Walk 38 At A Glance
Engadine to Loftus via Audley
Route Summary:- This walk is all on track. It goes along the Engadine Track to Audley via a crossing of Kangaroo Creek just upstream of its tidal limit and the Robertson Roundabout. From Audley it goes to Audley Station via the Honeymoon Track, then, after a short distance along the rail line, down along Temptation Creek for several kilometers, then Saville Creek to Loftus Stration.
RQI:- 90
Highlights:- Kangaroo creek at its tidal limit; Audley Recreation Area; beautiful valley of Temptation Creek
Negatives :- Nil
Length:- 12.3 km.
Grade:- Easy to Medium
Weather:_All weather except when Kangaroo Creek and Hacking River are in flood
Continuous walking time with a few 3-4 min. stops and 20 mins. At Audley for morning tea:- 3 hrs 38 mins.
Train Time from Central to Start :-. 52 mins.; every 30 mins.
Train Time from finish to Central:-. 47 mins.; every 30 mins
Total Climb :- 300 m.
Total Descent :- 370 m.
Water:- Engadine, Audley, Loftus
Toilets:- Audley; Engadine and Loftus Stations (probably locked)
Café/Kiosk :- Engadine and Loftus shops; Audley
Published 1:25,000 Map :- Port Hacking
Walk No 38 Track Notes
Engadine to Loftus via Audley
12/06/2014
Km./Hrs.min. Kilometers in bold are shown on map
0.0/0.00 Leave Engadine railway station platform by eastern (National Park side) stairs and cross railway service road at right angles to an unsignposted bush track ( the Engadine Track) and follow this
0.05/0.01 Track junction; walking track intersects wider cycle/walking track; turn right and follow this for about 100 to a 4-way track junction just after a storm water retarding basin with large sandstone boulders next to railway corridor on right
0.22/0.03 At 4-way track junction; take middle track straight ahead signaged:- ‘Audley 5.8 km and ‘Walkers Only- No Bicycles’
0.49/0.07 Extensive laterite outcrops on track
0.57/0.08 Service road X junction- cross at right angles, continue on foot pad signaged:- ‘ Audley’ and ’Walkers Only’
0.62/0.09 Track T junction with wider bicycle trail; (no signage); turn right here and follow bicycle trail for about 20 m. to a walking track on left with signboard:-‘ Audley 5.3 km’ and’ Walkers Only’ turn left and follow bush track.
0.90/0.15 Extensive stands of Gymea lilies and healthy bush
0.94/0.16 Small creek- Goarra Rill crossing
1.18/0.19 Track X junction with service road – cross at right angles, continue on foot pad
1.34/0.20 Extensive laterite indicates prolonged weathering of ancient plateau.
1.75/0.25 Gentle descent towards creek
1.82/0.27 Forest Brook crossing, creek bed solid sandstone
2.05/0.31 Track X intersection with fire trail and signage:-‘Engadine’ backtrack, ‘Heathcote’ to the right on service road and ‘Audley’ straight on along walking track
2.27/0.36 Four way track intersection with service road at small clearing with prominent signage to Heathcote, Audley and back to Engadine; turn left and follow foot track towards Audley;
3.92/1.09 Track T junction; track on left goes down to Engadine Creek near its confluence with Kangaroo Creek; continue straight for about 10 m on rock outcrop then back on clear track down to Kangaroo Creek
4.00/1.10 Solid sandstone bed of Kangaroo Creek with Engadine Creek confluence on left; very special location, with tidal limit just downstream; from the track exit, walk upstream for approx. 25 meters to an easy jump across Kangaroo Creek; before crossing, look at valley side slightly upstream and note metal steps; after crossing, negotiate boulders in creek bed, heading slightly upstream to find track that leads to the metal steps.
4.13/1.14 Top of several sets of metal steps, track heads south along top of cliff
4.21/1.16 Another three sets of metal steps
4.77/1.25 Track T junction with metal signboard:-‘Audley 500 m.’ straight on
5.03/1.31 In bed of small creek
5.12/1.37 Track T junction with metal signboard:-‘ Audley 200 m.’ straight on)
5.26/1.38 Track exits at eastern edge of Audley recreation area; good map info., toilet block.
5.35/1.39 Middle of timber bridge crossing Hacking River; turn left, head towards café
5.46/1.40 At café in Audley Recreation Area; 20 minute morning tea
5.46/2.00 Resume walking; go downstream through the car park towards Audley Weir and cross this.
5.75/2.02 Middle of Audley Weir; turn right immediately after crossing and walk towards two toilet blocks on left and a signboard with track on left, just before the first toilet block.
5.85/2.03 At signboard:-‘ Honeymoon Steps 1km.’ take steps up.
6.83/2.20 Top of Honeymoon Steps; walk straight ahead past the park administration building on your right and past a large car park, also on right to a service road/ entry road to car park.
7.04/2.23 At service road/entry to car park; cross this at right angles and follow a walking track for about 20 m. to Audley Railway platform; walk about half-way along the platform and then veer right down onto a service road that runs parallel to the tracks.
7.12/2.24 At service road, turn left and walk along this for about 400 m. past a 1.5X2.5 m maintenance hut on left and a track junction about 20 m. after this hut.
7.50/2.27 At track junction with NPWS post; turn right and follow walking/cycle track downhill; take care with bicycles, especially on a weekends
7.91/2.33 Track junction just before a creek crossing (Temptation Creek); turn right, leaving the main track and follow track down along the right bank of Temptation Creek, creek on left.
7.98/2.35 Old dam wall about 2 m. high; probably used as a water source for steam trains.
8.42/2.40 Track crosses small gully entering from right; after crossing, ignore faint track joining from right; continue along right bank of Temptation Creek.
8.75/2.45 Cross Temptation Creek at right angles on large boulders; easy crossing; track continues along the left bank, T. Creek now on right.
9.01/2.49 Track crosses gully entering from left; T. Creek still on right; extensive stands of Gymea Lilly.
9.37/2.53 Walking track T junction with service road where service road crosses T. Creek about 10 m. on right; turn left here and walk about 25 m. along the service road to a galvanized metal pole on right; turn right at the pole and walk along walking track with T. Creek still on right.
9.57/2.57 Walking track at rapids and waterfall in Temptation Creek; track crosses small gully entering from left, then goes a few meters along a rock ledge and then veers away from Temptation Creek; track becomes gradually steeper, then braided over rocky ridge between Temptation and Saville Creeks;
9.72/3.01 Track T junction at top of ridge with more established walking track; turn right here and follow track past another galvanized metal pole after about 25 m. and then a track junction with a track uphill on left just before a large boulder; continue straight along main track.
10.46/3.12 At low flat muddy area next to Saville Creek on right with houses on other side and multiple tracks leading off on right; keep left, ignoring all track to the right.
10.76/3.17 Track crosses small gully entering from left; about 20 m. after crossing there is a track junction with track on left marked by a stone cairn; turn left and follow this initially rubbly track uphill..
10.89/3.20 Track veers left of low cliff line and continues more gently up; continue straight along this main track-it is mostly 1.5-2 m. wide.
11.02/3.22 Ignore minor track on right.
11.29/3.25 Ignore minor track on right.
11.37/3.26 Ignore minor track on left
11.44/3.27 Major walking track X junction; continue straight on to a creek crossing about 50 m. after junction
11.50/3.28 Walking track T junction with service road; turn right and follow service road to a locked gate and major traffic arterial road (Princes Highway)
11.72/3.30 At locked gate; now cross Princes Highway with care using the wide median strip.
11.76/3.31 On other side of Princes Highway, turn left and follow highway on wide bike/breakdown lane to the end of concrete kerb and earth cutting on your right
11.90/3.33 At end of concrete kerb; take walking track on right over a ditch onto a sealed recreational side road; turn left and follow this uphill.
12.00/3.34 At a broad bend in recreational road to the right, turn left, walk over grassy slope to divided Rawson Ave.; cross Rawson Ave. at right angles, then turn left and follow Rawson Ave. to Pitt St.; at Pitt St. turn right and follow it to Loftus Railway Station
12.27/3.38 Loftus Railway Station
Route Quality Index
On public vehicular roads:- 0.94 km./8%
On locked service/fire trails:- 0.65 km./ 5%
On walking tracks:- 10.64 km./ 87%
RQI=97+3+0=90
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