Walk 6 :- Thornleigh to Hornsby At A Glance
Route Summary:- This walk is all on track and most of it follows the route of the Great North Walk. The first 0.8 km. is along Thornleigh streets, then a walking track for 0.3 km. to a paved service road for about 100 m. to another wealking track along Zigzag Creek for about 1.3 km. to The Jungo and about 150 m. along this service road over Zigzag Creek to a walking track on right. This good walking track continues for the next 4.6 km along the valley of Berowra Creek in part at rear of Westleigh houses to Fishponds and up to a service road, then about 0.75 km. along this service road to the Rosemead Rd. track head; then for 0.5 km. steeply up on steps to Quarry Road and Hornsby streets; then 0.65 km along Hornsby streets to Hornsby Station
RQI:- 78
Highlights:- Bush tracks with Berowra Creek valley views; rock formations; classic walk close to Sydney
Negatives:- Nil
Length:- 9.2 km all on track or road
Grade:- Easy to Medium; care with creek crossings after rain
Weather:_All weather except for possibly flooded creeks after very heavy rain
Time:- 2hrs 40 min. continuous walking with a few 3-5 min. stops
Train Time from Central to Start :- 51 minutes
Train Time to Central from Finish :- 58 minutes
Total Climb :- 250 m
Total Descent :- 230 m
Water:- At start and finish; nil en route
Toilets:- As above
Café/Kiosk :- As above
Published 1:25,000 Map :- Hornsby
Walk No 6 Track Notes Thornleigh to Hornsby
30/12/12
Km./Hrs.min Kilometers in bold are shown on map
0.00/0.00 At Thornleigh Railway Station, turn right on pedestrian bridge above Station; cross The Esplenade and turn left; walk along The Esplenade for about 80 m to Wells St .
0.14/0.04 Turn right at Wells St.; walk down Wells St, through its partial closure to the end of Wells St.
0.58/0.09 At the end of Wells St., turn left into Tillock St. and immediately right into Morgan St, following the red arrow on cream coloured post; walk past Sturt Close on the right to the turning circle at the end of Morgan St.
0.79 /0.13 At the start of the turning circle at end of Morgan St. look for a cream post with red arrow on your right, between road and footpath; turn hard right and follow walking pad past ‘Ellura Bushland’ sign; initially the track is on a block of land between two houses, but turns hard left just before Zig Zag Creek and then follows the Creek with house fences on left and Creek on right
1.01/0.15 Houses on left end; single pad walking track; Creek on right
1.10 /0.16 Walking track intersect concrete paved service road with signage:- ‘Great North Walk’ and ‘The Jungo 1.6 km’ on right and ‘Thornleigh Oval 1.8 km’ back track; turn hard right to The Jungo; walk on the concrete paved service road for about 130 m to just before the foot bridge over Zig Zag Creek
1.19/0.18 Just before footbridge, signage on left :- ‘Great North Walk’ on walking track hard left; ‘Historic Quarry’ over footbridge straight on; turn hard left and follow walking track with Zig Zag Creek on right
2.53/0.34 The Jungo; track junction; walking pad intersects service road, clearing and signage:- ‘Great North Walk’, ‘Fish Ponds 5.3 km’ on right; turn right and follow the service road, crossing Zig Zag Creek on a concrete culvert and then steeply up hill.
2.65/0.36 At the top of the climb, leave the service road and turn hard right at the arrowed green post and follow the footpad steeply downhill, partly over rocks, to cross Berowra Creek
2.70/0.38 At Berowra Creek crossing on sandstone outcrop; track turns hard left after crossing on arrowed post and follow Berowra Creek downstream, with Creek on left.
2.99/0.43 On clear walking track; Berowra Creek now some distance below on left
3.07/0.44 Back down almost at Creek level; Creek 10-15 m on left and about 10 m below track; track then leaves Berowra Creek and zig-zags fairly steeply uphill with regular arrowed posts
3.28/0.47 On plateau above cliff, Berowra Creek well below; track then fairly flat along top of cliff with two sections of mesh metal safety fencing on left
3.50/0.53 Track junction at second section of fencing; track joins acutely from the right and signage:- ‘Great North Walk’ straight in both directions and ‘Westleigh 350 m’ acutely on right; go straight
3.87/0.58 Track now winds steeply down.
4.09/1.03 Tributary creek enters from right, crossing on rocks then short timber bridge; good track
4.15/1.05 Another trib. Creek enters from right, crossing on timber bridge- confluence with Berowra Creek about 20 m on left; good track then steeply uphill
4.51/1.11 Minor gully/creek enters from right; now narrower but clear undulating track
4.65/1.13 Track on open valley side with about 1 m high unusual grassy undergrowth
5.07/1.20 Track on contour high above Berowra Creek on left; valley side now steeper
5.27/1.23 Track on timber bridge crosses gully entering from right
5.48/1.28 Track junction; 4-way intersection with signage:- ‘Quarter Sessions Road 240m’ track on right; ignore prominent track on left with bunting on tree but go straight and a little uphill towards low cliff line on a less obvious track- track soon becomes clearer; track on left probably goes down to a pool in Berowra Creek; there are no arrowed posts for some distance
5.56/1.30 Now high on right valley wall, Berowra Creek well down on left; track starts descent
5.94/1.37 Track now behind Westleigh houses, fences about 10 m above track; track crosses gully/creek entering from right
6.14/1.40 Track junction with signage:- ‘Great North Walk’ and ‘Fishponds 1 km’ straight on, veering slightly to left; backtrack is ‘The Jungo 4.3 km’; unsignposted track joins acutely on right; take Fishponds track, initially over large sandstone outcrops; drink stop
6.14/1.43 Resume walking
6.25/1.44 Track junction; level track straight ahead is blocked with timber debris; turn hard right, steeply downhill
6.62/1.52 Track drops steeply here between large rocks, then turns right under overhang to follow Waitara Creek upstream for a few meters, then crosses it on prominent pot holed sandstone outcrop; this is a pleasant valley with large angophera trees and a substantial cliff on right
6.69/1.54 At Waitara Creek crossing on potholed sandstone; turn hard left after crossing and follow creek downstream on solid sandstone outcrop, with creek and pool on left
6.73/1.55 Track leaves solid rock outcrop
6.96/2.00 Track crosses tributary gully/creek entering from right on timber bridge –this creek joins Berowra Creek about 25 m downstream; walk 30 m further uphill to major track junction
7.00/2.02 At major track T intersection and signage:- track on right to ‘ Galston Gorge Alternative 8 km’ and ‘ Rosemead Track Head 1.2 km’ track on left goes to ‘Galston Gorge 5.8 km ‘ past Rifle Range’ and back track to ‘ Thornleigh Station 7.7 km’; turn right to Rosemead Rd. Track Head following good track gently uphill
7.04/2.03 Re-crossing last gully/creek on timber bridge, now entering from left
7.21/2.07 Major track junction with signage:- track on left to ‘ Galston Gorge 7.7 km’; back track to ‘ Galston Gorge 6.0 km’ and ‘ Thornleigh 8.0 km’ ; track straight on to ‘ ‘Hornsby Station 2.0 km’ ; take Hornsby Station track straight on.
7.23/2.08 Track junction with service road; acute intersection; turn left and follow service road uphill through beautiful open valley with low bracken undergrowth and large trees
7.99/2.18 Track split; foot pad on left leaves service road about 30 m before gate across service road; take walking pad on left to park/ recreation area with covered tables and signage:- back track to ‘ Thornleigh Station 9 km’ and ‘ Hornsby Station 1.2 km’ across park ; cross park at right angles to arrowed post; then take numerous stairs uphill
8.14/2.23 At top of steps; follow arrowed posts across wider service road; stay on foot pad
8.49/2.30 Walking track ends at Quarry Road; follow this uphill
8.88/2.35 Road intersection of Quarry and Dural Streets; turn left and follow Dural St uphill to T intersection with Pacific Highway
9.10/2.37 At Pacific Highway, turn right and follow Highway to pedestrian crossing at traffic lights; cross to Station St and follow Station St for about 25 m to Hornsby Station
9.15/2.38 Hornsby Station; end of walk
Route Quality Index:-
On public vehicular road:- 17%
On locked service/fire trail:- 11%
On walking track:- 72%
TQI= 72+6+0= 78
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