Thornleigh to Hornsby 14-10-2023
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Route: Thornleigh Station, Eddy Street, Tillock Street, Great North Walk Track, Benowie Walking Track, The Jungo, Great North Walk, Elouera Lookout, Quarter Sessions Road, Dog Pound Creek Conservation Reserve, Wirrega Falls, Blue Gum Walk, The Spa, Fishponds Lookout, Rosemead Firetrail, Valley Road, Pretoria Parade, Florence Cotton Bushland Reserve, Lisgar Gardens, Lisgar Road, William Street, Hornsby Station
Date: 14/10/2023
From: Thornleigh
Parking: N/A
Start Point: Thornleigh Station
Finish Point: Hornsby Station
Region: Berowra Valley National Park
Route length: 16.4km
Time taken: 04:45
Average speed: 4.3km/h
Ascent: 595m
Descent: 568m
Points of Interest: Elouera Lookout, Blue Gum High Forest, The Spa, Lisgar Gardens
The Berowra Valley National Park is a sister to the larger Kuring-Gai Chase National Park. It is separated from its neighbour by the sinuous M1 Pacific Highway that carves a route north between Sydney and Newcastle. It encloses the waters of Berowra Creek, protecting them from sprawling development in northern Sydney and is home to a 25km section of the Great North Walk - the focal point of this hike.
The 250km Great North Walk runs between Sydney and Newcastle with the sections in and around Sydney being the most accessible, particularly by public transport. The myriad of bus stops and train stations means any number of one-way hikes can be concocted with this hike linking the station at Thornleigh to that in Hornsby via Berowra Creek and Waitara Creek.
It was a hot, sunny morning when I hopped off the train in Thornleigh, a suburb named after Constable John Thorn, who was awarded a large tract of land after apprehending two notorious bushrangers and leaders of the North Rocks Gang in 1830. The area's climate was ideal for growing fruit with the railways springing up to support the industry in the 1880s. While the climate is ideal for growing fruits, it makes for a hot day out.
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| From Thornleigh station, there are several Great North Walk markers to follow |
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| Only 217km to Newcastle... |
The Great North Walk follows the route of the old Thornleigh zigzag, a rail spur that was built to connect a local quarry used to extract stone to construct the railways. The zigzag was a form of switchback that allowed the trains to climb the relatively steep hill from the quarry, however, only minor fragments are visible today. The ‘Heritage Trail’ in Thornleigh has interpretive signs for the railway and the old Thornleigh Quarry.
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| Zig Zag Creek - the old rail line used to pass through this section |
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| Zigzag Creek |
There is a short section along the tarmacked Bellamy Street Cycleway before the Great North Walk breaks away and heads into the bush along the Benowie Walking Track, a simple path that runs through the bush. After 1.3km is The Jungo, a relatively small clearing and campsite near the junction of Berowra and Zigzag Creeks. Many people who thru-hike the Great North Walk will use the camping area at The Jungo.
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| Bellamy Trail crosses Zigzag Creek |
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| The beginning of the Benowie Walking Track |
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| The Benowie Walking Track |
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| The walking track close to The Jungo |
After crossing Berowra Creek, the Benowie Walking Track continues for another few kilometres, passing through some beautiful areas of Aussie bush before eventually climbing to Elouera Lookout. The lookout has some uninterrupted views from the clifftop across the Berowra Creek valley, which is rare for the area. The section of the fenced rock platform is around 100m long.
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| Schofield Trail |
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| A brief visit to Berowra Creek |
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| The Benowie Walking Track |
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| Climbing towards Elouera Lookout |
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| Elouera Lookout |
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| Berowra Creek valley |
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| The fenced lookout continues on and off for around 100m |
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| Views of the valley are rare in these parts |
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| The Benowie Walking Track continues |
A further 2.5km of hiking will get you as far as Quarter Sessions Road where there is a lookout and some Aboriginal engravings. The signposted site has a timber platform providing some filtered views across the valley. On the left side of the platform is a sandstone block with engraved images of two kangaroos (though they are difficult to make out in the bright sunlight).
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| Heading back down towards Berowra Creek |
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| Benowie Walking Track |
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| Benowie Walking Track |
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| The Western Trail leaving to Quarter Sessions Road |
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| Quarter Sessions Road lookout |
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| Berowra Valley |
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| The engraving site at Quarter Sessions Road - it's hard to make out the kangaroos |
After the lookout, I had intended to leave the Great North Walk to find a route to the Blue Gum Walk from Russell Crescent, however, the path marked on my map simply did not exist, despite my best attempts to find it. I was still keen to check out the nearby Blue Gum Forest so I decided to continue down Quarter Sessions Road and access the high forest through Dog Pound Creek. Even though it meant quite a bit of extra hiking, I'm glad I made it into the forest.
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| Entering the Blue Gum HIgh Forest |
Dog Pound Creek joins Larool Creek at Wirrega Falls, a small waterfall that can be accessed by a loose scramble down from the main Hornsby Link Track. From here, the track links up with Ginger Megs Trail, the Blue Gum Walk and eventually back to The Great North Walk - on the whole, a worthwhile diversion.
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| The top of Waitara Falls |
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| Waitara Falls |
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| Waitara Falls |
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| Waitara Creek |
The Great North Walk descends down a broad ridge towards Waitara Creek. There are a few interesting rock overhangs to negotiate before the track reaches The Spa, an interesting series of holes and channels in the rock that flow into a large pond. Short beyond The Spa is Fishponds Lookout, a fenced rock platform with filtered views over Fishponds, a large waterhole on Berowra Creek.
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| Back on the Great North Walk |
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| Heading down towards Berowra Creek |
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| Berowra Valley |
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| The Great North Walk track passes around some interesting overhanging rocks |
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| The intricate rocks at The Spa |
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| The Spa |
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| A resident Australian Water Dragon |
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| Australian Water Dragon |
After Fishponds the track turns back on itself and leads to Rosemead Fire Trail and Valley Road at the foot of Florence Cotton Reserve. There is a steep climb up Pretoria Parade to Pinera Close where there is an entry into the reserve. More steps lead back down to the creek.
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| Blue Gum Walk |
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| On the Rosemead Firetrail |
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| Entering Florence Cotton Bushland Reserve |
The reserve is a valuable piece of remnant urban bushland and provides a link along Jimmy Bancks Creek to Lisgar Gardens. The terraced Lisgard Gardens were once privately owned by Dr Max Cotton who created the gardens but they are now owned and maintained by Hornsby Council. The beautiful terraced garden is renowned for its array of camellias, which have been internationally recognised. Approaching the garden, you'll experience the strangeness of mossy streetlamps appearing within the Aussie bush.
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| Jimmy Bancks Creek |
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| Jimmy Bancks Creek |
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| Steps lead away from the creek to Lisgar Gardens |
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| A small, artificial waterfall |
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| Lisgar Gardens |
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| Lisgar Gardens |
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| Lisgar Gardens |
Lisgar Road and Williams Street provide a means to get to Hornsby Station to complete this hike. I also had my first experience being swooped by one of the local Australian magpies. Swooping season occurs during the spring when the magpies will defend their nests, chicks and surrounding territory by swooping down with a fast warning flight, occasionally making contact. While surprising, they rarely cause any harm.
The rest of the hike was uneventful though it was a hot, busy train ride back to Sydney. I'm fortunate that Sydney is surrounded by some seriously beautiful bushwalks, even within the city limits. The glorious national parks surrounding Sydney mean many of the tracks are practically on my doorstep.
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