Walk 7:- Hornsby to Mt Kuring-gai At A Glance
Route Summary:- This walk is all on track. The first 0.7 km. is on Hornsby streets, then down on steps to Rosemead Road and about 0.8 km.on fire trail , then walking track for about 2 km via Fishponds to a service road at ‘Steele’ bridge over Berowra Creek; then for 4.2 km on service road via Tunks Ridge, then with a walking track for 500 m. steeply down to Galston Gorge and vehicular road and bridge; the walking track continues for about the next 11 km via Crosslands Recreation Area and Calna/ Lyrebird Creeks to a paved service road that goes steeply up for about 0.5 km to Mt. Kuring-gai streets and then for 200 m. along the Pacific Highway to Mt Kuring-gai Station
RQI:- 73
Highlights:- Pristine bush; Galston Gorge; Crosslands Picnic/ Camping Area; along Berowra Creek from rapids to tidal; Lyrebird Gully and Cave Overhangs; Historic Steele Bridge; a classic walk.
Negatives:- 110 meter climb and walk on Hornsby streets to avoid Rifle Range
Length:- 20.3 km
Grade:- Hard – due to length and total climb
Weather:_All weather except when creeks flooded after heavy rain
Time- continuous walking with several 3-5 min. stops:- 5 hrs 45 min.
Train Time from Central to Start :-. 50 min.
Train Time to Central from Finish :-. 1 hr. 2 min.
Total Climb :- 520
Total Descent :- 485
Water:- Hornsby Station; Crosslands;
Toilets:- Hornsby Station; Tunks Ridge; Crosslands; Mt Kuring-gai Station (may be locked)
Café/Kiosk :- Hornsby and Mt. Kuring-gai; nil en route
Published 1:25,000 Map :- Hornsby
Walk No 7 Track Notes
Hornsby to Mt Kuring-gai via Rifle Range Deviation
28/03/2013 updated 10/04/2018
Actual walking times without stops excepting 6 drink stops with 3-4 min. duration
This is now the official Great North Walk due to a more than zero risk from activities of the Hornsby Rifle Range and the subsequent closure of a section of the original Bicentenary Heritage walk along Berowra Creek between Fishponds and Steele Bridge. The deviation adds 1.32 km. in length and 32 minutes in walk time with most of the deviation along residential streets and an additional 110 meter ascent and descent.
If ‘zero risk’ applies to Rifle Range activities, then the Range itself needs to close. There is no ‘zero risk’ in life
Km./Hrs.min Kilometers in bold are shown on map
0.00/0.00 Hornsby Station; cross Pacific Highway on traffic lights; turn right and walk to Dural Street
0.15/0.02 At Dural Street turn right and follow this to Quarry Road
0.34/0.05 Veer right into Quarry Road
0.56/0.08 Ignore bike track on left
0.68/0.09 Track junction with walking track on left and signage:-‘Great North Walk’ and cream arrowed post; take walking track on left
1.14/0.19 At bottom of steps opposite grassy flat; veer left to a gated service road with signboard
1.17/0.20 At service road with signboard:- ‘ Fishponds 1.2 km; Berowra Waters 21 km’
Both along service road and ‘Hornsby Station 1.2 km’backtrack; turn right and follow service road
1.59/0.28 Walking track joins on right; continue along service road.
2.02/0.35 Track junction; walking track veers off on right at green arrowed post; follow this for about 50 m. to another track junction.
2.05/0.36 Major walking track junction with signage:- ‘Great North Walk’ straight on and on right ‘Fishponds; Thornleigh Station 8 km’ straight on and ‘Galston Gorge 7.7 km’ steeply up on right; go right
2.30/0.48 After long climb on average track it emerges at Dilkera Place, a public road with turning circle and Manor Road uphill straight on; cream arrowed post to follow manor Road.
2.67/0.53 Arrionga Place on left; cream arrowed poston left- continue along Manor Road
2.97/0.58 Mt. Wilga historic house and private hospital on left
3.12/1.00 Manor Road now Rosemont Street; continue straight
3.58/1.06 Road junction Rosemont Street/ Clarinda Street and cream arrowed post.
Go left and follow Clarinda Road to its end.
3.87/1.11 End of Clarinda Street with gated service road on right and signage:- ‘Clarinda Wetland’ cream arrowed post to follow service road past gate
4.11/1.15 Service Road junction; green arrowed post to take poor service road on left steeply downhill
4.20/1.17 Cross small creek on solid sandstone outcrop
4.33/1.18 Service road Y junction; on right goes to gate after about 50 m. and public road; veer left still along service road
4.81/1.26 Track junction with walking track on left and signage ‘Great North Walk’ go left downhill now on walking track
5.14/1.35 After long descent, cross gully and continue up on steps
5.22/1.37 Walking track T junction with service road and signage:-‘ Great North Walk; Tunks Ridge 2.1 km; Galston Gorge 4 km’ all along service road downhill on right; go right
5.52/1.47 Major track junction with Steele Bridge over Berowra Creek in front and original G.N.Walk track on left with signage ‘ Track Closed Rifle Range’ ‘Thornleigh Station 8 km !!!!’ backtrack ; cross bridge to another signboard.
5.54/1.48 At sign board:- ‘Galston Gorge 3.8 km’ ; Crosslands 10.5 km’both on right; turn right and follow service road uphill
7.17/2.09 At Tunks Ridge Rest Area within Berowra valley Regional Park; major service road junction, clearing and toilet facilities; sign board:- ‘Rosemead Road Track HeadHornsby 4.7 km’back track; ‘Galston Gorge 1.9 km’and ‘Crosslands Reserve 8.1 km’both along service road on right; go right
8.25/2.24 Service road junction with green arrowed post on right; this is a loop road but go left- slightly shorter
8.47/2.27 Track T junction with walking track on left and signboard:‘Galston Gorge 500m’and ‘Crosslands 7.0 km’ both along walking track on left; take this track steeply down over rocks with care
8.80/2.36 Track joins vehicular sealed road and bridge at Galston Gorge; turn right and cross Berowra Creek on bridge, taking great care with traffic; turn left after crossing and walk through a small parking area , past tables to a sign boardabout 20 m on:- ‘Crosslands 6.8 km’
8.83/2.37 Take the Crosslands track on right uphill on steps; follow this track that goes along the right valley and side of Berowra Creek for the next 5.5 km; there are several pristine tributary creek crossings on rocks (care when wet), excellent view points across the Berowra Valley and in the second half, a serene and peaceful environment along Berowra Creek; there is only one track, with many arrowed posts to guide
14.35/4.07 Track emerges at southern end of Crosslands Reserve; toilets; drinking water refill; walk along the full length of Crosslands Reserve to within 200 meters of its northern end on the right hand edge away from Berowra Creek
15.12/4.17 At 200 m. from northern end of Crosslands Reserve and sign board:- ‘Mt Kuring-gai Station5.5 km’;‘Sam’s Creek 2.7 km’and ‘Berowra Station 5.2 km’all on right along board walk over wetlands; take this
16.02/4.35 Cross Calna Creek on new bridge to a track junction and sign boardon the other side:- ‘Mt Kuring-gai 4.4 km’link track on right and ‘Berowra Waters 5.8km’, track on left over board walk; go right towards Mt Kuring-gai
17.40/4.56 First creek crossing; Calna Creek now on left
17.65/5.00 Second Calna Creek crossing on steps cut into sandstone
18.09/5.09 Spectacular cave overhang on ridge between Calna and Lyrebird Creeks
18.27/5.12 Lyrebird Gully crossing on outcrop with railing at edge of waterfall
18.28/5.13 Re-crossing Lyrebird Gully on steps cut into sandstone, immediately after previous crossing
19.22/5.28 Final Lyrebird Gully crossing –easy crossing on outcrop
19.43/5.32 Timber bridge crossing spillway for old backfilled dam; after crossing, walk along old dam wall, then veer right along service road; this dam may initially have provided water storage for steam trains, but was then backfilled as sewer discharge
19.64/5.35 Start of paved service road; follow this, steeply up in parts, to Old Pacific Highway
20.10/5.43 At end of service road with gate and signboard:- ‘ Great North Walk 4 km’ and ‘ Berowra Station 9 km’ both back track ; ‘Mt Kuring-gai Station 0.5 km’ ahead; at gate, cross the Old Pacific Highway carefully at traffic lights, then turn left and follow footpath to Mt Kuring-gai Station
20.29/5.46 Turn right at Station underpass, then left up stairs to platforms
20.32/5.47 At Mt Kuring-gai Station
Route Quality Index
On public vehicular roads:- 2.47 km./ 12%
On locked service/fire trail:- 6.27 km./31%
On walking track:- 11.58 km./57%
RQI= 16+57= 73
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