Walk 13 B:- Berowra to Wahroonga via Bobbin Head
At A Glance
Route Summary:- This walk is all on track and follows the Berowra Track along Cowan Creek to Apple Tree Bay, then goes up to the NPWS Regional Office and down to Bobbin Head. It then follows the Gibberagong Track along Cockle Creek to its junction with Lover Jump Creek, then goes up to Grosvenor Street and follows this for 2.7 km to Wahroonga Station
RQI:- 76
Highlights:- An interesting walk that winds down the valley of Waratah Creek to Waratah Bay and the remnants of Windibanks Boat Hire and residence, then along wide Cowan Creek and bays of tributary creeks to Apple Tree Bay, then up and down to Bobbin Head Recreation Area and along to Gibberagong Track through a mangrove conservation area and along the valley of Cockle Creek from tidal to rapids, over Lovers Jump Creek and up to Wahroonga
Negatives:- Approximately 2.7 km. along Wahroonga Streets at end of walk, but with some interesting grand residential architecture
Length:- 16.6 km.
Grade:- medium
Weather:_All weather; several minor creek crossings
Time :- 4 hrs 50 mins with 20 min. stop at Bobbin Head
Train Time from Central to Start :-. 47 minutes express via Strathfield
Train Time from finish to Central:-. 44 minutes on T1 Line
Total Climb :- 320 meters
Total Descent :- 340 meters
Water:- Berowra, Bobbin Head , Wahroonga
Toilets:- Berowra, Apple Tree Bay, Bobbin head, Wahroongs Park
Café/Kiosk :- Berowra, Bobbin Head (sometimes), Wahroonga
Published 1:25,000 Map :- Hornsby, Cowan
Walk 13B Track Notes Berowra to Wahroonga
24/11/2013
Km./Hrs.min. Kilometers in bold are shown on map
0.00/0.00 After leaving Berowra Station, continue straight on along the right side of the Pacific Highway for about 50 meters to a sealed service road; turn right and walk along this along bridges over rail lines and F3 Motorway to a signboard.
0.15/0.02 At signboard:- ‘ Kuring-gai National Park-Berowra Track’ and’ Apple Tree Bay 8 km’ ;turn right and follow walking track
0.23/0.04 Track T junction at top of cliff; turn left and follow this historic constructed , but now washed out access road down to Waratah Bay; note the numerous sandstone slab culverts.
0.73/0.15 Track crosses Waratah Creek; note remnant of bridge abutment
1.52/0.31 Waratah Creek joins Waratah Bay; track continues along right side of Waratah Bay, Cowan Creek
3.21/1.00 Minor creek crossing
3.44/1.06 First creek crossing at double bay
3.50/1.07 Second creek crossing at double bay
4.36/1.21 Creek crossing and bay
5.20/1.34 Creek crossing and bay
5.47/1.39 Timber wharf and observation deck
5.76/1.44 Track Y junction and signboard:- ‘ Mount Kuring-gai 2.5 km’ for track on right uphill; continue straight along right bank of Cowan creek
6.57/1.57 Apple Tree Bay bridge and signboard on right before crossing; after crossing, walk around the Bay to a sealed public vehicular access road and Apple Tree Bay Kiosk about 50 meters behind you; walk along this access road for about 150 meters to a small signboard on right:- ‘ Regional Office’ and walking track
6.79/1.59 At ‘ regional Office’ signboard; take walking track uphill on steps.
6.95/2.04 Track T junction at arrowed post; turn right here and walk about 10 up the bank to a grassy area next to a sealed public road; cross this road at right angle, then walk past a car parking area to your left and a gated sealed service road that goes uphill on your right to two signboards.
7.04/2.06 At signboards and track Y junction; ‘ Birraweena Loop’ and ‘Kalkari’ track on right and ‘Cockle Creek Lookout’ and’ Bobbin Head 750 meters’ for track on left; go left
7.43/2.11 Track junction on top of ridge; track on left goes to lookout; continue straight, now downhill.
7.78/2.19 Track ends at Bobbin Head, next to Bobbin Inn; break for morning tea; there is a public tap for water in the middle of a grassy area about 40 m from the bridge over Cockle Creek
7.78/2.36 Resumed walk; Bobbin Head is at the junction of Cowan and
Cockle Creeks; At Bobbin Head, do not cross the bridge, but resume walking through the picnic area along the right bank of what is now Cockle Creek, Creek still on left to the end of the picnic area and parked cars to a large signboard.
8.28/2.41 At signboard :- ‘ Gibberagong Track’ and ‘ Mangrove Board Walk’ take this good walking track.
8.37/2.42 On board walk bridge over Cockle Creek.
8.82/2.49 Track T junction and signboard:- ‘ Rainforest 500 m’ straight on and ‘ Wahroonga 5 km’ track on right; go right, now along left bank of Cockle Creek.
10.77/3.20 Track obscured by boulders; go up over boulders for about 10 m, then back down to clear track.
11.36/3.31 Spectacular rock overhang above track.
11.77/3.38 Track T junction with signboard:- ‘Bobbin Head’ backtrack, ‘Murrua Road’ track on left and ‘ Grosvenor Street’ track straight on, still along left bank of Cockle Creek; go straight.
11.89/3.40 About 100 meters on from the signboard above, there is a large pool in Cockle Creek on the right, at the junction of Cockle Creek and Lovers Jump Creek; the track then veers left, now along the left bank of Lovers Jump Creek to cross this on steps cut into rock within 50 m of the creek junction and pool; if too much water in Lovers Jump Creek at this crossing, go about 30 m further upstream to cross.
11.98/3.42 Walk up creek bank after crossing to a small signboard:- ‘ Bobbin Head’ backtrack; now follow clear walking track that winds uphill, mostly on log-fronted steps.
12.39/3.54 Track T junction almost at top of plateau; ignore faint track on right; veer left.
12.49/3.57 Walking track ends on top of plateau at service road turning circle; ignore track on left that leads to lookout; continue straight on, now along service road.
13.79/4.12 Service road Y junction at signboard:- ‘ Kuring-gai Chase National Park’ and ‘Bobbin Head 6 km’ backtrack; continue straight; ignore road on right.
13.81/4.13 Locked gate and Grosvenor Street turning circle; end of Gibberagong Walking Track; walk along Grosvenor Street past Wahroonga houses to its end at Burns road.
15.37/4.30 Junction Road crossing- a major arterial road.
15.87/4.36 Grosvenor Street ends near top of hill at junction with Burns road; turn right into Burns Road and follow this for about 250 meters to a public footpath between two houses on left.
16.06/4.41 Turn left off Burns road and follow footpath gently up to the turning circle for Illoura Avenue; walk along Illoura Avenue past a park on the right to the overhead railway crossing and Wahroonga Station
16.59/4.49 At Wahroonga Station
Route Quality Index
On public vehicular road:- 2.93 km/ 18%
On locked service/fire trail:- 2.04 km/ 12%
On walking track:- 11.62 km/ 70%
RQI= 70+6+0= 76
Sydneydaywalksbytrain 