Walk 39 A At A Glance
Engadine to Bundeena via Audley and Mainbar
Route Summary:- This walk follows the Engadine Track to Audley via Kangaroo Creek and Robertsons Roundabout. It then follows the Winifred Falls Track to Winifred Falls, then uphill to a junction with the Mt Bass Trail and straight on to Anice Falls and along walking tracks parallel to Mainbar Road to Mainbar, then on walking track down to The Basin lagoon and on to Bonnie Vale Camping Resort and Bundeena township
RQI:- 85
Highlights:- Kangaroo Creek at its tidal limit; Audley Recreation Area ; Winifred Falls; Anice Falls; The Basin Lagoon; Bonnie Vale; Ferry ride to Cronulla
Negatives :- About 2 km. walking on public roads at Bundeena/ Bonnie Vale
Length:- 18 km.
Grade:- Medium to Hard
Weather:_All weather except when creek crossings in flood
Continuous walking time with a few 3-4 min. stops:- 4 hrs 34 mins.
Train Time from Central to Start :-. 52 mins.; every 30 mins.
Train Time from finish to Central:-. Ferry Bundeena to Cronulla every hour on the hour; train Cronulla to Central 48 mins.; every 15 mins.
Total Climb :- 335 m.
Total Descent :- 515 m.
Water:- Engadine,;Audley; Bundeena; Cronulla
Toilets:- Engadine Station (probably locked); Audley; Bundeena;Cronulla
Café/Kiosk :- Engadine;Audley; Bundeena; Cronulla
Published 1:25,000 Map :- Port Hacking
Walk 39 A Track Notes
Engadine to Bundeena via Audley
30/06/2015
Km./Hrs.min. Kilometers in bold are shown on Maps
0.00/0.00 Leave Engadine Station on the National Park side and take the walking track directly opposite the short steps down from the platform across the service road; follow this for about 60 meters to an intersection with a wider cycle track; turn right and follow the cycle track for about 80 m. to a 3-way track junction ahead; take the middle narrow walking pad with timber signage:- ‘Audley 5.8 km’ ; follow this track gently uphill; note laterite on track
0.74/0.11 Track T junction with service road; go right for about 5 m. along service road, then resume on walking pad on left, gently downhill
0.59/0.13 Track junction with cycle track; turn right and follow cycle track for about 20 m. to the continuation on left of walking track; signage:- ‘Engadine 0.7 km’ backtrack and ‘Audley 5.3 km’ straight on
0.77/0.15 Minor creek crossing.
1.08/0.19 Track T junction with service road; cross this at right angles.
1.65/0.27 Crossing of Forest Creek on massive sandstone outcrop; track then more steeply up on boulders and sandstone ledges
1.94/0.31 Track junction with service road and signage:- ‘Engadine’ backtrack ‘Audley’ straight on and ‘Heathcote’ on right along service road
2.14/0.35 Track junction with service road and small clearing; signage:- ‘Heathcote’ backtrack and ‘Audley’ straight on wider walking track
2.34/0.38 Pristine area with multiple Gymea Lillie; continue along this constructed but poorly maintained Engadine Track down to Kangaroo Creek with Engadine Creek in valley on left.
3.78/1.03 Track T junction; clearer track on left goes down to Engadine Creek but less distinct Engadine Track goes straight on over rock outcrop for about 10m. where clear track resumes.
3.83/1.05 Engadine Track emerges at wide sandstone bed of Kangaroo Creek; turn right and go upstream along Kangaroo Creek for about 20 m. to an easy Creek crossing on boulders; after crossing, go straight on over boulders for about 20 m. to a T junction with walking track and metal steps up visible about 20 m. on right; go right and take metal steps up
4.60/1.20 Track T junction with old timber signage on lest and metal map on tight:- ‘Robertsons Roundabout’ and ‘Audley 500 m.’ straight on; continue straight
4.91/1.26 Track T junction and metal signage:- ‘Robertsons Roundabout’ and ‘Uloola Falls’ track uphill on right; ‘Audley 200 m.’ straight on; go straight
5.06/1.29 Track emerges at Audley Recreation Area; veer right and cross Hacking River on timber bridge, then veer left to Audley Dancehall Café
5.32/1.31 Start of Winifred Falls Track opposite Audley Café next to Bertram Stevens Drive; signboard and map:- ‘Winifred Falls 3.6 km’; ‘Mt Bass Trail 4.5 km’; take this track up, initially on stone steps
5.46/1.35 At sandstone retaining wall for old road; turn left and walk along wall for about 15 m., then moderately steeply up on cobbles and sandstone ledges; track easy to follow.
6.04/1.49 On plateau after steady climb on rubble and sandstone outcrop
6.17/1.51 Track junction; ignorer fainter track on right; continue straight.
7.31/2.05 Shutoff valves and pressure gauge stand left of track.
7.40/2.06 Junction with sealed public vehicular road gated on both sides (Warumbul Road); signage ‘Audley’ backtrack and ‘ Winifred Falls 1 km.’ straight ahead; cross sealed road at right angles and continue on wider fire trail progressively more steeply down.
8.75/2.23 Fire trail at T junction at NPWS faintly arrowed post with walking track on right and creek down low cliff in front; fire trail continues left for about 50 m. to turning circle and Winifred Falls;turn right onto walking track (if going to Falls, come back to this point)
8.77/2.24 Track at edge of creek, then veers right; follow track upstream for about 25 m. to point where creek flows over wide rock ledge; cross creek here, then follow track downstream for about 10 m, then to the right uphill, away from creek.
9.18/2.34 Track crosses tributary creek.
9.40/2.38 Major track junction at top of gentle ridge with signage; ‘Winifred Falls’ backtrack; ‘Bundeena Drive via Mt Bass Trail,’ track on right uphill and ‘Mainbar Drive via Anice Falls’ straight on continue straight on good track.
9.65/2.42 At Anice Falls; turn left and follow creek downstream for 10-12 m. to the edge of Falls, then turn right onto continuation of much poorer walking track.
9.91/2.49 On plateau after steady climb on inferior rubbly track.
11.12/3.04 Timber signage on left for Anice and Winifred Falls backtrack.
11.43/3.08 Track Y junction; go left.
12.55/3.22 Track crosses rock ledge with views over Hacking River and CBD beyond.
13.07/3.29 Walking track at T junction with service road; gate and Mainbar Road visible about 150 m on right; go left along service road for 10-12 m. then turn right onto continuation of walking track.
Note:- Although basically on plateau, the track from 11.12 km. to 13.07 km is easy to follow but poor; it is partly overgrown and largely under water after rain; track improves after service road..
13.43/3.34 Track Y junction; go right
13.67/3.37 Track junction with faint track joining from right; continue straight.
14.01/3.41 Walking track at T junction with fire trail; turn right and follow fire trail gently up to gate at Mainbar Road.
14.26/3.44 At Mainbar Road; signage ‘ Red Jack Management Trail 0.9 km’ back track; turn left and walk along Mainbar Road for about 250 m., past Cullen Lane on left to a bus shelter on right, just before Wallis St.
14.52/3.47 At bus shelter; walk behind the bust shelter to a walking track and follow this down, initially between two rocks; this is a good clear track.
14.58/3.48 Track Y junction; go right still downhill on the better track.
14.73/3.51 Track junction with lesser track that goes up to cliff on left; continue straight.
15.00/3.56 Track T junction with The Basin lagoon right in front; turn left and follow track as it heads north along the lagoon; sections of this track are along the tidal zone of the lagoon and may be more obscure, but sporadically marked by short timber stepping planks.
15.15/3.58 Track Y junction; veer right and continue along lagoon.
15.36/4.01 Track improves and bridge over lagoon visible on right.
15.78/4.09 Track T junction with wide walking track; turn right and follow this for 30-40 m to the bridge.
15.84/4.10 Middle of bridge; continue on wide walking track after crossing.
16.16/4.14 Track at gate and T junction with public vehicular road and toilet block on left; this is the Bonnie Vale camping Area; turn right and walk along this public road for about 1 km. to a T junction with Bundeena Drive
17.09/4.33 At Bundeena Drive; turn left and follow Bundeena Drive past Simpson Road on left onto a narrow footpath, then past a Shell service Station on left up to Bundeena Shopping Area, then left down to Bundeena Ferry Wharf.
18.02/4.34 At Ferry Wharf.
Route Quality Index
On public vehicular road:- 1.45 km/ 8 %
On locked service/ fire trail:-2.53 km/ 14 %
On walking tracks:- 14.04 km/78 %
RQI= 78+7+0= 85
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