Walk 44:- Faulconbridge to Blaxland via Bunyan Lookout At A Glance
Route Summary:- This walk goes for about 0.4 km along Faulconbridge streets to the Victory Track and follows this down along Sassafras Creek for almost 2 km. to join the Sassafras Gully Track. The walk follows the Sassafras Gully Track for about another 1.5 km., still along Sassafras Creek to the junction with Glenbrook Creek, then along Glenbrook Creek, past Perch Ponds for about 3 km to cross Glenbrook Creek on rocks, then up on constructed track to Bunyan Lookout, then for about 1.3 km. on good track along ridge to a junction with a faint track (Bull Ant Track?) that follows a side ridge gently down for almost 3 km. and then steeply down for 0.3 km to re-cross Glenbrook Creek on rocks; then steeply up on the Pippas Pass Track for 1.2 km. to Blaxland Library with the final 0.5 km. along Balxland streets
RQI:- 95
Highlights:- This is one of the best harder walks in the lower Blue Mountains with pristine bush, dramatic cliffs, lookouts and rock pools.
Negatives :- Nil
Length:- 14.2 km.
Grade:- Medium to Hard
Weather:_Avoid when Glenbrook Creek is in flood
Continuous walking time with a few 3-4 min. stops:- 4 hrs 22 mins.
Train Time from Central to Start :-. 1hr. 23 mins. on Western Line; every hour.
Train Time from finish to Central:-. 1 hr. 7 mins. on Western Line; every hour.
Total Climb :- 290 m.
Total Descent :- 515 m.
Water:- Faulconbridge; Blaxland
Toilets:- Faulconbridge (may be locked); Blaxland
Café/Kiosk :- Blaxland
Published 1:25,000 Map :- Springwood
Walk 44 Track Notes
Faulconbridge to Blaxland via Bunyan Lookout
02/11/14
Km/Hrs.min Kilometers in bold are shown on map
0.00/0.00 Faulconbridge Station; leave station on side opposite to Great Western Highway
0.20/0.01 At base of stairs signage:-‘ Springwood station via Sassafras Gully 11 km’; turn hard left in direction of sign; follow Sir Henry Parade north-east, railway lines on left, past Clarinda Road on right to the acute angle junction with Georges Crescent that crosses railway lines on left.
0.39/0.06 At junction with Georges Crescent, look for sign board on right:-
‘ Springwood Station via Sassafras Gully’; This is the start of the Victory Track; turn right and follow it downhill
0.51/0.09 Track T junction; turn hard right and continue down
0.58/0.10 Crossing Sassafras Creek; creek now on left
0.68/0.12 Re-crossing Sassafras Creek, now on right.
0.86/0.16 Track next to cliff overhang; creek still on right
1.10/0.19 Re-cross Sassafras Creek, now on left; track gently up
1.41/0.23 Track steeply down on sandstone steps
1.50/0.25 Track junction; track on left blocked; go straight
1.51/0.26 major track junction with signage; take ‘Sassafras Gully’ track on right; Sassafras Creek still on left
2.03/0.37 Crossing Numentia Creek at junction with Sassafras Creek; continue straight on arrowed post, past small campsite on right, Sassafras Creek on left.
3.03/0.50 Track drops to creek level for a few meters, then crosses Sassafras Creek at right angles on arrowed posts and continues along left bank, Creek on right
3.17/0.53 Major track junction and signage at junction of Sassafras Creek and Sassafras Gully:- ‘Faulconbridge Station 3.2 km’ back track, ‘Sassafras Gully Road 1.2 km’ track on left uphill along Sassafras Gully and ‘ Wiggins Track; Magdella Gully’ straight on; go straight, cross Sassafras Gully on arrowed post; Sassafras Creek still on right
3.56/0.59 Cross Sassafras Creek on arrowed post, walk up bank to other arrowed post and turn hard left.
3.95/1.04 Major track Y junction with signage:- ‘ Wiggins Track’ angles back on left;
‘ Faulconbridge Station 3.3 km’ back track and ‘ Perch Ponds 2.3 km; Springwood Station 6.7 km ‘ straight on; go straight
4.76/1.14 Junction of Sassafras Creek and Glenbrook Creek; good camp site and swimming pool in Glenbrook Creek; turn left on arrowed post and after about 20 m, cross Sassafras Creek at right angles; track now follows Glenbrook Creek, creek on right.
6.09/1.33 To this point track mostly high above left bank of Glenbrook Creek, but now at creek level, then veers sharply left steeply uphill on boulders for about 20 m, then resumes along creek, creek on right.
6.36/1.38 At Perch Ponds; major track junction and signage :- ‘Springwood Station 4.4 km’ track uphill on left; ‘ Falconbridge Station 6.3 km’ back track and ‘Martins Lookout 1.8 km’ straight on; go straight on, and almost immediately cross Magdella Creek at right angles on boulders and cobbles
7.00/1.47 Track T junction with signage:- ‘Martins Lookout’ steeply uphill on left ; continue straight
7.06/1.49 Track T junction; track on right stops at Glenbrook Creek; continue straight
7.44/1.56 Campsite and pool in G. Creek; continue straight next to creek.
7.68/2.00 Track T junction with signage:- ‘ Kings Link Experience’ steeply down stairs on right; ‘ Martins Lookout’ straight on uphill and ‘ Perch Ponds 1.4 km’ back track; turn right and take the stairs down to Glenbrook Creek; at Creek, turn left and walk along solid sandstone outcrop for about 25 m along left bank, Creek on right to a point where there are many small man made holes in the sandstone and the brush across creek has obviously been cut; cross Glenbrook Creek here at right angles.
7.70/2.01 At Glenbrook Creek crossing; the track is a little indistinct after crossing; veer slightly left after crossing and continue up gentle creek bank on boulders to find a track within about 15 m heading downstream; follow this track to a four way track junction, Creek now on left;
7.78/2.03 At 4-way junction; track parallel to creek continues straight and faint track enters from left; ignore these, but take the track that veers off on right, first gently uphill, away from Glenbrook Creek; follow this good winding track up.
8.04/2.12 Track T junction; turn left
8.14/2.17 Just below a prominent cliff, look for steps up through an 0.5 m wide canyon in the cliff; on reaching top of cliff, track then continues up along ridge.
8.60/2.28 At Bunyan Lookout and track Y junction; walk about 25 m past this junction to the lookout; time out
8.60/2.36 Resume walk; back track about 25 m, away from Lookout to Y track junction; now take well defined track on left
9.18/2.43 Track T junction with signage:- ‘Lost World’ on right; continue straight on.
9.84/2.49 Track T junction and stone cairn to The Bullant Track obscured by large fallen tree; find track on left – it goes to Blaxland/Warrimoo; turn left and follow this less distinct walking track along the ridge towards Glenbrook Creek
12.32/3.23 Deliberately placed 15 m long line of tree branches across track to act as barrier- for mountain bikes? Track becomes less distinct; look for white bunting on trees
12.50/3.27 On top of ridge-; excellent views; track marked with red bunting, silver tape and stone cairns goes steeply down through short upper cliff line, then veers slightly left down on steep open slope; follow red bunting on trees and sporadic stone cairns; track winds through gap in lower cliff; look for sporadic stone cairns.
12.68 /3.30 Flatter section; track goes between low cliff on right and very large boulder on left; continue straight, down on faint flagged track
12.76/3.42 At track T junction with Glenbrook Creek about 20 m ahead; look for stone cairn on left and bunting; faint track on left and right follows Glenbrook Creek, but cross this track at right angles, veering slightly right on boulders down to Glenbrook Creek, then cross Creek on boulders;
12.80/3.45 Crossing Glenbrook Creek; after crossing there are two ways up about 25 m apart; the creek crossing is in the middle of these; go right for a few meters to a red arrow painted on rock, then follow track steeply up; for an easier way up initially, go a few meters upstream after crossing and take the track up on right on steps.
12.83/3.49 At junction of both ways up, then after about 10 m. another track junction below a steeply sloping cliff; go up on cliff, then within a few meters to another sloping cliff with steps cut into the sandstone; take this
12.92/3.55 At T junction with wider well established walking track; this is the start of Pippas Pass track to Blaxland and the Florabella Pass Track to Warrimoo; signage:- ‘Florabella Pass’ nailed high on tree on left and ‘Exit via Ross St’ nailed high on tree in front; turn hard right; ignore two sets of stone steps up to Ross St on left;
13.01/4.03 Crossing minor creek; creek now on left
13.40/4.11 Re-cross minor creek; creek now on right
13.51/4.13 Track T junction immediately after crossing minor creek on sandstone outcrop; turn left and follow track past two cave overhangs; Pippas Pass Track emerges to the right of a car park.
13.60/4.15 At end of Pippas Pass Track; walk uphill through car park to
Library ramp; walk up ramp, then along the wide terrace in front of the Library and up the concrete ramp to Hope St; there are public toilets and water at the library
13.71/4.17 At Hope St. turn left and follow this to its T junction with Station St.
13.91/4.20 Turn right at Station St. and follow this to the base of pedestrian bridge over Great Western Highway to Blaxland Railway Station; take stairs up
14.07/4.22 Blaxland Station; End of walk
Route Quality Index
On public vehicular roads:- 0.75 km/ 5%
On walking tracks:- 13.32 km/ 95%
RQI= 95+0= 95
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