Walk 40 B At A Glance
Stanwell Park Circuit via Stanwell Tops
Route Summary:-This walk is all on tracks or roads. It starts on the Wodi Wodi Track behind Stanwell Park Station and continues up on the Stanwell Tops Track to a public road and through the Stanwell Tops Conference Centre, then on service roads over Stanwell Creek and over the spillway for a coal mine dam; then on unmade walking track to the Forest Walk track and down on this to the Wodi Wodi Track junction with the Forest Walk; then on wider Wodi Wodi track downhill for about 1 km to a rail underpass, then for 0.4 km on narrow track parallel to the rail line to Stanwell Park streets down to Stanwell Park Beach, past the club house and along the Beach Reserve with the final 1.5 km along Stanwell Park streets to the station
RQI:- 72
Highlights:- Stanwell Tops; abandoned coal mine infrastructure; pristine bush; spectacular views ;
Negatives :- Almost 2 km. along Stanwell Park streets
Length:- 8.1 km
Grade:- Easy
Weather:_All weather except when Stanwell Creek in flood
Continuous walking time with a few 3-4 min. stops:- 2 hrs. 14 mins.
Train Time from Central to Start :-. 1 hr 5 mins South Coast Line every 2 hrs.
Train Time from finish to Central:-. 1 hr 5 mins. South Coast Line every 2 hrs.
Total Climb :- 380 m.
Total Descent :- 380 m.
Water:- Stanwell Park station and reserve
Toilets:- Stanwell Park station and reserve
Café/Kiosk :- Stanwell Park
Published 1:25,000 Map :- Appin
Walk 40B Track Notes
Stanwell Park Circuit via Stanwell Tops
28/10/2014; updated 19/03/1015
Km./Hrs.min.
0.00/0.00 At Stanwell Park Station, go behind the Sydney bound platform to a signboard:- ‘Wodi Wodi Track’; Stanwell Tops 1 km’; ‘Forest Walk 2 km’ ; take this track steadily up on timber fronted steps
0.20/0.06 Track Y junction and signboard:- ‘Forest Walk’ straight ahead on contour and ‘ Stanwell Tops 800m’ track on right continuing up- take this
0.58/0.17 After ascending steadily on fairly even grade track at junction with signage:- ‘Beach’ back track down; go left continuing uphill, now heading southwest; terrain flattens to attractive forest with low undergrowth.
0.74/0.21 Track T junction with wider track; go left, continuing south
0.83/0.22 At lookout; track fainter but continues along escarpment as foot pad
0.96/0.25 On track at bottom of wide gentle gully
1.02/0.27 Another wide stony gully; ignore short timber ladder leading up low cliff on right; continue up on walking pad; note bleaching red bunting
1.14/0.29 Track T junction with wider track; track on left ends at lookout over valley of Stanwell Creek about 60 m. along; go right to Stanwell Tops; this walk goes left to lookout.
1.17/0.30 At lookout; after viewing, backtrack past track junction at 1.14 km
1.41/0.34 Track at clearing for power lines; houses about 40 m. in front; veer slightly right just before houses to a locked gate next to a sharp curve in sealed public road.
1.47/0.37 At sealed public road, go left and follow it to its end past large signboard:- Welcome to Stanwell Tops’; ‘Christian Conference Centre’ with well maintained buildings and facilities on both sides
1.95/0.43 At end of sealed public road with gated service roads in front and on left; go left past gate.
2.05/0.46 Service road Y junction; veer right on lower service road, then ignore track on right going to exercise structures higher up on right; left track goes back to Conference Centre- ignore this too
2.13/0.47 At locked gate with signage:- ‘Danger High Cliffs’; walk around gate on style; continue on service road.
2.36/0.50 Service road at flowing creek (Stanwell Creek) over outcrop just downstream of dam constructed of concrete faced sandstone boulders; cross along dam wall; beautiful location; after crossing continue on much narrower track.Walk around locked gate with concrete filled metal poles on right; continue straight and after a few meters to reach some power lines and a multiple track junction and turning circle.
2.51/0.53 At multiple, 6-way track junction; take the first track on left before the power lines; this is not a service road but more of a walking
2.70/0.58 Track reaches power lines at sharp bend in power lines and continues straight, now as a service road along the power lines.
3.02/1.01 Track goes past an open gate and within a few meters to another open yellow heavy duty gate, still along power lines and past a service road joining from right; continue straight.
3.20/1.04 Abandoned fenced pumping station and dam wall, both on right
3.22/1.05 Service road at T junction; right service road goes to an earth dam wall within a few meters and then along the dam wall;(Note:- if you want to go to the dam, turn right here and come back to this point after visit, then go straight past the heavy duty yellow gate mentioned below) go left past another heavy duty open yellow gate on right; service road then crosses about 50 m. wide expanse of stripped sandstone with a weir upstream on right; this is probably a constructed overflow spillway for the earth dam; cross at right angles.
3.35/1.07 In middle of sandstone spillway downstream of weir on right; continue to cross this at right angles to a service road on other side; follow this to about 10 m. before a heavy duty open yellow gate and look for walking track.
3.43/1.09 Just before yellow gate; take walking pad on left away from service road; this may be marked by a stone cairn or its remnants.
3.75/1.14 Track T junction; ignore faint track on left; veer right on clear track
4.08/1.19 Track T junction at point virtually overlooking Stanwell Park and Beach; fainter track on left ends at lookout; veer right
4.16/1.21 Track crosses rocky gully; easy crossing.
4.34/1.23 Major track junction at NPWS arrowed post; track straight on goes to Stanwell Lookouts and eventually to Sublime Point; track on left downis the Forest Walk ; it joins the Wodi Wodi track and goes to Stanwell Park/Coalcliff; go left. There is the option here to go straight to Stanwell Lookouts and return.
4.53/1.27 Track junction; track on left goes down on steps to a major signposted track junction with the Wodi Wodi track to Stanwell Park but go straight here on this bypass track that has a no steps and a more even grade; it joins the Wodi Wodi Track.
4.89/1.33 Bypass track intersects the wider Wodi Wodi Track ; go right and follow this down.
5.46/1.40 Track junction at flat grassy ridge with signage:- on right ‘Illawarra Escarpment State Conservation Area’; ignore track on left that follows the top of the ridge; go straight, gently down southwards on Wollongong side of ridge
5.60/1.41 Note large covered signboard and map on left, then about 30m further track goes over duckboard and about 10m further, past an old style on right to then about 15 further on to reach a fenced railway service road and railway underpass; go right on service road
5.68/1.42 Take service road through underpass to a signboard on the other side
5.72/1.43 At track X junction with signage:-‘Coalcliff Rail’ straight ahead down steps to Bertram Stevens Drive; go left on narrow walking pad next to railway fence; this widens to a service road under power lines and continues north parallel to the rail lines.
5.93/1.45 Service road ends at bend in power lines; continue straight along partly overgrownwalking pad.
6.09/1.48 Walking track intersects Bertram Stevens Drive; cross this, veering right to the end of the safety barrier to the Wodi Wodi Track continuation on left behind barrier; take great care with traffic at crossing.
6.11/1.49 Track at acute sealed public road intersection; cross the first of these to the second and turn right; note signage- ‘Kallaroo Ave’ left and ‘Lower Coast Road’ on right; follow Kallaroo Ave.for about 40 m. to a left turn and continue steeply downhill with houses on both sides towards Stanwell Park Beach
6.32/1.51 At end of Kallaroo Ave. take steps down to beach, then walk along beach to cross in front of the Stanwell Creek Lagoon; depending on tide, removal of shoes may be necessary; then walk along the right side of the lagoon away from the beach to a car parking area to the left of the Clubhouse.
6.66/1.56 At car park with toilets; turn right and walk in front of the Stanwell Park Lifesaving Clubhouse (reputedly the oldest in Australia) parallel to the beach on sandy track to a track junction with timber fencing on both sides; take this, veering left away from beach.
6.96/2.00 Track at car parking area at edge of large open grassy recreation area with toilet facilities in front and café beyond; walk along recreation area away from beach, passing the café and another car park on left, then past some playground structure on right.
7.26/2.03 Walk past a concrete bridge over Hargrave Creek on your right and then houses and tennis courts on left to a sealed public road- The Drive
7.33/2.05 At The Drive, turn left and follow this uphill as it curves right to a T junction
7.53/2.07 At T junction with unnamed public road, cross this at right angles to a footpath with timber posts; turn left an follow footpath for about 50 m. to a pedestrian bridge over Bertram Stevens Drive;you will see Station St. and a corner café on left; turn right and cross on pedestrian bridge
7.59/2.08 At pedestrian bridge, then take steps up and veer left on concrete footpath to Railway Crescent; turn left and follow Railway Crescent as it curves steadily right then left uphill past a side road on left to Stanwell Park Station
8.14/2.14 At Stanwell Park Railway Station; walk through tunnel underpass to the Sydney bound platform.
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