Walk 43:- Faulconbridge to Springwood via Perch Ponds At A Glance
Route Summary:- This walk is all on track and the start is well signposted at Faulconbridge Station. It goes for 0.36 km. along Faulconbridge streets to the start of the Victory Trail and follows this down and then along Sassafras Creek to its junction with Sassafras Gully where it joins the Sassafras Gully Track that still follows Sassafras Creek to its Junction with Glenbrook Creek.The walk then follows Glenbrook Creek downstream still along the Sassafras Gully Track to Perch Ponds where it leaves the Sassafras Track and goes up to Springwood along Magdala Creek on the Magdala Gully Track.
RQI:- 92
Highlights:- This is one of the best walk in the lower Blue Mountains. It is wholly along three creek valleys with pristine bush, dramatic rock formations and rock pools.
Negatives :- Nil
Length:- 10.7 km.
Grade:- Easy to Medium
Weather:_All weather except when creeks in flood
Continuous walking time with a few 3-4 min. stops:- 3 hrs. 5 mins.
Train Time from Central to Start :-. 1 hr. 23 mins. Western Line; every hour
Train Time from finish to Central:-. 1 hr. 19 mins., Western Line; every hour
Total Climb :- 220 m.
Total Descent :- 295 m.
Water:- Faulconbridge, Springwood
Toilets:- Faulconbridge ( may be locked); Springwood
Café/Kiosk :- Springwood
Published 1:25,000 Map :- Springwood
Walk No 43 Track Notes Faulconbridge to Springwood
Via Victory, Sassafras and Magdela Tracks
16/12/2012; 03/01/13
Km/Hrs.min Kilometers in bold are shown on map
0.0/0.00 At Faulconbridge Station platform, walk up stairs, turn left, then walk down stairs to signage at bottom of stairs on left:- ‘Springwood Station via Sassafras Gully 11 km’; turn hard left and follow track, then road, with rail lines on left, past Clarinda Ave. on right to a road junction with the road crossing the railway tracks from the highway on your left
0.36/0.05 At the road junction, signage on right:- ‘ Victory Trail- Springwood Station via Sassafras Gully’; turn right and follow track down.
0.64/0.12 Track junction at clearing with fireplace; turn right and follow track downhill with Sassafras Creek on right.
After about 100 m, track crosses S.Creek to right bank with Creek now on left and about 50 m further, it cross back to left bank with creek again on right
About 200 m after crossing, the track follows the base of prominent cliff with overhang and interesting rock structures to arrive at another crossing of Sassafras Creek at arrowed post with creek now on left. The track climbs gently up the right valley side, to then descend steeply on steps down an approx. 15 meter high cliff
1.38/0.28 Track split; ignore track on left, go straight
1.49/0.31 Track junction with signage; take ‘Sassafras Gully’ track on right; ignore ‘Clarinda Falls’ track on left
2.00/0.41 Cross Numentia Creek entering from right to a cleared camping area; go slightly left on arrowed post; ignore track on right; S. Creek still on left; this section of track slightly more overgrown but still easy to follow
2.99/0.57 Cross Sassafras Creek on arrowed post then turn hard right at arrowed post after crossing, with Sassafras Creek now on right. The track is very indistinct here for about 20 m because it goes over some large boulders, but clear track there
3.09/1.01 Major track junction and signage:- ‘Faulconbridge Station via Victory Track 3.2 km’ backtrack ; ‘Sassafras Gully Road 1.2 km’ left track up hill and ‘Wiggins Track 800 m’; ‘Magdella Gully’ on track straight ahead; take this and cross side creek just after signs; note old metal signs on tree; Sassafras Creek still on right; Victory Track ends here
3.40/1.07 Cross Sassafras Creek on arrowed posts, walk up Creek bank after crossing to another arrowed post where turn hard left ; follow good track with Sassafras Creek now on left
3.78/1.13 Major track junction with signage; ‘Sassafras Gully Track’; ‘Victory Track 700 meters ‘and ‘Faulconbridge Station 3.3 km’ back; ‘Perch Ponds 2.3 km’ and ‘Springwood Station 6.7 km’ straight on; track joining at acute angle here is ‘Wiggins Track’; go straight with Sassafras Creek still on left
4.49/1.24 S. Creek and Glenbrook Creek junction; large clearing and camping area; turn hard left at arrow and immediately cross Sassafras Creek with large pool in Glenbrook Creek on right; excellent swimming location; follow track on left bank of Glenbrook Creek, Creek on right. The track follows Glenbrook Creek downstream along the left valley wall. After about 300 m from the junction of Sassafras Creek and Glenbrook Creek, the track is high above Glenbrook Creek.
5.73/ 1.46 Track junction; ignore track entering on right; track gradually descends to G. Creek bed, then turns hard left uphill for about 20 m on unclear track where good track resumes to the right; G. Creek still on right
6.03/1.51 Perch Ponds; Major track junction with signage; ‘Sassafras Gully Track’ and ‘Faulconbridge Station via Victory Track 6.3 km’ back, ‘Martins Lookout’ straight on and ‘Magdela Gully Track- Springwood Station 4.4 km ‘hard left up hill; go left
6.43/ 2.02 Turnoff on right to Martins Falls with signage; ignore this; go straight
6.80/2.06 Turnoff on right to Magdela Falls with signage; go straight
6.87/2.07 Arrow on post here confusing, suggesting straight on, but turn right here and cross M. Creek to arrowed post on other side, where turn left with M. Creek now on left.
7.28/2.15 Track junction with signage; ‘Springwood Station 3.4 km’ hard left and cross prominent creek entering from right; M. Creek still on left; after about 200 m, cross Magdela Creek on arrowed post with M. Creek now on right; after about 300 m the track is on bedrock in M. Creek for about 15 m and then resumes along the left bank with M. Creek on right. There are no more arrowed posts after this crossing. The track crosses and re-crosses Magdella Creek six times in the next 1.5 km on clear track
9.26/2.44 Signage; ‘ Magdella Gully Track- Springwood Station- Perch Ponds’ also small plastic sign on tree opposite; ignore track on right- it goes down to M. Creek; go straight. After about 200 m a side creek enters from left; track crosses this on good timber steps with metal handrails; M. creek still on right; track crosses another minor creek about 150 m on
9.78/2.51 Stone steps in creek bed just before track junction with signage; ‘ Lawsons Lookout’ on right and ‘ Springwood Station 800 meters’ on left; go left
9.92/2.53 Signage; ‘ Picnic Point’ on left on small bridge over M. Creek; go straight; M Creek on left
10.22/2.58 Timber steps lead to picnic area with benches and start of sealed road; follow this uphill to vehicular road, cross this at right angles and walk through car park, cross Springwood Road on pedestrian crossing and turn left; follow Springwood road down to Springwood Station
10.68/3.04 At Springwood Station; end of walk
Route Quality Index
On public vehicular road:- 0.82 km/ 8%
On walking track 9.86 km/ 92 %
TQI=92+0+0= 92
Walk No 43 Track Notes- Detailed
Faulconbridge to Springwood
Km/Hrs.min
0.0/0.00 At Faulconbridge Station platform, walk up stairs, turn left, then walk down stairs to signage at bottom of stairs on left:- ‘Springwood Station via Sassafras Gully 11 km’; turn hard left and follow track, then road, with rail lines on left, past Clarinda Ave. on right to a road junction with the road crossing the railway tracks from the highway on your left
0.36/0.05 At the road junction, signage on right:- ‘ Victory Trail- Springwood Station via Sassafras Gully’; turn right and follow track down.
0.64/0.12 Track junction at clearing with fireplace; turn right and follow track downhill with Sassafras Creek on right.
0.14 S.Creek crossing, now on left
0.15 S. Creek crossing, now on right
0.19 Track follows base of prominent cliff with overhang and interesting rock structures
0.22 Creek crossing at post with arrow; creek now on left
0.27 Steep descent on steps down approx. 15 meter cliff
1.38/0.28 Track split; ignore track on left, go straight
1.49/0.31 Track junction with signage; take ‘Sassafras Gully’ track on right; ignore ‘Clarinda Falls’ track on left
2.00/0.41 Cross Numentia Creek entering from right to a cleared camping area; go slightly left on arrowed post; ignore track on right; S. Creek still on left; this section of track slightly more overgrown but still easy to follow
2.99/0.57 Cross Sassafras Creek on arrowed post then turn hard right at arrowed post after crossing, with Sassafras Creek now on right. The track is very indistinct here for about 20 m because it goes over some large boulders, but clear track there
3.09/1.01 Major track junction and signage:- back track to ‘Faulconbridge Station via Victory Track 3.2 km’ and ‘Sassafras Gully Road 1.2 km’ left track up hill and ‘Wiggins Track 800 m’; ‘Magdella Gully’ on track straight ahead; take this and cross side creek just after signs; note old metal signs on tree; Sassafras Creek still on right; Victory Track ends here
3.40/1.07 Cross Sassafras Creek on arrowed posts, walk up Creek bank after crossing to another arrowed post where turn hard left ; follow good track with Sassafras Creek now on left
3.78/1.13 Major track junction with signage; ‘Sassafras Gully Track’; ‘Victory Track 700 meters ‘and ‘Falconbridge Station 3.3 km’ back; ‘Perch Ponds 2.3 km’ and ‘Springwood Station 6.7 km’ straight on; track joining at acute angle here is ‘Wiggins Track’; go straight with S. Creek still on left
4.49/1.24 S. Creek and Glenbrook Creek junction; large clearing and camping area; turn hard left at arrow and immediately cross Sassafras Creek with large pool in Glenbrook Creek on right; excellent swimming location; follow track on left bank of Glenbrook Creek, Creek on right
1.30 High point above G. Creek
1.46 Track junction; ignore track entering on right; track descends to G. Creek bed, then hard left uphill for about 20 m on unclear track where good track resumes; G. Creek still on right
6.03/1.51 Perch Ponds; Major track junction with signage; ‘Sassafras Gully Track’ and ‘Faulconbridge Station via Victory Track 6.3 km’ back, ‘Martins Lookout’ straight on and ‘Magdela Gully Track- Springwood Station 4.4 km ‘hard left up hill; go left
6.43/ 2.02 Turnoff on right to Martins Falls with signage; ignore this; go straight
6.80/2.06 Turnoff on right to Magdela Falls with signage; go straight
6.87/2.07 Arrow on post here confusing, suggesting straight on, but turn right here and cross M. Creek to arrowed post on other side, where turn left with M. Creek now on left.
7.28/2.15 Track junction with signage; ‘Springwood Station 3.4 km’ hard left and cross creek entering on right; M. Creek still on left
2.18 Cross M. Creek on arrowed posts; M. Creek now on right
2.23 Track in M. Creek bed on rock for 10-15 meters then resumes on left, M. Creek on right.
2.27 Track crosses M. Creek; no arrowed posts from here on; M. Creek now on left.
2.28 M.Creek crossing on solid sandstone; track veers slightly right in Creek bed and resumes on left bank with Creek on right
2.29 M. Creek crossing; Creek on left
2.31 Diagonal M. Creek crossing; Creek on right
2.39 M.Creek crossing; Creek on left in beautiful glen
2.41 M. Creek crossing; Creek on right
9.26/2.44 Signage; ‘ Magdella Gully Track- Springwood Station- Perch Ponds’ also small plastic sign on tree opposite; ignore track on right- it goes down to M. Creek; go straight
2.47 Creek enters from left; track crosses this on good timber steps with metal handrails; M. Creek still on right
2.49 M. Creek crossing; Creek on left
9.78/2.51 Stone steps in creek bed just before track junction with signage; ‘ Lawsons Lookout’ on right and ‘ Springwood Station 800 meters’ on left; go left
9.92/2.53 Signage; ‘ Picnic Point’ on left on small bridge over M. Creek; go straight; M Creek on left
10.22/2.58 Timber steps lead to picnic area with benches and start of sealed road; follow this uphill to vehicular road, cross this at right angles and walk through car park, cross Springwood Road on pedestrian crossing and turn left; follow Springwood road down to Springwood Station
10.68/3.04 At Springwood Station; end of walk
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