Bantry Bay, Flat Rock Beach & Middle Harbour Creek - Garigal National Park

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Route: Currie Road, Forestville Park, The Bluff Track, The Bluff Lookout, Natural Bridge Track, Natural Bridge, Currie Road Trail, Bates Creek Track, Magazine Track, Flat Rock Beach, Killarney Drive, Flat Rock Track, Davidson Park Reserve, Healey Way, Lyrebird Track, Carroll Creek, Carroll Creek Track, Ferguson Street, Forestville

Date: 05/02/2023
From: Forestville

Parking: Forestville / View Street
Start Point: Currie Road
Finish Point: Forestville - Warringah Road
Region: Garigal National Park

Route length: 15.6km
Time taken: 05:20 
Average speed: 4.2km/h
Ascent: 441m
Descent: 442m

Points of Interest: Aboriginal engravings, Bantry Bay, Flat Rock Beach

Middle Harbour is the northern arm of Port Jackson, home to the world-famous Sydney Harbour. What is less famous, however, is the protected area that surrounds Middle Harbour - Garigal National Park. The rugged shores of the bay meant it was overlooked by the European settlers from Sydney and much of the shoreline remains undeveloped today, with a network of tracks making it one of the most accessible national parks in the Sydney area.

Having parked up in the suburb of Forestville, we plotted a route through Forestville Park to The Bluff Track which gave us our first view of the bay. The unfenced rocky area has a superb view of Bantry Bay and the shining towers of Sydney beyond. Beyond the lookout is a large, flat rock slab which has an engraving of a kangaroo on it. I'm not sure of its authenticity, however, the is a large Aboriginal engraving site nearby so it could be genuine.

Woodland in Forestville Park

The Bluff Lookout

Bantry Bay

Towers in Sydney CBD poke out above the bush

Engraving site

Engraving close to the Bluff Lookout

Our next port of call would be the Natural Bridge which involves a reasonably steep descent along the Natural Bridge Track into the valley below the Bluff Lookout. The Natural Bridge is a sandstone arch that spans an unnamed creek. As the path crosses the top of the bridge, it is often missed as the surrounding vegetation hides the full view of the feature from the track. Getting into the creek reveals just how impressive the arch really is.

Following the Natural Bridge Track

Natural Bridge Track

The creek flowing beneath the natural arch bridge

Beneath the natural bridge

The natural bridge

After crossing the arch, there is a short steep climb out of the valley to the Currie Road Trail which leads towards Bates Creek. After crossing the creek there is a long, gradual descent down the Magazine Track towards Bantry Bay.

Curry Street Trail

A Goanna we spotted along the Bates Creek Track

Following the Magazine Track

The Magazine Track above Bantry Bay

The path passes around the edge of a fenced-off area alongside Bantry Bay - The Magazine Buildings. These were the primary storage facility for merchants’ explosives between 1915 and 1974. They were required for the safe storage of explosives used for building public works such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge as well as those used by the Australian Navy during World War II. There is currently no public access to the site, however, the buildings can be viewed from across the water at Bantry Bay Picnic Area.

Bantry Bay

Once past the fenced-off area, the path emerges at a flat outcrop of rock that juts out into the bay, marking the boundary of Garigal National Park. Here you will get some of the best views of Bantry Bay.

Bantry Bay is the last undeveloped deepwater bay in the Sydney region. It was never developed as a suburb because of its isolated location and relative difficulty to access a century ago when the suburbs around it were being subdivided and sold for housing. Instead, Bantry Bay was used as a shipping point for timber cut from the forests of the north shore around the Frenchs Forest area during the early part of the 19th century.

The Magazine Track

Bantry Bay

National park signage in Bantry Bay

The Magazine Track then continues around the southern end of Killarney Heights until it reaches the small Flat Rock Beach, which can only be accessed by hiking or by boat. Historically, the beach was a popular picnic area and was serviced by a ferry in the early 1900s. Today, there are no facilities, but it is the perfect spot for a quick dip, especially on a warm day like today. 

Behind the beach, the waters of Flat Rock Creek tumble down the escarpment in a number of interesting falls before entering the bay at the head of the beach.

Flat Rock Beach

Flat Rock Beach

Waterfalls above Flat Rock Beach

Sydney Red Gums above Flat Rock Beach

Above the falls is Killarney Drive, home to some sizeable properties, clearly worth a few dollars. There used to be a bush track that linked the beach to the nearby Davidson Reserve but it has been permanently closed since 2018, presumably because it passes through private property. Instead, Killarney Drive is the alternative route to the closed track. While walking along the road is not particularly interesting, there are some good views of Middle Harbour where the trees have been cleared (often illegally).

Views of Middle Harbour from Killarney Heights

Middle Harbour

We reached Downpatrick Road at the end of Killarney Drive and re-entered Garigal National Park, back on the Flat Rock Track once again. This takes you into Davidson Park Reserve, a large park on the banks of Middle Harbour. There are a couple of trails that start or end at Davidson Park Reserve, including the high-level Casuarina Track (covered in this hike) and the Lyrebird Track that follows the banks of Middle Harbour.

Davidson Park Reserve

The flat Lyrebird Track makes its way to Carroll Creek and has some nice views of Middle Harbvour Creek along the way. It reaches a meeting point with the Casuarina Track, Carroll Creek Track and the Govenor Phliipp Track, the latter forming part of the route of a 1788 expedition to find farmland for the new colony in Sydney. You can see what it's like by checking out this hike.

The Lyrebird Track

MIddle Harbour Creek

The Lyrebird Track

Middle Harbour Creek

Middle Harbour Creek

For us, we'd be heading in the opposite direction to Govenor Phillip and his party, alongside the quiet waters of Carroll Creek tumble over a pretty waterfall along the way. The trail ends at a fenced-off pipe bridge where some concrete steps and an access track climb to Ferguson Street and a national park depot. There is one final climb along Ferguson Street back into the heart of Forestville before we made it back to the beginning of our circuit. It has been a hot day so we were grateful for the supply of cold drinks from the nearby supermarket.

Carroll Creek

Carroll Creek

Carroll Creek

Carroll Creek

Some sandstone overhangs along the Carroll Creek Track

I'd highly recommend a visit to Garigal National Park, especially if you are looking for something a little quieter than typical haunts such as the Royal National Park or the Blue Mountains. Its proximity to Sydney's public transport makes any number of interesting routes possible, from circuits like this one to linear routes along Middle Harbour Creek.