Walk 28:- Helensburgh to Bundeena via Burgh and Coast Tracks
At A Glance
Route Summary- This walk starts on public roads behind Helensburgh Station, then follows the Burgh Track to travers the Hacking River valley with a crossing of the Hacking River on rocks, then goes up and past Garawarra Farm, still on the Burgh Track and down to just above Burning Palms, where the walk joins the Coast Track. The walk then follows the Coast Track north to Bundeena .
RQI:- 89
Highlights:- This is an excellent walk with a wide range of scenery and ecology.
It crosses special features like The Hacking River, overlooks Burning Palms, goes along Garie Beach, past Eagle Rock to Wattamolla Recreation Area, then along Marley Beach and past Wedding Cake Rocks to Bundeena. Diverse ecology and spectacular coastal views
Negatives :- About 3 km. along public and locked service roads at Helensburgh end.
Length:- 26.6 km
Grade:- Hard
Weather:_All weather excepting when Hacking River is in flood; some wet creek crossings after heavy rain
Continuous walking time with a few 3-4 min. stops and 20 minute lunch stop:- 6 hrs 30 mins.
Train Time from Central to Start :-. 54 mins. Sth Coast Express about every hour
Train Time from finish to Central:-. Ferry Bundeena to Cronulla every hour on the hour, then train from Cronulla every 15 mins.
Total Climb :- 550 meters
Total Descent :- 710 meters
Water:- Helensburgh Station and Bundeena
Toilets:- Helensburgh Station, Wattamolla and Bundeena
Café/Kiosk :- Possibly at Garie Beach; Bundeena
Published 1:25,000 Map :- Otford and Port Hacking
Walk 28 Track Notes
Helensburgh to Bundeena via Burgh and Coast Tracks
20/05/2014
Track Update 9th April 2015
For the past 12 months there has been some maintenance on the Coast Track
- Duckboard is being placed over the grassy slope south of Burning Palms
- Numerous green arrowed posts and some metal signage and maps have been placed along track. A significant improvement, but signage does not mention the end points of the track.
Much of the rest of the track, especially north of Wattamolla still in very bad state
Km./Hrs.min Kilometers in bold are shown on map
0.00/0.00 Leave Helensburgh Station ; at car park next to station, turn left and walk up stairs to reach a railway overpass sealed road (Wilson Creek Road); turn right and follow this sealed road for about 30 meters to a T road junction; turn left into Parkes St. and follow this for about 30 meters to a service road on left; take this up hill.
0.28/0.07 On service road with houses on the right and railway line in cutting on left; track veers right under power lines.
0.46/0.09 Service road junction; take right branch up hill.
0.52/0.10 Public vehicular road ends on right; ignore this; continue straight along service road for about 30 meters to a walking track on left
0.55/0.11 Walking track on left; leave service road and take walking track
0.61/0.12 Walking track reaches wider track along fenced off area (former rubbish tip); turn left and follow wider track along fence
0.94/0.14 Foot track enters on left; ignore this, continue along fence
0.95/0.15 Track now adjacent to fenced off sports field on right.
1.07/0.17 End of fenced area; graveled clearing with service roads in several directions; take left service road down hill
1.23/0.19 Foot track splits off on right; ignore this
1.44/0.20 On service track under high tension power lines after fence with open gate and above railway tunnel.
1.53/0.21 Service road steeply down on right; about 10 meters further, NPWS green post and service road steeply down on left; continue straight on service road
1.95/0.26 Small clearing; service track veers left with walking track on right; continue along service track.
2.05/ 0.28 Foot track on left; continue along service track
3.64/0.40 Service track crosses minor creek
3.74/0.42 Green NPWS post with faded arrows at foot track on left; leave service track here and follow good foot track down hill.
3.95/0.47 Two sign boards at right angles about 25 up hill from creek crossing beyond signs; turn right at signs and follow faint track marked by trodden leaves and faded bunting on trees; track on left bank of Hacking River
4.02/0.49 Track improves, with formed steps leading down to Hacking River
4.09/0.50 Middle of Hacking River; easy crossing on rocks; follow well constructed track up bank to Lady Wakehurst Drive; cross this at right angles to sign board:- ‘Burgh Track’ and ‘Garawarra Farm 1.6 km’ ; follow this well made track uphill through scenic terrain .
5.55/1.15 Burgh Track intersects service road at right angles; continue straight along Burgh Track; this area is known as Bola Heights.
5.77/1.18 Burgh Track emerges at fence of Garrawarra Farm; follow track along fence to its end at a car park and signboard:- ‘Helensburgh Station 6.4 km.’ back track.; cross car park diagonally to a gate across a service road.
5.91/1.20 At service road gate and signage:-‘ Coast Walk’; ‘Burning Palms 2.5 km’ and ‘ Garie 4.2 km’ via walking track on left; go left, leaving the service road.
6.93/1.35 On ridge top after saddle, signage:- ‘North Era’ track on left and ‘Burning Palms’ track on right; go left; follow this multi-split washed out track down hill to a grassy slope; veer left towards two upright posts that mark the Coast Track;
7.16/1.40 Track on grassy slope veers slightly left and gently down towards two vertical posts
7.38/1.43 Track junction near start of South Era huts; continue straight on
7.66/1.45 South Era; cross creek/lagoon near beach, then turn left and walk upstream to a 2 m plus high pole with wide green stripes; turn right and follow track marked with similar poles up grassy headland.
8.23/1.58 North Era; again cross creek/lagoon close to beach, turn left after crossing and walk up grassy headland on steps
8.99/2.15 Little Garie; track clearly marked with arrowed posts goes past two flag poles
9.52/2.22 At Garie Beach; walk along beach to is northern end, then take poorly maintained track up rocky headland
11.13/2.48 Track junction and signage:- ‘ Curra Moors Car Park’; continue straight on walking track
13.17/3.13 Track junction with Curra Moors Track joining from left; continue straight on Coast Track
13.46/3.17 Curracurrong Creek crossing at Eagle Rock
15.13/3.41 Curracurrang Bay and Creek crossing; beautiful location
15.29/3.44 Track junction; take track on right with arrowed post; take care from here as several side tracks can mislead; track eventually heads up to rocky knoll where it widens
16.07/3.55 Near top of rocky knoll; track widens here and goes downhill
16.23/3.58 Track T junction with wider service trail and signage:- ‘Curracurrang’ back track; turn left and follow service trail downhill
16.32/3.59 Water tank on right; continue down, veering left, still on service trail
16.53/4.01 Track emerges at upper Wattamolla car park; turn right, then left at end of parking area; follow track down
16.64/4.03 Wattamolla picnic area; time out for lunch
16.64/4.22 Resume walking; walk downhill and follow arrowed posts past the toilet blocks past car parking area to Coote Creek above the waterfall and pool; (do not go down to the beach to find track)
16.83/4.26 At Coote Creek and signage:- ‘ Bundeena 12 km’ across Creek and ‘Otford 15 km’ back track; cross Creek
18.14/4.44 Track junction and signage:- ‘ Little Marley’ and ‘Bundeena’ track on right; ‘Little Marley Fire Trail’ track on left; go right ; track eventually emerges on bare rocks near cliff line.
Note:- Much of the Coast Track from here is on bare rock close to the cliff line. There is a tendency to veer uphill on minor tracks and thus lose the main track; if this happens, walk down towards the cliff line where the main track is marked with short metal spikes and even variously constructed matting; take care with cliff edge- the track is never less than 10 m away from cliff.
20.18/5.14 At Little Marley Beach; walk about half way along the beach close to the Ocean on sand, then veer left away from beach towards rocks and metal pole with sign; a good walking track resumes here
20.56/5.18 Track junction; go right
20.81/5.21 At Big Marley Beach; walk along the beach to its northern end on sand, close to the Ocean; cross creek on rocks and turn left, walk about 50 m upstream to find slightly obscured steps on right and track continuation
21.56/5.30 Track junction with rubbly service road turning circle; turn left and follow service road for about 50 m to arrowed post and track continuation on right
22.58/5.43 Pure white sandstone cliff; special location
23.43/5.53 Creek crossing; after crossing, track up on poorly maintained steps.
24.50/6.07 Track junction; faint track goes straight, but turn left at ‘ Bundeena’ signpost now gently uphill
25.15/6.15 Track junction with sealed service road; turn right and follow service road; about 50 m on there is another track junction with signage: ‘ Jibbon Head Trail’ on right; continue along service trail to locked gate
25.32/6.17 At locked gate and signage:- ‘ Wattamolla 8 km’ back track; end of Coast Track; start of Bundeena Urban Area; follow Beachcomber Ave. to its T junction with Scarborough Street past several side streets
26.05/6.25 At T junction of Beachcomber and Scarborough Streets, turn left and follow Scarborough St. downhill to a T junction with Brighton Street
26.46/6.30 At Brighton Street, turn right and follow this to Bundeena Shopping center and ferry wharf
26.53/6.32 At Bundeena shops; end of walk; continue about 250 m. to ferry wharf and take ferry to Cronulla Railway Station
Route Quality Index
On public vehicular roads:- 1.57 km/6%
On locked service/fire trails:- 2.80 km/11%
On walking tracks:- 22.24 km/ 83%
RQI= 83+6= 89
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