The section through Fairyland is a highlight of the trail, tracing the tranquil riverbank to the site of the historic Fairyland Pleasure Grounds, originally known as "The Rest". Established in 1920 by the Swan family, this peaceful clearing once echoed with music and laughter as families arrived by river launch to dance, swing, and picnic by the water. While nature has reclaimed most of the grounds, careful observers can still spot mossy concrete steps, old footings, and stone foundations hidden in the ferny undergrowth, with excellent interpretive signs revealing what the bustling park looked like a century ago.
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| There are plenty of signs along the Fairyland Track |
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| The old boat landing at Fairyland |
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| The ubiquitous Great North Walk markers |
Lane Cove River Weir
A brief road connection links the Fairyland Track to the main visitor precinct at Riverside Drive, where the trail reaches the historic Lane Cove River Weir. Constructed in 1938 as a Great Depression relief project, the weir was built to create a tranquil freshwater lake for picnicking and rowing—a tradition that continues today at the nearby historic Lane Cove Boatshed. While the dam transformed local recreation, it abruptly blocked the river's flow, leading to silting issues and disrupting native aquatic life. To remedy this, a vertical-slot fish ladder was installed, allowing migratory native species to bypass the barrier. When water levels are normal, walking directly across the concrete causeway over the weir offers a seamless—and scenic—river crossing.
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| Koonjeree Picnic Area |
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| Lane Cove River Weir |
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| Lane Cove River |
The precinct is a popular hub for weekend visitors, packed with grassy picnic flats, a café, and drinking water refills—making it the perfect mid-hike pitstop to top up water bottles or grab a sugary snack. From here, parallel tracks trace the river north toward De Burghs Bridge, five kilometres upstream: the Riverside Walking Track along the western bank and the Great North Walk along the eastern bank. For purists tackling the official Great North Walk, the true route sticks strictly to the eastern shore.
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| Jenkins Kitchen |
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| The NPWS Area office |
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| Max Allen Road |
The track climbs away from the road initially, merging into a wider management trail before dropping back to the riverbank, heading toward Blue Hole and Fiddens Wharf. It's a beautiful section of the Lane Cove River.
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| Lane Cove Valley Walk |
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| Lane Cove Valley Walk |
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| Lane Cove River |
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| Lane Cove River |
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| Lane Cove River |
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| Lane Cove River |
Beyond Fiddens Wharf, the walk grows increasingly rugged and varied, dipping through moist, fern-filled gullies, negotiating small stepping-stone creek crossings, and hugging narrow, unfenced ledges high above the water. Following the river's upper reaches, the path weaves beneath a series of towering sandstone overhangs—carved out by millions of years of weathering—before emerging within sight of De Burghs Bridge. Soaring high above the tree canopy, this major arterial road carries the A3 Ryde Road across the valley, marking a dramatic transition back to civilisation.
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| More GNW signage |
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| Lane Cove Valley Walk |
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| Lane Cove Valley Walk |
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| Lane Cove Valley Walk |
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| Lane Cove Valley Walk as it passes beneath the overhangs |
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| Blackbutt Creek |
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| Blackbutt Creek |
Passing right underneath the concrete arches of De Burghs Bridge, the Great North Walk leaves the river behind for a steady uphill climb. The humid creekside greenery quickly transitions into a drier open eucalypt woodland, characterised by smooth-barked apple trees and stubborn stands of grasstrees.
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| De Burghs Bridge |
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| Lane Cove Valley |
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| Lane Cove Valley Walk |
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| Lane Cove Valley Walk |
The next few kilometres take on a quieter character compared to the lower reaches of the river. Descending from Rudder Creek along a rocky path, occasional clearings offer sweeping views across the valley before the route crosses Quarry Creek and briefly joins the Gloucester Avenue fire trail. Dipping back onto the Valley Walk, the trail crosses Congham Creek via small timber bridges, briefly skirting suburban boundaries while keeping a firm foothold in the native bushland.
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| Lane Cove Valley Walk |
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| Quarry Creek |
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| Lane Cove Valley Walk |
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| Congham Creek |
Descending toward Avondale Creek, the path opens onto a sandy river beach and shallow ford that feel surprisingly remote. Crossing the creek, the track continues along the valley floor before joining the paved shared path down to Browns Waterhole—a famous local landmark named after 19th-century timber merchant John Brown, whose bullock teams once camped here. Today, the broad concrete causeway crossing the wide, tranquil river pool serves as a popular link connecting South Turramurra to Macquarie Park.
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| Lane Cove Valley Walk |
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| Browns Waterhole (or close to it) |
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| Directional signage |
Upstream from Browns Waterhole, the trail follows the Step Track, named after the local conservation group that helped save this upper valley from development in the 1970s. Passing the distinctive overhang of Whale Rock, the path crosses the river several times via rocky stepping-stone fords before reaching Conscript Pass. Here, Depression-era relief workers in 1932 hand-chiselled a staircase straight through the sandstone cliff face, leaving behind rock carvings of "CONSCRIPT PASS" and a caricature of NSW Premier Bertram Stevens.
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| Step Track |
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| Step Track |
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| Lane Cove River |
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| Step Track |
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| Lane Cove River |
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| Lane Cove River |
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| Lane Cove River |
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| Conscript Pass |
Climbing through Conscript Pass and continuing up through Lorna Pass, the track leaves the river behind and reaches the boundary of the historic Baden-Powell Scout Centre—a popular overnight camp spot for end-to-end Great North Walkers. From here, the bush gives way to Thornleigh Oval and suburban streets. Crossing Pennant Hills Road via the footbridge, I reached Thornleigh Station—closing out an incredible 20+ km hike through the heart of the Lane Cove Valley.
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| Log book at Lorna Pass |
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| Steps of Lorna Pass |
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| Signage at the top of Lorna Pass |
Stepping onto the platform at Thornleigh, it felt good to tick another solid chunk off the Great North Walk logbook. From the mangrove mudflats near Hunters Hill to the historic hand-carved stone steps of Conscript Pass, this section offers a surprisingly rich slice of history and bushland right under the nose of suburban Sydney.
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