Walk 35 B:- Bundeena Circuit At A Glance
Route Summary:- This walk starts and finishes at Bundeena ferry wharf. It goes for 1.7 km through Bundeena and Bonnievale camping Area on public roads, then on walking tracks via a bridge across the entrance of cabbage Tree Lagoon, on fairly indistinct track along the lagoon, then on clearer track up to Mainbar , then 300 m. along Mainbar Road to a short section on service road and then for about 3 km on clear but frequently water logged track to Mainbar Road, then either for 2.25 km along Mainbar Road/ Bundeena Drive to the Marley Track or for about 1.5 km on indistinct walking track to Marley Track, then for about 4 km. along Marley Track via Deer Pool to the Coast Track at Big Marley Beach, then north along the Coast Track to Bundeena via Wedding cake Rock, with the last 1.5 km along Bundeena streets
RQI:- 65 or 76
Highlights:- Ferry across Port Hacking to and from Bundeena; Cabbage Tree Lagoon; Deer Pool; Big Marley Beach; Wedding Cake Rock; newly upgraded Royal Coast Track
Negatives :- About 3 km. along Bundeena Streets; 2.25 km. along Mainbar / Bundeena Drives if this option selected
Length:- 18.9 km.
Grade:- Medium
Weather:_All weather but portions of track water logged after heavy rain; crossing of Marley Creek at Deer Pool risky on slippery outcrop when creek in flood.
Continuous walking time with a few 3-4 min. stops:- 4 hrs 33 mins.
Train Time from Central to Start :-. 48 mins. to Cronulla then 30 mins on ferry; trains every 15 mins; ferry every hour leaves on the half hour
Train Time from finish to Central:-. Ferry half hour, leaves on the hour the train from Cronulla 48 mins. to Central every 15 mins
Total Climb :- 340 m.
Total Descent :- 340 m.
Water:- Bundeena
Toilets:- Bundeena
Café/Kiosk :- Bundeena
Published 1:25,000 Map :- Port hacking
Walk 35 B Track Notes
Bundeena Circuit via Deer Pool and Marley Beach
24/07/2016
Km./Hrs.min. kilometers in bold are shown on map
0.00/0.00 Leave the ferry wharf and follow Brighton Street up through Bundeena Shopping Centre, with shops on left and park on right, to a T junction with Bundeena Drive
0.24/0.04 At Bundeena Drive, turn right and follow this for about 700 m.past Liverpool St. and then a service station, both on right, to Seabreeze Lane on right near the centre of a broad curve to left in Bundeena Drive.
0.95/0.12 At Seabreeze Lane and signage:– ‘Bonnievale’; turn right and walk through Bonnievale- a camping/recreation area; walk past a boom gate, then a toilet block on left to a one-way traffic road split; take left road to a second toilet block and walking track with boom gate on left.
1.70/0.20 At second toilet block and walking track with signage:- ‘Mainbar 1 km.’ follow this track to a bridge, then cross bridge.
2.19/0.37 Middle of bridge; about 25 m. after crossing bridge and before steps up ahead, look for a faint walking track on left; this track may be a little swampy at first, but improves to a clear walking track after about 25 m.; follow this track parallel to the lagoon as it undulates onto low ridges to avoid swampy areas.
3.05/0.43 Track at T junction on low cliff line with walking track on right ; lagoon here about 200 m. across and free of sand banks; red bunting; go right and follow this track gently uphill; there are no other tracks on right before this one.
3.46/0.52 Main track joined acutely on right by a minor track; continue straight; Mainbar houses visible ahead.
3.57/0.54 Track goes between two boulders and ends at a bus shelter on Mainbar Road; go left and walk along Mainbar Road for about 300 m. to a point 50 m. after the 80 km/hr speed sign where a service road joins on right.
3.87/0.58 At service road with signage:- ‘Red Jacks Management Trail’ turn right and walk along this service road, taking care on slippery rocks, to the first walking track seen on left.
4.09/1.01 At walking track on left; go left and follow this.
4.64/1.09 Another walking track joins acutely from right; continue straight.
5.00/1.14 Track T junction with service road; go left for about 5 m. to track continuation on right; go right; Mainbar Road and boom gate visible ahead on service road.
5.53/1.25 Excellent view of Port Hacking and Sydney CBD in distance.
6.67/1.42 Track T junction; go left and follow eroded walking track gently uphill to Mainbar Road.
6.90/1.47 Track at Mainbar Road with steel safety barrier and old timber signage- ‘Anice Falls Management Trail 1.5 km.’ ( any idea of this as a fire management trail was abandoned long ago, probably when vehicular access was denied by the steel safety barrier. It is now a very poor eroded walking track)
There are two options here:-
Option 1:- Walk to the Marley Track Head by turning right, walking along Mainbar Road to its T junction with Bundeena Drive, then left along busy Bunndeena Drive to the Marley Track on right; total 2.25 km. This is the easier, faster option but is not bushwalking.
Option 2:- Cross Mainbar Road and follow a poorly defined walking track for about 1.5 km. through the bush to Marley car park and Marley Track on other side of Bundeena Drive
These Track Notes take Option 1
6.90/1.47 Turn right and follow Mainbar Road for 600 m. to a T junction with Bundeena Drive.
7.52/1.55 At T junction, turn left and follow Bundeena Drive.
9.16/2.13 Small car parking area on left and two green posts on right indicate start of Marley Track with signage:- about 10 m. in ‘Deer Pool 1.8 km’ ;’ Big Marley 3.6 km’ ; go right and follow Marley Track.
11.02/2.44 At Deer Pool; cross Marley Creek on rock outcrop near the edge of the falls, taking great care with slippery rocks; resume walking along Marley track after crossing as indicated by green arrowed posts; Deer Pool is a beautiful, pristine location.
11.60/2.55 Marley Track at T junction with service road and timber signage:- ‘Deer Pool’ back track; turn left and follow service road downhill.
12.54/3.06/ Service road degenerates into a walking track with two timber posts (former signboard) on left, then after 15 m.; track junction with signage:- ‘Walkers Only’ ; take either track- they merge within about 100 m.; stonework visible on top of knoll on right is an old fireplace.
12.71/3.09 End of Marley Track at major T junction with Coast Track and signage.; go left and follow Coast Track as it goes along a low cliff line next to the Pacific Ocean, then down to Big Marley Beach
13.00/3.11 Coast Track at southern end of Big Marley Beach; walk along Beach to its northern end and cross stream on rocks.
13.30/3.15 At northern end of Big Marley and stream; cross stream on rocks; turn left after crossing and walk upstream for about 20 m. to sandstone steps up on right; take steps up.
13.76/3.22 Track junction with service road turning circle; turn left and follow rubbly service road gently uphill for about 50 m. to an arrowed post and track continuation on right.
14.78/3.35 Pure white sandstone cliff; ‘Wedding Cake Rock’ now fenced off with photos of undercutting and warning signs.
15.61/3.45 Cross stream on sandstone stepping stones.
16.78/4.02 Duck board ends at newly constructed service road; continue straight on service road.
17.30/4.08 Service road T junction with sealed service road and signage:- ‘Wedding Cake Rock 3.4 km’; ‘Marley beach 4.4 km’ both back track; turn right and follow sealed service road to a boom gate and large information board at Bundeena houses and public road.
17.46/4.11 At boom gate; continue straight along Beachcomber Avenue past Eric St and Malibou St. both on right to a T junction with Harbour Road.
18.22/4.22 At T junction of Bechcomber and Scarborough Roads; go left and follow Scarborough Road on footpath past a school on left , then steeply down to a T junction with Brighton Street.
18.61/4.28 At T junction, turn right and follow Brighton Street down to Bundeena Shopping area
18.72/4.30 At T junction with Bundeena Drive on left; continue straight past Bundeena shops to ferry wharf.
18.93/4.33 At Bundeena ferry wharf
Route Quality Index
Option 1
On public vehicular road:- 5.73 km/ 30%
On fire/service road:- 1.84 km./ 10 %
On walking track 11.36 Km./60 %
RQI= 65
Option 2
On public vehicular road:- 3.47 km/ 19%
On fire/service road:- 1.84 km/ 10%
On walking track:- 12.76 Km./71%
RQI= 76
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