|
|
Bushwalking Royal National ParkQuick Links: Helpful Hints - Track Notes - Hazards - Low Impact Bushwalking Remember you take personal responsibility for the use of any information on this website. IntroductionThere are 7 easy day walks described in Royal National Park ranging from a gentle walk down to the beach at Wattamolla of about 500 metres to walks of just over 5 km. Map1:30 000 CMA Royal National Park (also containsHeathcote National Park and Garawarra Easy Day Walks in Royal National Park5. Walumarra Track to Bola Creek 6. Mt Bass Fire Trail via Anice Falls Helpful HintsThe three main access points of Bundeena, Wattamolla and Audley are very busy on most weekends, especially during the warmer months. Car parking is often at a premium. If possible avoid taking a car or arrive early! There is a toll booth to pass through on entry to the park with a fee of $13 per day. If using the park frequently you may want to consider a parks pass. Rangers do patrol the park and frequently issue a notice of payment if you do not display either a pass or day ticket. Track Notes1. Walk to Wattamolla Beach - 500 m returnRating: easy This is a short walk that gives access to the beach and lagoon at Wattamolla. There is no public transport to Wattamolla. Access: by road. Take the Farnell Ave turnoff from the Princes Hwy at Loftus, drive through park entrance, and continue down the hill and pass the Audley Weir. Continue uphill and follow the road for a further 10 kms or so until you reach the turn off to Wattamolla. It is the next turnoff on the left after Bundeena. Follow this road until it comes to an end and park in the carpark. There are gas BBQ's and picnic tables adjacent to the carpark. The track down to the beach is well formed and marked. It will also give access to the lagoon. The beach is not patrolled so be careful if swimming.
2. Wattamolla to Curracorong - 5.6 km return (with side trips allow 4 hrs)Wattamolla to Curracorang Cove - 3 kms returnRating: easy This is a great track for walking on top of large sandstone cliffs, views to Wollongong, whale watching in the cooler months, viewing wildflowers and two waterfalls, one of which has a great swimming hole. There is no public transport to Wattamolla. Access: by road. Take the Farnell Ave turnoff from the Princes Hwy at Loftus, drive through park entrance, and continue down the hill and pass the Audley Weir. Continue uphill and follow the road for a further 10kms or so until you reach the turn off to Wattamolla. It is the next one on the left after the turnoff to Bundeena which you will come to first. Follow this road until it comes to an end and park in the top carpark which is the closest access point to the track head. Head uphill along the the wide track and veer right at the water tanks. As you reach the top of the hill you will be rewarded with spectacular views to Curracorang Cove (not to be confused with Curracorong Creek and falls) and further to Wollongong. Follow the track down until you reach the the tops of the cliffs. Take extreme caution here as there are no guard rails. These cliffs provide a great vantage point for whale and dolphin watching in the cooler months during the whales' annual migration. You will see several track posts which will guide you down to Curracorang Cove and creek. Cross the creek and follow the track uphill. The track here roughly follows a gully uphill. When nearly at the top a small bridge crosses this gully and you'll soon come to a series of metal walkways which lead you up to cross over the next headland. As you reach the top, the cliffs come into view again and as you descend you will see Curracorong Falls which cascade over the top of the cliffs straight into the sea. Eagle Rock can be seen just off the track to your left, near the falls but is better viewed from the southern side of the creek looking back. For better photographs of the falls this walk is best done in the morning as the cliffs cast dark shadows over the falls in the afternoon. After viewing the falls you will have two options. You could continue to Garie Beach which is another 5 kms further down the coast or return to Curracurrang Cove to view another beautiful little waterfall and swimming hole. If choosing the second option retrace your steps to Curracorang Cove. Cross over to the north side of the creek and follow a rough track up the creek until you come to a large sandstone overhang. (Look out for swamp wallabies in the early morning and late afternoon along here.) A little further on is a beautiful clear swimming hole with a small waterfall cascading into it. This is a great place to spend time on a warm day. (The waterfall can be dry at the end of summer/early autumn.) From here retrace your steps across the cliffs and back to the carpark.
3. Walk to Jibbon Head - 2 kms return (1 hr)Rating: easy This is one of the best walks in the park for views over Pt Hacking and to experience Aboriginal engravings done by the Dharawal people. It is easy and suitable for families, including younger children. This walk is accessible by public transport and by car. Access: If catching the ferry from Cronulla to Bundeena turn left after leaving the wharf and walk uphill on Loftus St. Turn left again into The Avenue but veer right as it then becomes the Lambeth Walk. Just before it veers to the right and turns uphill again, you will see a walkway to the left which runs past houses with a sign which says Jibbon Beach. If driving you will need to park near the access sign to the beach. Walk along the beach in an easterly direction until you come to the end and you will pick up a track which will lead you directly to the Aboriginal engravings. Along the way you may see many Golden Orbweaver spiders in their huge webs strung between trees. These are harmless, so do not harm them, just admire them for their beauty. There are interpretive signs along the way which give information on the Dharawal Aboriginal people. The engraving site is only about 400 metres from the beach.. It is easy to overshoot the mark so be on the lookout for the large sign which explains the significance of the engravings. Be careful not to walk on the actual engravings. Return via the same track. The beach is a great place to relax or have a picnic and make a day of it.
4. Forest Path Walk - 5 km return (allow 2 hrs with sidetrip to the Hacking River)Rating: easy This is a lovely circuit walk, which provides walking through rainforest, eucalypt forest and along 2 waterways - Bola Creek and the upper reaches of the Hacking River. It starts at the Southern end of Lady Carrington Drive. Access:The easiest access point is via McKell Ave, near Waterfall Station. After crossing the bridge over the Hacking River turn left and after a km or so up the hill you will have reached the carpark at the southern end of Lady Carrington Drive. Walk down the drive. You will pass the Walumarra Track on your right. Just before you cross the bridge over Bola Creek, take the path to the left and you will be on the Forest Path Track. Pause here for a short while and you may be lucky enough to hear (and see) lyrebirds. The track goes through beautiful, cool rainforest along Bola Creek, with ferns, lianas, palms and larger trees. As Bola Creek joins the Hacking River, it veers to the left. A more open forest type of smooth-barked apple, gymea lilies and casuarinas replaces the rainforest as you ascend slightly. You will come to a track junction with Couranga Track, which if you have time is worth the extra 200 m down to have a break on the banks of the Upper Hacking River. Retrace your steps until you reach the Forest Path Track. It is a further 700 m walk back to the carpark.
5.Walumarra Track to Bola Creek
|
|
A group of walkers crossing over Bola Creek |
 Twining vine in the rainforest along Bola Creek. |
|
Magnificent banksias growing in the heath on the Walumurra Track, before it descends to Bola Creek. It is not uncommon to find 5 different species of banksias in this area. |
 |
Rating:Easy/medium (there is a short but steep rise coming back up from South West Arm Ck which is a bit rough)
This is one of my favourite short walks. I usually see swamp wallabies, various lizards, great wildflowers and have a swim in warmer weather in the rockpools near the falls. It's also a quieter walk as not so many people use it.
There is no public transport to this track..
Access: by road. Take the Farnell Ave turnoff from the Princes Hwy at Loftus, drive through park entrance, and continue down the hill and pass the Audley Weir. Continue uphill and follow the road for a further 8kms or so until you reach the turn off to Bundeena. Follow this road for about 2.5 km until you see the Mt Bass Trail sign on your left. Park the car here.
The fire trail is wide at this point and goes through great heath country. On a clear day you will be able to see the Hacking River and the skyscrapers of Sydney city. The track skirts around a low rock formation before it descends slightly and the track becomes narrower. It will join a track junction with a sign which points off to Anice Falls, which is a short distance away. These falls drop off a high sandstone cliff into a gully below. There is no guard-rail here so be very careful.
Retrace your steps back to the track junction and this time, continue ahead. There are some lovely persoonias along this part of the track as well as smooth-barked apples (also known as Sydney red-gums or Angophora costata). The track then follows along the creek gorge of South West Arm Ck. It eventually descends down to the creek itself via a steep rocky path.
Take care crossing the creek. You will then pick up a track which follows the creek down to Winifred Falls. The Falls are best after good rains. There are good swimming holes above the falls. In summer look out for Christmas bell flowers along the creek.
Retrace your steps back to the Anice Falls sign, but this time, turn right. Continue until you reach the carpark.
|
Beautiful Winifred Falls after good rain.
|
 |
Rating: easy/medium
Access: By train or car to Heathcote Station. Leave on the eastern side of the station (there is a carpark here as well) and then proceed to a fire trail which starts between the Fire Control Centre and Heathcote Oval. The track begins a short way along the fire trail.
The track descends slightly until it reaches Heathcote Brook after which large slabs of sandstone rock and wet flowering heaths are walked through. The track continues above the Heathcote Creek gully until it reaches the end of the ridge. From here it descends down to where Heathcote Brook and Kangaroo Creek join. This is where you will find the beautiful Karloo Pools which is a great way to cool down after a walk.
Exploring upstream along Kangaroo Creek is worthwhile. Retrace your steps back to Heathcote Station.
 |
|
| Karloo Pools at the junction of Heathcote Brook and Kangaroo Creek - great swimming hole! |
The upper reaches of Kangaroo Creek |
© 2006 - Sharon Fulcher - WalksAustralia.com
