Mount Keira City-to-Summit

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Route: Wollongong Botanic Gardens, Robsons Road, Ken Ausburn Track, Mount Pleseant Management Trail, Mount Keira Road, West Mount Keira, Dave Walsh's Track, Mount Keira Summit, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Mount Keira Ring Track, Mount Pleasant Track, Uni Track, Wollongong Botanic Gardens

Date: 11/02/2023
From: Wollongong Botanic Garden

Parking: Murphys Avenue
Start Point: Wollongong Botanic Garden
Finish Point: Wollongong Botanic Garden
Region: Illawarra Escarpment State Conservation Area

Route length: 10.2km
Time taken: 03:23
Average speed: 4.1km/h
Ascent: 518m
Descent: 517m

Points of Interest: Mount Keira

I decided to head south of Sydney for this hike, casting my eye towards the imposing Illawarra escarpment and Mount Keira, an iconic peak that stands over 400m above the city of Wollongong. There are plenty of trails on and around Mount Keira, the most famous being the Ring Walk, a path that circumnavigates the slopes below the summit. The summit features an expansive lookout so I concocted a route that visited the highlights.

I began this city-to-summit hike in the expanse of the Botanical Gardens of Wollongong, located close to the university. This seemed fitting as the Mount Keira lookout is technically part of the Botanic Gardens. The collections include Australian arid plants, the rainforest collection and the impressive rose garden. I made my way through the park to its north-western corner at Robinson Road. Behind the roundabout, through an inauspicious chain link fence, is the Ken Ausburn Track.

The Duck Pond - Mount Keira rises in the background

The Rose Garden

Kawasaki Bridge

The track, named after university professor Dr Kenneth J Ausburn, climbs up a steep grass slope behind a block of houses until it reaches a section of wooden steps. Following is a short, level path to an open grass area, home to the Lawrence Hargrave Memorial Sculpture. The steel 'winged figure' was created in the late 1980s by Herbert "Bert" Flugelman and forms part of the University of Wollongong Art Collection.

Steps on the Ken Ausburn Track

The winged figure

The clearing around the winged figure

Following the winged figure, the Ken Ausburn Track heads back into the bush and climbs further still. Historically, the area was used for coal mining and, as you reach a T-intersection with a fire trail, you will pass a large brick ventilation shaft left over from the mining era, used to ventilate the Kemira Colliery.

Ken Ausburn Track heading for Mount Keira

Ken Ausburn Track

The Kemira Colliery vent 

Turning left onto the fire trail leads to a small car park at Geordies Flat. From here you can head south onto the Mount Keira Ring Track or follow the road a short distance to find one of the many trails that cross Mount Keira's western slopes. I followed one of these through the bush but, be aware that downhill mountain bikes also use these trails so keep your eyes and ears out for their approach. They are very shaded also, which was welcome given the high temperatures on this day.

Much of the climb to Mount Keira is in the shade

Rainforest on the slopes of Mount Keira

Heading for Dave Walsh's Track

Most of the trails on the western side of Mount Keira eventually meet Dave Walsh's Track, a direct route to Mount Keira's summit. The path climbs through some varied vegetation to the base of a large rock outcrop that forms Mount Keiras South Face before winding through the rocks towards the southern end of Mount Keira Summit Park. Above the outcrop are a couple of spectacular lookouts with expansive views along the Illawarra Escarpment to the southwest.

Views from Mount Kiera's south face

Mount Kembla

This lookout has wonderful view over the city of Wollongong

The city of Wollongong

Port Kembla

It's only a short distance from these lookouts to the summit of Mount Keira, home to a large car park, toilets a cafe and a large lookout platform. The Victoria Lookout has a view over the city of Wollongong and along the escarpment to the northeast. It is thought that the first lookout was built in 1908, however, the current arrangement was established by the Rotary Club in the 1950s and refurbished in the early 2000s.

Victoria Lookout

Looking north along the Illawarra Escarpment

Wollongong

Wollongong and Port Kembla

Wollongong Head Lighthouse

As for Mount Keira itself, the mountain is spiritually significant to the Dharawal people and whose story is tied to the creation of the Five Islands that sit just off the coast of Wollongong. There is an interpretive lookout nearby, but the actual viewpoint has been closed due to the risk of rock falls. 

The symbolic sculptures at Five Islands Lookout

After taking a break at the cafe, having worked up a sweat on the climb from the city, it was time to seek out the Ring Track and begin my descent back to the Botanic Gardens. From the summit, I followed Queen Elizabeth Drive downhill to a small parking area next to the Ring Track and entered the bush. Initially, the Ring Track descends fairly gently until it reaches some steep steps. These look to have been recently constructed to replace those lost during a landslide. 

On the the Keira Ring Track

Steps (in the shade) descend a steep section that has recently been repaired after a landslip

The wooden steps of the keira Ring Walk

Various tracks make their way down the slopes of Mount Keira, including the Mount Pleasant Track and the Uni Track. As before, both are also used by mountain bikers so keep an eye out for them (I did not see any during my visit). Also, note that the Mount Pleasant Management Trail is very overgrown in places so you may wish to avoid it.

The Ring Walk

There are several open areas along the Ring Walk

Crossing a small stream where the bridge has been damaged

The Uni Track

Mount Keira

The Uni Track emerges at O'Leary Road outside the University of Wollongong, only a short distance from the start point of the Ken Ausburn Track. I re-entered the Botanic Gardens from the entrance off Northfields Avenue where there are several more interesting collections, including the cactus house and the sandstone collection. Having the car parked on the opposite side of the Botanic Garden gave me the opportunity to wander through at my leisure.

The cactus house 

Sandstone collection

Australian arid collection

The Fig Lawn

On the way back from Wollongong, I passed the lookout at Sublime Point so I opted for a quick stop having never visited before. I'm glad I did as the view from the point is spectacular. While the subject area is similar to Mount Kiera, the lookout feels far higher, perched on the edge of the imposing escarpment.

Wollongong from Sublime Point

Sandon Point

Mount Keira and Mount Kembla

Sublime Point