Walk 49 C:- Blaxland to Springwood along Glenbrook Creek and Magdala Creek Exit At A Glance
Route Summary:- This walk goes for 0.45 km. along Blaxland streets to the start of Pippas Pass Track, then gently down along this for about 1 km. to the start of the Florabella Track and very steeply down on poor track to Glenbrook that is crossed on rocks. This walk then goes upstream along Glenbrook Creek for about 3 km, then re-crosses Glenbrook Creek and picks up the Sassafras Gully Track to follow this for about 1.4 km to Perch Ponds, then follows the Magdala Gully Track up along Magdala Creek to Springwood, with final 0.3 km. along Springwood streets.
RQI:- 93
Highlights:- Off track adventure; remote bush; dramatic sandstone formations; Glenbrook Creek
Negatives :- Nil
Length:- 10.7 km.
Grade:- Medium to Hard
Weather:_Unsuitable after heavy rain when Glenbrook Creek in flood
Continuous walking time with a few 3-4 min. stops:- 4 hrs
Train Time from Central to Start :-. 1 hr. 7 mins.; Western Line; every hour.
Train Time from finish to Central:-. 1 hr. 19 mins.; Western Line; every hour.
Total Climb :- 270 m.
Total Descent :- 130 m.
Water:- Blaxland; Springwood
Toilets:- Blaxland; Springwood
Café/Kiosk :- Blaxland; Springwood
Published 1:25,000 Map :- Springwood; Penrith
Walk 49 C Track Notes
Blaxland to Springwood via Glenbrook Creek and Magdela Creek
13/05/2014
km/Hrs.min Kilometers in bold are shown on map
0.00/0.00 Walk up Blaxland Station Steps, turn right, cross Gt. Western Highway on overhead bridge and take steps down to Station St. at its intersection with the G.W. Highway. Walk down to end of Station St. at T junction with Hope St. (unsignposted)
0.07/0.02 At junction with Hope St., turn left and follow Hope St till it curves to the right, and you see a building marked ‘Library’ a little downhill on your right
0.28/0.05 At Library, turn right and walk down bitumen path to the Library and walk along covered verandah of the library building; there are public toilets here; at the end of the covered verandah, take the ramp down to the library car park.
0.44/0.07 At car park, turn right and walk down to the bottom of car park, then turn left onto a grassy area; walk about 10 meters over this, then turn right to the start of Pippas Pass track head (unsignposted)
0.45/0.08 At start of Pippas Pass track; follow this down.
0.52/0.09 Acute track split at graffiti covered cave overhang; veer right.
0.55/0.11 Track T junction ; take track to the right, and immediately cross Pippas Creek on rock outcrop, the turn left, Creek now on left.
0.62/0.12 Cave overhang with graffiti and signs of recent habitation; continue straight.
0.63/0.12 Track crosses Pippas Creek, Creek now on right; track mostly clear and easy to follow.
0.66/0.13 Track junction after crossing small tributary creek; veer right; Pippas Creek still on right, now in deeper valley.
1.00/0.19 Track crosses Pippas Creek, now on left.
1.43/0.27 Track T junction with ‘Florabella Pass’ painted on rock face immediately in front, to the left; track on right up stone steps, goes to Ross St. exit; go left and after about 10 meters, note more stone steps on right to Ross St. exit; continue straight past these.
1.55/0.29 Track junction and signage:- ‘ Florabella Pass’ high up on tree in front, and ‘Exit via Ross Street’ on another tree on right; this location is the end of Pippas Pass and the start of Florabella Pass along good track straight on; leave the main track here and take the narrow walking track down ; it leaves the main track acutely on left just in front of the tree with the ‘Florabella Paass’ sign; this track zig zags steeply down, in places with constructed sandstone steps or steps cut into rock face.
1.59/0.32 Track veers left over narrow shelf, then look for steps cut into sandstone down a 5 meter inclined cliff; apparent track split at base of cliff- ignore faint track on right, continue down
1.61 /0.33 At base of unconstructed 2.5 meter cliff descent, another apparent track split; again ignore track on right; continue down on sandstone steps.
1.62/0.24 Track split; take track on right.
1.63/0.36 Track at Glenbrook Creek; cross Glenbrook Creek here on rocks at rapids just down from where the track ends.
1.64/0.37 Middle of Glenbrook Creek; after crossing, walk up boulder creek bank for 10-15 meters to find a faint walking track in both directions parallel to the Creek; then turn right and follow this track for about 10 meters upstream, Creek on right, to a track junction on left marked by a stone cairn and bunting;
1.65/0.40 At junction with track on left; continue straight along Glenbrook Creek following a very faint sporadic walking track; where present, this track is very close to Glenbrook Creek or goes along sand banks adjacent to the Creek
2.13/0.57 Florabella Creek joins Glenbrook Creek on right; continue upstream along Glenbrook Creek with Creek on right following faint track where present.
3.66/1.44 Minor gully enters from left
3.81/1.49 This is a difficult section of the walk over large boulders and for about 100 m along a cliff; there are two alternatives that have not been investigated:- either to climb high above the cliff line or crossing Glenbrook Creek near its junction with the minor gully above, then following the Creek upstream with Creek now on left past the cliffs on the other side; re-cross Glenbrook Creek where it makes a sharp bend to the right, well before its junction with a large creek from right; this latter option appears more desirable
4.06/2.06 Improved walking conditions after sharp bend in Glenbrook Creek to the right
4.38/2.16 Larger creek joins Glenbrook Creek from right; faint track
improves and gradually veers away from Glenbrook Creek, Creek on right, to a track junction with a track on left .
4.58/2.22 At track Y junction with track on left from Bunyan Lookout; continue straight; after 5-10 meters another track T junction; ignore fainter track on right; continue straight on track- it initially continues upstream, more or less parallel to Glenbrook Creek but then veers gradually towards Glenbrook Creek on boulders; two stone cairns mark Creek crossing on boulders
4.67/2.21 Middle of Glenbrook Creek; after crossing, walk a few meters up the bank pitted sandstone outcrop, then turn left and walk upstream on outcrop for about 35 meters, Creek on left, to stone steps leading up.
4.71/2.23 At stone steps; take these up to track junction.
4.79/2.24 Track T junction and signage; take the ‘ Perch Ponds 1.4 km’ track on left; now follow this good walking track upstream, Glenbrook Creek on left
4.84/2.25 At good campsite with large pool in Glenbrook Creek; track then veers right uphill and stays well above Glenbrook Creek, still on left.
4.87/2.28 Track junction; track on left goes down to Glenbrook creek; continue straight, then more steeply up to track junction
5.40/2.39 Major track junction and signboard:- ‘ Martins Lookout 1.3 km’ backtrack, ‘Perch Ponds 700 m’ track on left; there is also an unsignposted track going steeply uphill on steps- it probably also goes to Martins Lookout; go left towards Perch Ponds
5.97/2.48 Crossing Magdela Creek with Perch Ponds on the other side
6.03/2.49 At Perch Ponds; major track junction with signage:- ‘Sassafras Gully Track’ and ‘ Faulconbridge Station 6.3 km’ straight on; ‘Springwood Station 4.4km’ track uphill on right; turn right uphill towards Springwood Station; walk past Martins and Magdala Falls on right; this is a very pleasant walking track with plenty of scenery variations; Magdala Creek is crossed several times, and in the first 1.5 km there are green posts on each side of the creek at crossings, but arrows on these posts do not necessarily point in the right direction; creek crossings on remainder of walk are obvious.
9.88/3.46 Track split and sign- Springwood 800 meters on left track; right track goes to Raymond Road
10.37/3.58 End of Magdala Creek Track; picnic area; sealed road uphill to Springwood Avenue
10.46/4.03 Cross Springwood Avenue and walk through car park to Macquarie Road; cross Macquarie Road turn left and follow this for about 150 meters to the Springwood Station underpass.
10.70/4.03 Springwood Station; end of walk
Track Quality Index
On public vehicular roads:- 0.76 km/ 7%
On walking tracks:- 9.76 km/ 93%
TQI= 93
Sydneydaywalksbytrain 