This pleasant walk starts at the bottom of Eastern Arterial Road (near the speed camera) and follows the service trails and bush tracks into Garigal National Park and down the side of the valley to Middle Harbour Creek. From here the track follows Middle Harbour Creek north to the pipe bridge, and along the Bungaroo bush track and the pipeline service trail as it climbs up to St Ives. Let us begin by acknowledging the Darug people, Traditional Custodians of the land on which we travel today, and pay our respects to their Elders past and present.
Start of the Gordon Creek service trail. | Photo by admin, 2009.Climbing up through the bush. | Photo by admin, 2009.Following the management trail. | Photo by admin, 2009.Climbing up the rough bushtrack. | Photo by admin, 2009.Continuing along the trail behind the houses. | Photo by admin, 2009.Heading through the bush. | Photo by admin, 2009.Start of the bushtrack. | Photo by admin, 2009.Looking up the hill. | Photo by admin, 2009.Track dividing the burnt and unburnt bushland. | Photo by admin, 2009.Down the rocky hill. | Photo by admin, 2009.Middle Harbour Creek. | Photo by admin, 2009.Alongside Middle Harbour Creek. | Photo by admin, 2009.Through the bush. | Photo by admin, 2009.Along the side of the hill. | Photo by admin, 2009.Continuing through the bush. | Photo by admin, 2009.Crossing Rocky Creek. | Photo by admin, 2009.Through the bush. | Photo by admin, 2009.Crossing under the pipeline. | Photo by admin, 2009.Following the bushtrack. | Photo by admin, 2009.Through the bush beside the creek. | Photo by admin, 2009.Crossing over a fallen tree. | Photo by admin, 2009.Following the creek. | Photo by admin, 2009.Steps at the bottom of the Bungaroo track. | Photo by admin, 2009.Stepping stones across Middle Harbour Creek. | Photo by admin, 2009.Bungaroo Track. | Photo by admin, 2009.Hole in the rock on the Bungaroo track. | Photo by admin, 2009.Heading up the rocky bushtrack. | Photo by admin, 2009.climbing up some steps. | Photo by admin, 2007.One of several view points on the Bungaroo track. | Photo by admin, 2009.Steps on Bungaroo track. | Photo by admin, 2007.Following the Baungaroo Track. | Photo by admin, 2009.Top of Bungaroo track. | Photo by admin, 2009.Top of Bungaroo track at pipeline. | Photo by admin, 2009.Service trail along pipeline track. | Photo by admin, 2009.Pipeline at top of Founders way track. | Photo by admin, 2009.Heading behind some houses. | Photo by admin, 2009.Through the bush. | Photo by admin, 2009.Heading up to Hunter Avenue. | Photo by admin, 2009.top of the pipeline. | Photo by admin, 2009.
Warning This journey requires significant bushwalking experience, specialised equipment and navigation skills. Please ensure you and your group well prepared and equiped for this journey.
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Safer Bushwalks
Tips on staying safe on track
Before you start any bushwalk ensure you;
• Tell someone you trust where you are going and what to do if you are overdue
• Have adequate equipment, supplies, skills & knowledge for the whole journey
• Consider the impact of weather forecasts, park/track closures & fire dangers
• Can respond to emergencies & call for help at any point
• Are healthy and fit enough for this journey
If not, change plans and stay safe. It is okay to delay and ask people for help.
Getting started From Eastern Arterial Rd at the bottom of the hill near the speed camera (approximately 300m south of Nicholson Ave), this walk passes the 'Bushranger Reserve' sign and heads through the metal gate. The walk follows the grassy trail up the hill and through the dense bush, undulating gently as it steadily climbs the side of the valley. The walk passes an intersection with an overgrown trail (downhill on the left) and continues for a while to the end of the management trail. ....
Turn map
Directions & comments
Start.
After 35 m head through/around the gate.
After another 75 m continue straight.
After another 750 m continue straight.
After another 710 m veer left.
After another 660 m continue straight.
After another 25 m continue straight.
After another 580 m turn sharp left.
After another 1.2 km continue straight.
After another 50 m find the "Pipeline" (on your left).
Pipeline
Pipeline
This pipeline is unearthed at Hunter Street, St Ives, and travels through Garigal National Park, across Middle Harbour Creek to John Oxley Drive, Sorlie. The pipe carries water under pressure From Ryde to Pymble to the reservoir at Beacon Hill. The old smaller-capacity pipe can still be seen running parallel to the larger pipe.
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This pipeline is unearthed at Hunter Street, St Ives, and travels through Garigal National Park, across Middle Harbour Creek to John Oxley Drive, Sorlie. The pipe carries water under pressure From Ryde to Pymble to the reservoir at Beacon Hill. The old smaller-capacity pipe can still be seen running parallel to the larger pipe.
The starting point of an optional sidetrip. An optional side trip to Int of Gov. Phillip and Bungaroo tracks. To start this optional side trip continue straight here. On returning from this side trip turn sharp right when you get back to this intersection. Details below.
After another 390 m turn sharp left, to head along Bungaroo Track.
After another 1.3 km (at the intersection of Pipeline track & Bungaroo Track) veer right, to head along Pipeline track (a vehicle track).
After another 45 m continue straight, to head along Pipeline track.
After another 115 m continue straight.
After another 590 m pass the "Barra Brui Reserve" (15 m on your left).
An optional side trip to Int of Gov. Phillip and Bungaroo tracks.
Turn map
Directions & comments
Start heading along Bungaroo Track.
After another 200 m come to the end.
About 20 m past the end is "Bungaroo".
Bungaroo
Bungaroo
Governor Arthur Phillip (first governor of NSW) described this section of the river as where "the flowing of the tide ceased". Phillip and his party of nine camped here in 1788 whilst looking for land suitable for farming. John White (Surgeon General) described the the area as "the most desert, wild and solitary seclusion that the imagination can form any idea of". Over the past 200 years the river has changed, but somewhere not far upstream of the stepping stone is Bungaroo.
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Governor Arthur Phillip (first governor of NSW) described this section of the river as where "the flowing of the tide ceased". Phillip and his party of nine camped here in 1788 whilst looking for land suitable for farming. John White (Surgeon General) described the the area as "the most desert, wild and solitary seclusion that the imagination can form any idea of". Over the past 200 years the river has changed, but somewhere not far upstream of the stepping stone is Bungaroo.
Turn around and retrace your steps back the 200 m to the main route.
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Terrain
Know the Hills, grading & facilities
Killara to St Ives via Rocky Creek
Grading
Class 5/6
Very challenging
Length
6.8 km
Time
2 h 45 min to 3 h
Quality of track
Rough unclear track (5/6)
Gradient
Very steep (4/6)
Signage
Directional signs along the way (3/6)
Infrastructure
Limited facilities, not all cliffs are fenced (3/6)
Experience Required
Some bushwalking experience recommended (3/6)
Weather
Weather generally has little impact on safety (1/6)