Lane Cove River - The Riverside Walk & Great North Walk

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Route: Koonjerie Picnic Area, Riverside Walk, Lane Cove Boatshed, Carters Creek, Halfway Point, Porters Creek, Lane Cove Road, De Burghs Bridge, Lane Cove Valley Walk, Fiddens Wharf, Heritage Walk, Max Allen Road, Schwartz Point, Lane Cove Weir

Date: 16/01/2021
From: Koonjerie

Parking: Koonjerie Picnic Area
Start Point: Lane Cove Weir
Finish Point: Lane Cove Weir
Region: Lane Cove National Park

Route length: 6.9 miles (11.1km)
Time taken: 03:32
Average speed: 2.2mph
Ascent: 234m
Descent: 234m

Points of Interest: Riverside Walk, 

The Lane Cove National Park cuts deeply across North Sydney, protecting the Lane Cove River and providing a haven for wildlife and hikers alike. Being practically in the centre of the city it is very popular thanks to its abundance of picnic spots, car parks and river-based activities. Sadly, due to the overall water quality swimming in the river is not advisable.

​The area which is now Lane Cove was inhabited by the Cammerraygal people, a collection of 29 Darug tribes united by a common language. The group, which inhabited the north shore of Port Jackson, was one of the largest in the Sydney area. The central section of the park, between De Burghs Bridge on Ryde Road and Fullers Bridge, was set aside as a park in the 1920s and developed with picnic areas interspersed in the bush along the banks of the river and renamed Lane Cover National Park in 1992.

Lane Cove River

The multitude of tracks and car parks means you can start this hike from almost anywhere. We parked on Riverside Drive, one of the main car parks located close to the Lane Cove Weir. The Riverside Walk begins from the car park.

As the name suggests, the path follows the curves of the river, passing various small car parks and picnic areas leading towards the Lane Cove Boatshed. This is home to a variety of rentable watercraft including the brightly coloured swan pedal boats. The path continues around Schwartz Point until it reaches Carters Creek.

Lane Cover Riverside Walk

Lane Cove River

The Lane Cove boat shed

Awaiting the first customers of the day

The river bend at Schwartz Point

A short, interesting section of the Riverside Walk

Riverside Walk at Blue Gums

Boat launch at Cottonwood Glen

Cottonwood Glen

After crossing the creek the path makes its way northwards along the banks of the river. There are several places where the trees open up with fine views of the river. After a few kilometres of easy hiking, we emerged at De Burghs Bridge, accessed by a short climb up some steps. The bridge carries the busy A3 Lane Cove Road. The original timber truss bridge was built in 1899 and was the longest timber bridge in Australia until it was replaced by the modern concrete bridge in the late 1960s. The old bridge was destroyed by a bushfire in 1994.

A rather large spider - unknown what it actually is - probably an Orb Weaver, which are pretty common

Mangroves at Halfway Point

Lane Cove River

Lane Cove River at Fern Valley

Rounding Porters Creek on the Riverside Walk

Riverside Walk

Blue Hole seen from De Burghs Bridge

Lane Cover River and Blue Hole

Now on the opposite side of the Lane Cove River, we joined the path which forms a section of the Great North Walk, a 260km hike between Newcastle and Sydney. It crosses Blackbutt Creek and heads into an interesting section of overhanging sandstone.

Blackbutt Creek

Blackbutt Creek

The Great North Walk passes by some tall sandstone walls

Natural or not, the path passes through this opening in the sandstone

Once through the opening, there is a sizeable 'cave'

Great North Walk

Some more interesting sandstone overhangs

The Great North Walk weaves past some interesting dead trees

After passing through the sandstone arches and caves, the path makes a slow descent down the river valley until it reaches the river bank close to Fiddens Wharf Oval, a sports field surrounded by the bush. Fiddens Wharf was a former wharf on the Lane Cove River, named after the convict Joseph Fidden. 

Lane Cove River

The Great North Walk reaches the river bank close to Fiddens Wharf

Lane Cove River at Fiddens Wharf

Lane Cove River

Blackbutt Trees - named after the blackening on their lower trunk caused by fires

Fidden was born in Birmingham around 1778 and convicted in 1799 for burglary and stealing two pots of paint and two loaves of bread. Sentenced to death by hanging, which was commuted to seven years transportation. He arrived in Sydney Cove on 6 June 1801. After Fidden gained his freedom he lived in the area for 25 years as a farmer and ferryman.

Beyond the wharf, the track climbs again, keeping high above the river for a distance before dropping down into one of the many car parks close to where we left the car. The area was notable due to the number of Kookaburras hanging around the electric barbeques and picnic tables, obviously having learned that humans often offer an easy meal. 

The Great North Walk

Australian Laughing Kookaburra

Laughing Kookaburra

Schwartz Homestead close to Schwartz Point

The remainder of the walk is along Maxx Allen Road, which follows Lane Cove River back to the weir and car park. There's a refreshment building here and we stopped to grab a bite to eat and enjoy sitting in the sun. The weir is a fairly modern construction, built in 1938 during the Depression in a slightly misguided attempt to make the area more appealing for picnic makers. Environmental problems ensued and a fish ladder has now been built to aid the natural migration of fish. It does, however, provide a quick and easy way to cross the river, back to the car park.

Lane Cove River

The Lane Cove River weir

An Australian white ibis - more locally known as the 'bin chicken' due to their frequent rummaging in the litter bins