Walk 15:- Mt Kuring-gai Circuit via Birriwana Loop and Bobbin Head At A Glance
Route Summary:- This walk is all on track. It follows Harwood Ave. for 0.4 km. from Mt Kuring-gai Station, then on a fire trail for 0.6 km. to a walking track for about 2,5 km. to Apple Tree Bay with 150 m. on public road to a walking track up for about 200 m. to pass the NPWLS Regional Office and a further 1.9 km on walking tracks to Bobbin Head. The walk returns to Regional Office after 1 km on loop walking track, then retraces via Apple Tree Bay back to Mt. Kuring-gai Station.
RQI:- 83
Highlights:- Views over Cowan Creek; Apple Tree Bay and Bobbin Head recreation Areas; pristine forest above Bobbin Head.
Negatives :- Total of 0.8 km. walk along Harwood Av. at start and finish
Length:- 10.7 km.
Grade:- Easy
Weather:_All weather
Time :- 3 hrs. continuous walking
Train Time from Central to Start :-. 1 hr 2 mins. Via T1 Line
Train Time from finish to Central:-. 1 hr 2 mins. Via T1 Line
Total Climb :- 435 meters
Total Descent :- 435 meters
Water:- Bobbin Head
Toilets:- Bobbin Head; Apple Tree Bay
Café/Kiosk :- Bobbin Head (irregular); Apple Tree Bay (rarely)
Published 1:25,000 Map :- Hornsby
Walk No 15 Track Notes
Mt Kuring-gai Circuit via Bobbin Head and Birriwana Loop Track
24/04/2014
Km/Hrs.min Kilometers in bold are shown on map
0.00/0.00 Mt Kuring-gai railway station; walk down station steps, turn left and cross motorway on pedestrian bridge.
0.07/0.02 After crossing, continue straight ahead and follow Harwood Ave. to its end.
0.38/0.05 At end of Harwood Ave., walk past locked gate to sign board :- ‘ Mt Kuring-gai National Park- Mt Kuring-gai Track’; ‘Apple Tree Bay 4 km’ and ‘Berowra 8 km’; follow service road
1.02/0.13 Track junction; track on right goes to lookout; continue straight on arrowed post; track soon goes downhill and narrows to a walking track
2.75/0.42 Track T junction at edge of Cowan Creek; signage:-‘ Mt Kuring-gai 2.5 km’ back track; turn right and follow track upstream beside Cowan creek
2.82/0.44 Man-made sandstone wall on right is evidence of earlier residence here
3.44/0.54 At Apple Tree Bay bridge and sign board:- ‘ Berowra Track 7 km’ and ‘ Mt Kuring-gai 3.4 km’ both back track; cross bridge and follow sealed road around bay , passing kiosk located on the right
3.73/0.58 Track junction about 150 m after kiosk; walking track on right goes uphill; signage:- ‘ Regional Office’; take track uphill, leaving the sealed road.
3.86/1.04 Track junction after continuous zig-zag climb; take track on right and almost immediately cross sealed road at right angles, with the Parks Regional Office and car park on your left; walk slightly downhill to a sign board.
3.91/1.05 Track junction at sign board; ‘ Birriwana Loop ‘ and ’Bobbin Head 750 m’ track on left and ‘ Kalkari 2 km’ on right; take track on right
4.36/1.18 Track T junction after continuous climb; sign post ‘ Regional Office’ back track; no signage for tracks to left or right; go left.
4.51/1.20 Beautiful location –wide area of bracken and tall trees; track mostly on contour.
4.80/1.24 Track T junction and sign board :- ‘ regional Office’ back track, ‘ Bobbin Head’ track on left and ‘Kalkari’ track on right; go left
5.11/1.29 Track junction; track on right goes to lookout and picnic area; go straight; track gradually narrows and zigzags steeply downhill
5.64/1.39 Track emerges at Bobbin Head beside (on upstream side of) restaurant/kiosk; signage for Birriwana Track.
5.80/1.42 Track resumes on other side of restaurant/kiosk where sign board:- ‘ Cockle Creek Lookout Track’ and ‘ Birriwana Loop Track’ ; track initially goes along left side of sealed road for about 100 m to another sign board
6.10/1.45 Track veers left away from road to sign board:- ‘ regional Office’, ‘Birriwana Track’ and ‘ kalkari Visitors Centre’ all uphill
6.35/1.52 Track junction on top of ridge; track on right goes to Cockle creek Lookout; continue straight
6.78/1.57 Back at Birriwana Loop track junction and signage , with Regional Office and car park now on right ; cross sealed road at right angles.
From this point this walk backtracks all the way to Mt Kuring-gai railway Station.
6.93/2.03 Walking track intersects sealed road to Apple Tree Bay ; go left, follow sealed road around Bay, re-cross bridge to sign board.
7.19/2.05 At sign board; turn right and follow Berowra Track
7.94/2.17 Mt Kuring-gai turnoff and signage; turn left and follow track uphill
9.68/2.48 End of almost continuous climb; start of ridge plateau; track to lookout now on left
10.31/2.57 End of fire trail at gate; follow Harwood Ave. back to Mt Kuring-gai Station
10.70/3.02 At Station; end of walk
Route Quality Index
On sealed public road :- 1.18 km/ 11%
On fire/service trail:- 1.28 km/ 12%
On bush/walking track:- 8.24 km/ 77%
RQI= 77+6+0= 83
