Walk 10 :- Hornsby to Berowra At A Glance
Route Summary:- This walk is all on track and follows the Great North Walk route between Fishponds and the top of Sams Creek valley. The first 0.7 km. is on Hornsby streets, then down on steps to Rosemead Road and about 0.8 km. on fire trail , then walking track for about 2 km via Fishponds to a service road at ‘Steele’ bridge over Berowra Creek; then for 4.2 km on service road via Tunks Ridge, then with a walking track steeply down to Galston Gorge; the walking track continues for the next 9.5 km via Crosslands, Calna Creek and Sam’s Creek to a service road where the walk leaves the Great North Walk. It goes for 1.2 km. along this service road to another walking track for 0.7 km to Berowra houses, then for 07 km. along Berowra streets to the Station
RQI:- 68
Highlights:- Pristine bush; Galston Gorge; Crosslands Picnic/ Camping Area; along Berowra Creek from rapids to tidal; Overhangs; Historic Steele Bridge; a classic walk; views.
Negatives :- Extra 110 meter climb and walking along Hornsby streets to avoid minimal risk from Rifle Range
Length:- 20.7 km
Grade:- hard- length and climb up from Sam’s Creek and to Hornsby streets
Weather:_All weather except when creek crossings in flood
Time:- continuous walking with several 3-5 min. stops:- 5hrs 30 min.
Train Time from Central to Start :-. 37min. via Strathfield
Train Time to Central from Finish :-. 47 min. via Strathfield
Total Climb :- 400 m
Total Descent :- 360 m
Water:- At Hornsby and Berowra Stations; at Crosslands
Toilets:- as above and at Tunks Ridge
Café/Kiosk :- At Hornsby and Berowra
Published 1:25,000 Map :- Hornsby, Cowan
Walk 10 Track Notes
Hornsby to Berowra via Rifle Range Deviation
28/03/2013 updated 10/04/2018
Actual walking times without stops excepting 6 drink stops with 3-4 min. duration
This is now the official Great North Walk due a to more than zero risk from activities of the Hornsby Rifle Range and the subsequent closure of a section of the original Bicentenary Heritage walk along Berowra Creek between Fishponds and Steele Bridge. The deviation adds 1.32 km. in length and 32 minutes in walk time with most of the deviation along residential streets and an additional 110 meter ascent and descent.
If ‘zero risk’ applies to Rifle Range activities, then the Range itself needs to close. There is no ‘zero risk’ in life
Km./Hrs.min Kilometers in bold are shown on map
0.00/0.00 Hornsby Station; cross Pacific Highway on traffic lights; turn right and walk to Dural Street
0.15/0.02 At Dural Street turn right and follow this to Quarry Road
0.34/0.05 Veer right into Quarry Road
0.56/0.08 Ignore bike track on left
0.68/0.09 Track junction with walking track on left and signage:-‘Great North Walk’ and cream arrowed post; take walking track on left
1.14/0.19 At bottom of steps opposite grassy flat; veer left to a gated service road with signboard
1.17/0.20 At service road with signboard:- ‘ Fishponds 1.2 km; Berowra Waters 21 km’
Both along service road and ‘Hornsby Station 1.2 km’backtrack; turn right and follow service road
1.59/0.28 Walking track joins on right; continue along service road.
2.02/0.35 Track junction; walking track veers off on right at green arrowed post; follow this for about 50 m. to another track junction.
2.05/0.36 Major walking track junction with signage:- ‘Great North Walk’ straight on and on right ‘Fishponds; Thornleigh Station 8 km’ straight on and ‘Galston Gorge 7.7 km’ steeply up on right; go right
2.30/0.48 After long climb on average track it emerges at Dilkera Place, a public road with turning circle and Manor Road uphill straight on; cream arrowed post to follow manor Road.
2.67/0.53 Arrionga Place on left; cream arrowed poston left- continue along Manor Road
2.97/0.58 Mt. Wilga historic house and private hospital on left
3.12/1.00 Manor Road now Rosemont Street; continue straight
3.58/1.06 Road junction Rosemont Street/ Clarinda Street and cream arrowed post.
Go left and follow Clarinda Road to its end.
3.87/1.11 End of Clarinda Street with gated service road on right and signage:- ‘Clarinda Wetland’ cream arrowed post to follow service road past gate
4.11/1.15 Service Road junction; green arrowed post to take poor service road on left steeply downhill
4.20/1.17 Cross small creek on solid sandstone outcrop
4.33/1.18 Service road Y junction; on right goes to gate after about 50 m. and public road; veer left still along service road
4.81/1.26 Track junction with walking track on left and signage ‘Great North Walk’ go left downhill now on walking track
5.14/1.35 After long descent, cross gully and continue up on steps
5.22/1.37 Walking track T junction with service road and signage:-‘ Great North Walk; Tunks Ridge 2.1 km; Galston Gorge 4 km’ all along service road downhill on right; go right
5.52/1.47 Major track junction with Steele Bridge over Berowra Creek in front and original G.N.Walk track on left with signage ‘ Track Closed Rifle Range’ ‘Thornleigh Station 8 km !!!!’ backtrack ; cross bridge to another signboard.
5.54/1.48 At sign board:- ‘Galston Gorge 3.8 km’ ; Crosslands 10.5 km’both on right; turn right and follow service road uphill
7.17/2.09 At Tunks Ridge Rest Area within Berowra valley Regional Park; major service road junction, clearing and toilet facilities; sign board:- ‘Rosemead Road Track HeadHornsby 4.7 km’back track; ‘Galston Gorge 1.9 km’and ‘Crosslands Reserve 8.1 km’both along service road on right; go right
8.25/2.24 Service road junction with green arrowed post on right; this is a loop road but go left- slightly shorter
8.47/2.27 Track T junction with walking track on left and signboard:‘Galston Gorge 500m’and ‘Crosslands 7.0 km’ both along walking track on left; take this track steeply down over rocks with care
8.80/2.36 Track joins vehicular sealed road and bridge at Galston Gorge; turn right and cross Berowra Creek on bridge, taking great care with traffic; turn left after crossing and walk through a small parking area , past tables to a sign boardabout 20 m on:- ‘Crosslands 6.8 km’
8.83/2.37 Take the Crosslands track on right uphill on steps; follow this track that goes along the right valley and side of Berowra Creek for the next 5.5 km; there are several pristine tributary creek crossings on rocks (care when wet), excellent view points across the Berowra Valley and in the second half, a serene and peaceful environment along Berowra Creek; there is only one track, with many arrowed posts to guide
14.35/4.07 Track emerges at southern end of Crosslands Reserve; toilets; drinking water refill; walk along the full length of Crosslands Reserve to within 200 meters of its northern end on the right hand edge away from Berowra Creek
15.12/4.17 At 200 m. from northern end of Crosslands Reserve and sign board:- ‘Mt Kuring-gai Station5.5 km’;‘Sam’s Creek 2.7 km’and ‘Berowra Station 5.2 km’all on right along board walk over wetlands; take this
16.02/4.35 Cross Calna Creek on new bridge to a track junction and sign boardon the other side:- ‘Mt Kuring-gai 4.4 km’link track on right and ‘Berowra Waters 5.8km’, track on left over another board walk; go left onto board walk
17.17/4.55 Track at prominent headland with aboriginal shell middens and impressive bouldery rock formations; faint track on right follows ridge up; go straight on main track steeply down
17.60/5.03 At Sam’s Creek crossing on rocks; after crossing, it is very easy to lose the track here; do not go straight on to a small clearing with minor tracks to left and right, but veer left immediately after crossing and within 30 m, make another crossing on rocks of a tributary creek to an arrowed post on the other side; a clear track uphill then resumes
18.15/5.31 Track joins service road with sign board:- ‘Berowra Waters 3.4 km’on left and ‘Berowra Station 2.0 km’on right; go right along service road
19.06/5.42 Service road T junction; alternative easier exit on left; sign board:- ‘BerowraStation 1.5 km’ straight on; go straight
See details below for alternative, easier, exit
19.32/5.45 Track Y junction with Benowie Walking Track on left; go left, leaving service road
20.01/6.03 Track ends at sealed vehicular road and sign board :- ‘Berowra Station 750m’and ‘Crosslands 5.8 km’back track; veer left towards roundabout and take the first exit on right ( Berowra Waters Road) downhill towards the old Pacific Highway past another roundabout
20.47/6.10 At intersection of old Pacific Highway and Berowra Waters Road; turn left and walk uphill along Pacific Highway to a pedestrian crossing with lights and Berowra Station on the other side.
20.70/6.12 At Berowra Station; end of walk
Alternative Exit
At 19.06 km above, turn left and follow the concrete paved service steeply up to its end at a gate and public road with houses.(Joalah Road)
Turn right and follow Joalah Road for about 40 meters to an intersection with Holliday Avenue on left.
Turn left and follow Holliday Avenue up, past a turning circle on left where the road bends right to an intersection with Creole Street on left,
Go left and follow Creole St steeply up to a T intersection with Arcadia Crescent.
Go right and follow Arcadia Crescent to a T intersection with busy Berowra Waters Road.
Cross Berowra Waters Road with care to a footpath and turn right, then follow Berowra Waters Road past Hillcrest Road on entering from left towards a large water tower where Berowra Waters Road bends to the right and High Street enters from left.
Go left along High Street to Boundary Street on right, then turn right into Boundary Street and follow this past a Kindergarten on left to a sharp turn to the right, where Boundary Street becomes King Street.
Turn left just before the bend and follow a wide concrete footpath down on steps to a car parking area and Community Hall.
Walk through parking area with Community Hall on left and oval on right to a T intersection with fern Gully Road.
Cross Fern Gully Road and take either of the narrow ramp roads up past the Berowra RSL to the Pacific Highway and Berowra Railway Station on the other side
Route Quality Index
On public vehicular roads:- 2.94 km./14%
On locked service/fire trail:- 7.47km./ 36%
On walking track:- 10.29 km./50%
RQI= 18+50= 68
Sydneydaywalksbytrain 