Walk 4:- Macquarie Park to Thornleigh At A Glance
Route Summary- This walk is all along roads or track; the first 1.45 km from Macquarie Park Station is along busy Lane Cove Road, then immediately after crossing Burgh Bridge, 60 m. on walking track to track junction with Great North Walk. The rest of the route to Thornleigh follows the GNW, the next 7.5 km goes along the Lane Cove River with several River crossings at its upper end; then steeply up on walking track to Thornleigh oval, followed by about 1 km. along Thornleigh streets to the Station.
RQI:- 54
Highlights:- Upper Lane Cove River to its source
Negatives:- Almost 3 km of this walk is along public vehicular roads with about 1.5 km along the very busy Lane Cove Road; some air pollution from sewer line next to Lane Cove River
Length:- 11.5 km
Grade:- Easy- all on clear track or road
Weather:_Several crossings of upper Lane Cove River not recommended when in flood
Time:- 2hrs. 30 min. continuous walking
Train Time from Central to Start :- 34 minutes
Train Time to Central from Finish :- 51 minutes
Total Climb :- 150 m
Total Descent :- 50 m.
Water:- At start and finish; nil en route
Toilets:- At Macquarie Park and Thornleigh Stations; nil en route
Café/Kiosk :- Eden Garden Café Macquarie Park; Thornleigh shopping area
Published 1:25,000 Map :- Paramatta River and Hornsby
Walk No 4 Track Notes Macquarie Park to Thornleigh
09/03/14
Km./Hrs.min. Kilometers in bold are shown on map
0.00/0.00 Leave Macquarie Park rail station on either side of Lane Cove Road and follow Lane Cove Road downhill away from Epping Road; cross Talavera road and then the M2 Motorway on road bridge taking care with traffic when crossing the on/off ramps
0.76/0.12 After crossing the M2, look for a large sign indicating the Eden Garden Centre; if not already on this side, cross Lane Cove Road on pedestrian lights to the entrance of the Eden Garden Centre, then turn left or continue straight still along Lane Cove Road
1.02/0.14 Cross the Lane Cove River Recreation Area access road and continue along Lane Cove Road, now on grassy path towards de Burgh Bridge
1.25 /0.17 Middle of de Burgh Bridge above Lane Cove River
1.45/0.18 Immediately after crossing on de Burgh Bridge, look for a walking pad on right; turn right and take this, over some concrete inspection pits and a low fence to join a wider walking track in about 20 m (this is a shortcut of an acute triangle)
1.47/0.19 Turn right onto wider track at arrowed green post.
1.51/0.20 Major track T junction with signage:-‘ Thornleigh 7 km’ track on right and ‘ Lane Cove River Weir 4 km’ track on left; ‘Great North Walk’ in both directions; turn right
Note:- From this point to Thornleigh Oval, The Great North Walk is well marked with signage and arrowed green posts. It should be possible to follow it without reference to these track notes
1.56/0.22 Under De Burgh Bridge
1.90/0.27 Track junction with signage:- ‘Great North Walk’, both direction; ‘Ryde Road West Pymble 300m’ track right; continue straight along service road, more like a walking track
2.18 /0.30 Track junction and signage:- ‘Thornleigh Oval 7.6 km’ straight on but slightly left; within 10 m, bridge for major Sydney water pipeline; stay right of fenced area.
2.38/0.34 Sharp hairpin bend to left; ignore track on right; continue to follow arrowed posts.
2.72/0.38 Creek crossing on sandstone outcrop with steps down and up; T junction with service road about 25 m after creek crossing; note boom gate from public road about 50 m on right; turn left and follow service road
2.77/0.39 Right under high tension power lines and track junction; take walking track on left on arrowed green post.
2.93/0.42 Track passes green sewerage hut.
3.16/0.46 Track on two short timber bridges and gully
3.25/0.47 Track junction; ignore track on left; veer slightly right on arrowed post; ignore track on right after 30 meters; stay on main track.
3.35 /0.49 Prominent track T junction; go left on arrowed post, slightly uphill.
3.94/0.56 Track junction with service road at U bend; follow service road down on arrowed post.
4.07/0.58 Service road crosses concrete culvert and is right next to Lane Cove River, now more like a creek.
4.15 /0.59 Track junction; turn left off service road onto walking track at arrowed post; creek crossing on timber boardwalk right next to Lane Cove River; then walk past concrete sewer inspection shaft.
4.31 /1.02 Track junction; ignore track on left; after about 20 m, another track Y junction; go left on arrowed post.
4.39/1.03 Track now on timber walkway over gully.
4.61/1.07 Top of ridge and track T junction with service road; go left on arrowed post along service road, gently downhill.
5.19/1.13 Service road next to high tension tower under power lines
5.36/1.15 Service road adjacent to rear fences of houses.
5.44/1.16 Creek crossing on massive sandstone outcrop; major track junction about 25 m after crossing with signage:- ‘Bradley Reserve’ on right; turn left on arrowed post and walk down a concrete paved service road; care with bike riders.
5.62/1.18 Ignore prominent track on left.
5.70/1.19 Track junction and signage:- ‘Great North Walk’ in both directions; service road crosses Lane Cove River on concrete culvert; do not cross but continue straight along Lane Cove River with River still on left; service road deteriorates from here; lots of bell birds..
6.11 /1.24 Service road T junction; go left on arrowed post, still on service road.
6.16 /1.25 Track junction with signboard:- ‘Step Track- 2 km Loop’ on right; continue straight on service road
6.68/1.31 Service road junction and signage:- ‘Kamon Road rec. Reserve 500 m’ and ‘Step Track’ also on right; continue straight; within 50 m of this junction there is another service road junction with signage:- ‘Epping Sation 4 km’ left on concrete culvert over Lane Cove River and ‘Thornleigh Station 3 km’ straight on; continue straight with Lane Cove River still on left; the service road deteriorates further and is more like a river bed.
7.29 /1.40 Track crosses Lane Cove River on concrete culvert; cross on rocks; signboard about 20 m after crossing ‘Lane Cove National Park’ ; river now on right.
7.79/1.48 Track re-crosses Lane Cove River on rocks; river then on left.
8.61/1.58 Re-crossing River on concrete culvert, then after about 100 m., crossing again on footpad a few meters downstream of concrete culvert; River again on left; note this special rainforest area with high fern trees and banana palms and Lane Cove River on left now a rocky creek; special area.
8.83/2.02 Track junction with sealed service road joining acutely from right; continue along Lane Cove River on arrowed post on what is now a walking track.
8.97/2.05 Track junction; turn left on arrowed post to cross the Lane Cove River on concrete stepping stones to a signboard :- ‘ Thornleigh Station 2 km’ ; follow the track up on timber fronted steps away from the Lane Cove River.
9.21/2.11 Track T junction with signage:- ‘ Comenara Parkway 1 km’ track on right and ‘ Thornleigh’ on left; go left
9.37/2.15 Track T junction and signage:- ‘Baden Powell Centre’ on left and ‘Thornleigh Station 1.2 km’ on right; go right.
9.49/2.17 Track junction ; ignore minor track down on right but continue for about 20 m to Thornleigh Oval and signage:- ‘ Lane Cove National Park’ ; walk ant-clockwise around the edge of the oval to a parking area , toilets and signage:- ‘Thornleigh Station 880m’
9.65/2.20 Leave the oval and walk along Handley Avenue.
9.96/2.23 At a T junction of Handley Ave. with Orchard Street, veer right, then immediately left into Station Street; walk along Station Street, then on bridge over Pennant Hills Road to Thornleigh railway station.
10.54/2.29 At Thornleigh railway station.
Track Quality Index
On public vehicular roads:- 2.93 km/ 26%
On locked service/fire trails:- 4.48 km/ 40%
On walking tracks:- 3.75 km/ 34%
TQI= 34+20+0=54
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