The Two Valley Trail - Wolli Creek & Cooks River

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Route: Steel Park, Cooks River Cycleway, Richardsons Lookout, Warren Park, Mackey park, Tempe Bridge, Waterworth Park, Unwin Street, Jackson Track, Wolli Creek Walking Track, Johnston Street, Malley Avenue, Hughes Park, Cup and Saucer Creek Path, Haynes Reserve, Cooks River, Beaman Park, Homer Street, Steel Park

Date: 25/07/2021
From: Steel Park

Parking: Illawarra Road
Start Point: Steel Park
Finish Point: Steel Park
Region: Sydney - Inner West

Route length: 13.6km
Time taken: 03:00
Average speed: 4.5km/h
Ascent: 191m
Descent: 201m

Points of Interest: Cooks River, Richardsons Lookout, Wolli Creek flying fox camp

When Sydney plunged back into lockdown due to rising COVID-19 cases, Australia found itself lagging behind nations like the UK and the USA in its initial vaccine rollout. With strict travel limits confining residents close to home, it was the perfect opportunity to make the best of a difficult situation and thoroughly explore Sydney's Inner West.

The Cooks River and Wolli Creek are two of the main waterways in the Inner West, and both benefit from a network of modest walking and cycling tracks. These paths form a variety of interesting loops, with the Two Valley Trail arguably being the absolute highlight.

I drove the short distance from home to Steel Park, which offers ample roadside parking alongside a dedicated car park. This expansive recreational area features plenty of the amenities synonymous with Sydney, including outdoor gyms and barbecues. The park sits right next to the Cooks River Cycleway—a lengthy, shared-use path following the river—and I set off along it in the direction of Tempe.

Cooks River

A sculpture of a traditional aboriginal canoe stands alongside Cooks River

The Cooks River Cycleway

The heritage-listed SWOOS crossing Cooks River

The cycleway passes beneath the SWOOS (the Southwest Ocean Outfall Sewer), a heritage-listed viaduct constructed in the 1890s. Shortly after heading beneath the structure, the path reaches Warren Park, where you can opt for a short detour to Richardson's Lookout, a small, historic vantage point.

In 1859, the land became part of wealthy businessman Thomas Holt’s estate, which he named The Warren. The centerpiece was a grand Victorian Gothic mansion that was ultimately demolished in 1919 after the site was used as a military camp during the First World War. However, the original stone gate pillars from The Warren were saved and still stand proudly in Warren Park today.

Climbing away from the river to the lookout

Richardson's Lookout

Trees at Richardson's Lookout

The old pillars at Richardson's Lookout

The Warren – the pillars can be seen to the lower right of the image

After returning to the cycleway, I continued toward Tempe Bridge, which provides a means of crossing the Cooks River to reach the banks of Wolli Creek.

Cooks River

Tempe Bridge

Wolli Creek

The path enters Waterworth Park, another large, open recreational area, where it skirts the edge of the grassed sports fields along the Waterworth Track. This leads to Unwin Street, which makes a short, steep climb to an access point for the Wolli Creek Regional Park.

Waterworth Park

Jackson Track

The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service manages the Regional Park with the same care as more illustrious areas like the Blue Mountains. The park was announced in 1998 following sustained community campaigning to preserve the valley and push the M5 East Freeway underground. It remains a rare example of bushland in the heart of Sydney, home to mangroves, freshwater wetlands, sandstone eucalypt woodland, and a colony of flying foxes.

The first section of the park is accessed via the Jackson Track, which passes over Wolli Bluff, a prominent sandstone outcrop. The track follows Wolli Creek to Jackson Place before leading onto the Highcliff Track through Turrella Reserve. The western side of the reserve opens into a large, grassy clearing before reaching the start of the Girrahween Track on the far side.

Wolli Creek

Girrahween Track

An old pond

Rock climbers out and about

The Girrahween Track passes through the finest section of the Regional Park, including a spectacular flying-fox camp. These camps are areas where the bats choose to roost during the daytime, and there are hundreds, if not thousands, hanging from the canopy here at Wolli Creek. Because I wasn't carrying my usual camera, I've borrowed a photo online—be sure to visit the excellent blog of David Noble for more superb bushwalking routes and photography.

The Wolli Creek flying foxes (David Noble)

One of the best sections of the Wolli Creek track is between Girrahween Park and Bexley North train station. It is highly reminiscent of the classic bush tracks you might find in much more remote areas, such as the Blue Mountains or Ku-ring-gai Chase.

Wolli Creek Track

Wolli Creek

Wolli Creek Track

Wolli Creek Track

After reaching Bexley Road, I was at the far end of the circuit I had in mind. The Two Valley Trail continues by following suburban streets northwards to Hughes Park, home to Cup and Saucer Creek. I had thought the creek would be interesting, but it is little more than a concrete stormwater channel now, though the open reserve is pleasant enough. Its unusual name came from the natural sandstone formations of the original riverbed, which have long since been destroyed.

Illoura Reserve

Illoura Reserve

Cup and Saucer Creek

Cup and Saucer Creek eventually reaches the Cooks River, marking the beginning of the return leg back towards Steel Park. The entire length of the Cooks River—a modest 23 kilometres—is heavily urbanised, yet it serves as a rare and vital green corridor winding through one of the most developed regions of Sydney.

Cup and Saucer Creek wetland

Cooks River

The boat harbour

Cup and Saucer Creek joins the Cooks River opposite the old sugar works, which went on to form the nucleus of a small village until it closed in 1854. You can cross the river here to visit the "boat harbour"—an old mooring built to train sea cadets that unfortunately silted up not long after completion.

The sugar works - now apartments

The boat harbour

Cooks River

Cooks River

Beaman Park

Cooks River

The final section of the hike took me back along the Cooks River Cycleway as it follows the gentle curves of the river, passing through Beaman Park and around the Marrickville Golf Club before finishing back at Steel Park. The Wolli Creek track is a surprisingly good stretch of walking trail, and it is unlikely I would have ever explored it under normal circumstances. While lockdowns are a drag, discovering hidden local gems like this means they aren't all bad.

Ultimately, this loop proved that you don't need to travel far from home to find a genuine sense of escape. The Inner West's waterways and hidden bush tracks offer the perfect remedy for lockdown cabin fever, reminding us that there is always more to discover right on our own doorstep.