note unusual rock overhang followed by a short boar walk.

5.67/1.31       On timber bridge over rocky creek; turn left after crossing, then up on timber steps.

6.20/1.48       Signboard on left ‘Blue Hole 1.7 km’ straight on; continue straight

6.36/1.51       Interesting sandstone cliff on right, then hairpin bend through cliff, Lane Cove River in valley well below.

6.43/1.52       Short timber boardwalk over small gully.

6.54/1.54       Dramatic sandstone overhangs; track Y junction- take either track- they re-join after about 30 m.

6.86/2.01      Track T junction with service road and signage:- ‘ Great North Walk’, ‘De Burgh Bridge’ and ‘Blue Hole’ all on left; to right goes to ‘Terrace Road’ ; turn left

6.94/2.02       Service road ends at turning circle; walking track continues down.

7.02/2.03       Track veers left of major Sydney Water pipeline and bridge

7.05/2.04       Major creek crossing on boulders; cross at right angles, then continue up low cliff face.

7.13/2.06       Track junction; go right on arrowed green post.

7.22/2.09       Major track T junction just before de Burgh Bridge with signboard:- ‘ Thornleigh via Great North Walk’ straight on and ‘Lane Cove Weir via Riverside Walk’ track up on right; turn right, leaving the Great North Walk here.

7.27/2.11       To take a shortcut and avoid walking both sides of an acute triangle, turn left at arrowed green post and take narrow track past a low fence and over concrete inspection pit for about 30 m to the very busy Lane Cove Road; turn left at Lane Cove Road and follow this over De Burgh Bridge

7.45/2.13      Middle of De Burgh Bridge high above Lane Cove River; continue along grassy footway after crossing.

7.76/2.19       Cross sealed Lane Cove Recreation Area access road and continue along Lane Cove Road on concrete footpath.

7.88/2.21       Walk past Eden Gardens and café, then cross the M2 motorway on bridge taking care when crossing on/off ramps, cross Talavera Road and continue along Lane Cove Road to the underground Macquarie Park railway station with access available on both sides of Lane Cove Road

8.71/2.30      At Macquarie Park Railway station

Route Quality Index

On public vehicular roads:-             2.58 km/ 30%

On locked service/fire trails:-          1.49 km/ 17%

On walking tracks:-                           4.64 km/ 53 %

RQI= 53+9+0= 62