Hornsby to Brooklyn three day walk
Download & Print Map and Notes3 Days
2695 m
Hard track
(0km) Hornsby Train Station → Int of Quarry Road and Great North Walk
720 m
14 mins
8m
-34m
Easy track
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows Quarry Road down the gentle hill, leaving the houses[11][12] behind to come to an intersection with a track, signposted with a ‘Great North Walk’ sign[13] (on your left).
(0.72km) Int of Quarry Road and Great North Walk → Berowra Valley Bushland Park
540 m
14 mins
12m
-89m
Hard track
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the ‘Great North Walk’ sign[16] down the steep rock steps[17]. The walk winds steeply down a number of sets of stone steps, passing some large rock walls for a bit over 100m, to find a welcome flat section of track[18] midway the hill. As the track leads past some houses (through the trees on your left), this walk heads down more steps[19] before coming to the open area of ‘Berowra Valley Bushland Park’[20][21], at the end of Rosemead Road[22].
Berowra Valley Bushland Park
(1.26km) Berowra Valley Bushland Park → Int of Blue Gum Walk and Joes Mountain Service Trail
890 m
20 mins
45m
-39m
Moderate track
Veer right: From the intersection, this walk heads downhill along the wide rocky management trail[35] as it bends left (and passing some houses off to the left). The trail then bends right[36] and leads across Old Mans Creek using some concrete stepping stones[37]. The walk then continues by heading up the moderately steep hill and then through a thick blue gum and bracken fern forest[38]. The wide trail leads to the top of the hill then bends left, (ignoring the track on the right[39]) to pass over a saddle[40]. Here the trail leads down the gentle hill[41], through the turpentine forest for just over 300m to find an intersection with narrower track on the right, marked with arrow posts[42].
(2.15km) Int of Blue Gum Walk and Joes Mountain Service Trail → Int of Great North Walk and Manor Rd Bushtrack
30 m
1 mins
0m
-3m
Easy track
(2.18km) Int of Great North Walk and Manor Rd Bushtrack → Fishponds crossing
340 m
8 mins
3m
-40m
Moderate track
Turn right: From the lookout[51], this walk follows the ‘Galston Gorge’ sign[52] along the fenced rock shelf (keeping the fence to your left). The track leads down the rocky steps to the edge of Berowra Creek[53]. The walk crosses the creek using the stepping stones, and comes to a small cave[54] on the other side. This creek may be impassable after rain[55]. At the end of this side trip, retrace your steps back to the main walk then Veer left.
Fishponds
(2.18km) Int of GNW and Manor Rd Bushtrack → Corner of Dilkera and Manor Rd
230 m
13 mins
95m
0m
Moderate track
(2.4km) Corner of Dilkera and Manor Rd → End of Clarinda St
1.7 km
31 mins
36m
-49m
Easy track
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk heads north along Rosamond St following the Great North Walk arrow. The walk then turns left into Clarinda St and follows it to the end of the road, to find the ‘Clarinda Wetlands’ sign.
(4.06km) End of Clarinda St → Int of Clarinda St trail and waterfall track
1.1 km
24 mins
51m
-66m
Easy track
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the flat management trail, heading away from Simon Place past the ‘Berowra Valley Regional Park’, ‘Dogs Prohibited’ sign[63]. The walk gently meanders along the trail, enjoying the ferns and sandstone rocks for a while until coming to a ‘Great North Walk’ sign[64] highlighting the intersection with small track on the left.
(5.14km) Int of Clarinda St and waterfall track → Int of Stewart Ave service trail and waterfall track
470 m
13 mins
9m
-98m
Moderate track
Turn left: From the waterfall, this walk climbs the stone stairs (keeping the waterfall initially on the left) and then turns right, heading up out of the gully. Once at the top of the stairs, the walk heads through the bush until soon coming to a ‘T’ intersection with the Stewart St management trail, signposted with a large ‘Great North Walk’ sign[66].
(5.61km) Int of Stewart Ave service trail and waterfall track → Steele Bridge
400 m
8 mins
5m
-29m
Easy track
Historic Military ‘Steele’ Bridge
(6km) Steele Bridge → Tunks Ridge Rest Area
1.8 km
44 mins
160m
-33m
Hard track
Tunks Ridge Rest Area
(7.78km) Tunks Ridge Rest Area → Int of Great North Walk and Galston Gorge track
1.4 km
28 mins
38m
-68m
Moderate track
Top of Galston Gorge Campsite
(9.14km) Int of Great North Walk and Galston Gorge track → Galston Gorge track head
550 m
16 mins
14m
-119m
Hard track
Galston Gorge track head
(9.68km) Galston Gorge track head → Unnamed Falls
1.3 km
41 mins
161m
-109m
Moderate track
(10.95km) Unnamed Falls → Berowra Creek campsite track
3.4 km
1 hr 28 mins
217m
-297m
Hard track
Berowra Creek campsite
(14.38km) Berowra Creek campsite track → Crosslands southern toilet block
1.4 km
33 mins
85m
-84m
Moderate track
Crosslands Campsite
(15.74km) Crosslands southern toilet block → Crosslands Carpark
340 m
5 mins
2m
-5m
Very easy
Crosslands
End of day 1
(16.07km) Crosslands Carpark → Northern end of Crosslands carpark
250 m
4 mins
1m
0m
Very easy
(16.32km) Northern end of Crosslands Carpark → Crosslands North
260 m
4 mins
1m
-2m
Very easy
Crosslands North Picnic area
(16.58km) Crosslands North → Estuaries viewing platform int.
220 m
4 mins
7m
-5m
Very easy
Berowra Creek (Estuarie) Lookout
(16.8km) Estuaries viewing platform → Calna Creek Bridge intersection
780 m
20 mins
54m
-57m
Moderate track
Continue straight: From the ridge line, this walk follows the GNW arrow east downhill, initially keeping the ‘Stop! Look! Listen! and Smell!’ information sign[242] on your right. The track bends left and follows the timber steps[243] as the track winds steeply down the side of the hill. Near the bottom of the hill, the track passes a ‘Rock n Roll’ information sign[244] then comes to a long, metal footbridge[245]. The walk crosses the bridge over Calna Creek and comes to a signposted intersection, with a ‘Fragile Marsh’ information sign[246]
(17.58km) Calna Creek Bridge intersection → Sams Creek Ridge Clearing
1.1 km
27 mins
67m
-58m
Moderate track
(18.73km) Sams Creek ridge clearing → Sams Creek Crossing
500 m
11 mins
20m
-23m
Moderate track
(19.23km) Sams Creek Crossing → Int of Great North Walk and Berowra Link tracks
670 m
30 mins
181m
-44m
Hard track
(19.9km) Int of Great North Walk and Berowra Link tracks → Int of Naa Badu Lookout
260 m
7 mins
19m
-22m
Easy track
Naa Badu Lookout
(20.16km) Int of Naa Badu Lookout → Int of Great North Walk and Berkeley Close service trail
540 m
11 mins
16m
-26m
Moderate track
Continue straight: From the intersection, the walk follows the wide trail gently downhill as it bends right[279], keeping the valley to your left. After about 140m, the trail narrows a bit, leading down a few short but steeper sections[280] to an intersection (with some steps[281] on your left), where a ‘The Great North Walk’ sign[282] points back up along the trail.
(20.71km) Int of Great North Walk and Berkeley Close service trail → Washtub Gully Creek
1.9 km
51 mins
109m
-232m
Hard track
Turn left : From the intersection, this walk follows the GNW arrow post north-west down the sandy track[297], directly towards the valley. The track soon becomes rocky[298] and leads fairly steeply down the hill for about 150m before mostly flattening out and coming close to the top of an unfenced cliff with good views over Berowra Creek[299]. Here the rocky track continues more gently down along the top of the ridge[300] for about 200m and comes to a large rock platform[301]. This walk veers right to lead down the gap in the rock[302][303], climbing down some steel pegs[304] to where the track flattens out again[305]. The track leads across the saddle[306] for about 60m then veers left and follows along the base of a long rock wall[307] (on your right). Here the track leads down around the side of the ridge for just over 400m, passing some unfenced views for rock platforms[308][309][310] then down some sandstone steps[311] to find a tall sandstone overhang[312] with a timber seat[313]. From this cave, this walk continues along the base of the rock wall[314], and soon bends left and winds fairly steeply down a series of rock[315] and timber steps[316] to come to the edge of Berowra Creek (where there is a ‘no wash’ sign[317][318] facing the water from the rock platform). The track leads along the shore line for a short time to head onto the rock platform[319][320] in Washtub Gully.
(22.59km) Washtub Gully Creek → Berowra Waters trackhead
320 m
9 mins
31m
-30m
Moderate track
Berowra Waters Garden House
The Fish Café
Waterview Restaurant
(22.91km) Berowra Waters track head → End of Kirkpatrick Way
390 m
8 mins
10m
-15m
Very easy
(23.3km) End of Kirkpatrick Way → Berowra Waters view seat
470 m
9 mins
12m
-8m
Moderate track
(23.77km) Berowra Waters view seat → Deep Bay Creek crossing
730 m
26 mins
119m
-79m
Hard track
Continue straight: From the view at the top of the ridge, this walk follows GNW arrow post[359] east, directly away from the Berowra Water views and over the small rise. The track soon leads down off a rock[360], where the track bends right and starts to lead fairly gently downhill[361]. The track then leads down a few short, steep, rocky sections[362] before crossing a lovely creek[363], flowing over the sandstone rock platform[364][365]. This creek may be slippery and can be particularly risky to cross after rain.
(24.5km) Deep Bay Creek crossing → Int of GNW and Coreen Close western trail
840 m
32 mins
187m
-25m
Hard track
(25.34km) Int of GNW and Coreen Close service trail → Int of ridge top campsite and GNW
220 m
4 mins
2m
-4m
Moderate track
Ridge Top Campground
End of day 2
(25.56km) Int of ridge top campsite and Great North Walk → Joe Crafts Creek crossing
1.7 km
37 mins
24m
-196m
Hard track
Continue straight: From the intersection[395], this walk follows the GNW arrow post[396] east along the track as it leads very gently downhill along the top of the ridge. Over the next 300m, the track passes a rock platform[397] and comes to a second rock platform with more views[398] and a ‘Great North Walk’ log book box[399] on a post. After leaving your note (and reading through a few entries), this walk continues down along the top of the ridge for another 200m to step down off another rock platform[400] (ignoring the track to your left). Here the walk starts to head downhill for the next 1km – initially the track leads down a series of short rocky steep sections[401][402], and passes some interesting large rock boulders[403][404] along the way. As the track moves further into the valley, it becomes consistently steeper[405] until leading down leading into the ferns and beside Joe Crafts Creek[406][407].
(27.21km) Joe Crafts Creek crossing → Valley viewing area
660 m
26 mins
158m
-5m
Hard track
(27.87km) Valley viewing area → Int of GNW and Glendale Road
880 m
16 mins
25m
-14m
Moderate track
(28.75km) Int of GNW and Glendale Road → Int of GNW and Pacific Highway service trail
830 m
19 mins
33m
-59m
Moderate track
(29.58km) Int of GNW and Pacific Highway service trail → Cowan trackhead
500 m
11 mins
27m
-13m
Moderate track
(30.08km) Int of Great North Walk and Pacific Highway service trail → Cowan Station
40 m
1 mins
0m
-2m
Easy track
(30.12km) Cowan Station → Freeway Bridge
300 m
6 mins
8m
-15m
Easy track
(30.42km) Freeway Bridge → Jerusalem Bay
2.2 km
50 mins
61m
-222m
Moderate track
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk heads downhill along the rocky track[470][471]. The track leads past a few rock walls[472] over about 350m, then turns right onto, then steps down off, a long thin rock platform[473]. The track continues down along the side of the valley for another 200m, passing into a much more lush and dense forest[474], where the track then crosses the creek at a large rock platform[475]. On the other side of the creek, the track leads right down along the other side of the valley[476], passing a few small sandstone overhangs[477][478] then a particularly broad angophora tree[479] after about 500m. Soon after this angophora, the track leads down some rock steps[481] then begins to widen for about 300m, and passes a small track (on your right) marked with a ‘No Camping or fires allowed’ sign[482]. By this point, the broad waters (or mud flats, depending on the tide) of Cowan Creek are obvious[483], on your right. The walk now continues along the generally broad and flat track[484] for another 500m, then climbs up a set of concrete steps[485], marked with a GNW arrow post. At the top of these steps is a large, fairly flat clearing[486] with a ‘No Camping’ and a ‘Great North Walk’ sign[487] and a great view up the middle of Jerusalem Bay[488].
Jerusalem Bay
(32.58km) Jerusalem Bay → Campbells Ck
1.8 km
55 mins
204m
-144m
Hard track
Continue straight: From the top of the ridge, this walk follows the ‘Brooklyn Dam’ sign[511], gently uphill, heading north through the tall heath. The mostly flat track leads through the forest[512], with an occasional glimpse[513][514] to the freeway and down to Brooklyn. after about 400m, the track bends left and leads through a long cleft in the rock[515]. Here the track start to head more and more steeply down[516] for the next 350m, until heading down some timber steps[517] which lead to Campbells Creek. The walk steps over the small (orange, polluted [518]) creek to find a flat sandy clearing [519] a few metres past the creek.
(34.42km) Campbells Ck → Int. Jerusalem Bay Trk and Brooklyn Dam Service Trail
1.2 km
34 mins
146m
-39m
Hard track
(35.61km) Int. Jerusalem Bay Trk and Brooklyn Dam Service Trail → Upper Int. of Brooklyn Dam Service Track and Brooklyn Dam Bushtrack
2.8 km
57 mins
86m
-133m
Moderate track
(38.4km) Upper Int. of Brooklyn Dam Service Track and Brooklyn Dam Bushtrack → NW Brooklyn Dam Campsite
1.3 km
28 mins
31m
-95m
Moderate track
Small Campsite Brooklyn Dam
(39.74km) NW Brooklyn Dam Campsite → NE Brooklyn Dam Campsite
180 m
4 mins
7m
-7m
Hard track
(39.74km) NW Brooklyn Dam Campsite intersection → NE Brooklyn Dam Campsite
790 m
15 mins
15m
-15m
Easy track
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the GNW arrow post along the wide trail, keeping the dam to your left. (This section of trail leads around to the far side of the dam.) After just over 250m, the trail crosses a small creek (at the apex of the dam) then continues bending left. The track passes some old concrete pipes[581] (on your left) then after about 400m, the trail comes to an intersection with a clearing and dam wall (to your left).
Large Campsite Brooklyn Dam
(40.54km) NE Brooklyn Dam Campsite → Int of Hawkesbury Track and Brooklyn Trail
1.6 km
34 mins
86m
-38m
Moderate track
(42.09km) Int of Hawkesbury Track and Brooklyn Trail → Int of George & William Sts
1.1 km
25 mins
14m
-127m
Hard track
(43.22km) Int of George & William Sts → Int of Brooklyn & Dangar Rds
200 m
4 mins
2m
-5m
Very easy
Brooklyn Accomodation
(43.42km) Int of Brooklyn AND Dangar Rds → Hawkesbury River Railway Station
90 m
1 mins
1m
0m
Very easy
Maps for the Hornsby to Brooklyn three day walk walk
You can download the PDF for this walk to print a map.These maps below cover the walk and the wider area around the walk, they are worth carrying for safety reasons.
Hornsby | 1:25 000 Map Series | 91304S HORNSBY | NSW-91304S |
Cowan | 1:25 000 Map Series | 91304N COWAN | NSW-91304N |
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park Tourist Map | 1:40 000 Map Series | CMA Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park Tourist Map | CMA Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park Tourist Map |
Sydney | 1:100 000 Map Series | 9130 SYDNEY | 9130 |
Cross sectional view of the Hornsby to Brooklyn three day walk bushwalking track
Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Hornsby to Brooklyn three day walk
Daily actual walking time estimates
Day | Walking Time | Length |
---|---|---|
1 | 6 hrs 41 mins | 16.4 km |
2 | 4 hrs 17 mins | 9.5 km |
3 | 7 hrs 3 mins | 18.1 km |
Overview of this walks grade – based on the AS 2156.1 – 2001
Under this standard, a walk is graded based on the most difficult section of the walk.
Length | 43.1 km | ||
Time | 3 Days | ||
. | |||
Grade 4/6 Hard track |
AS 2156.1 | Gradient | Very steep (4/6) |
Quality of track | Rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely (4/6) | ||
Signs | Minimal directional signs (4/6) | ||
Experience Required | Moderate level of bushwalking experience recommended (4/6) | ||
Weather | Forecast, unforecast storms and severe weather may impact on navigation and safety (4/6) | ||
Infrastructure | Limited facilities (such as cliffs not fenced, significant creeks not bridged) (4/6) |
Some more details of this walks Grading
Here is a bit more details explaining grading looking at sections of the walk
Gradient
15km of this walk has short steep hills and another 14km has gentle hills with occasional steps. Whilst another 11km is very steep and the remaining 3.3km is flat with no steps.
Quality of track
17km of this walk follows a formed track, with some branches and other obstacles and another 13km follows a clear and well formed track or trail. Whilst another 10km follows a rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely and the remaining 3.6km follows a smooth and hardened path.
Signs
33km of this walk has directional signs at most intersection and another 9km is clearly signposted. The remaining (1.1km) has minimal directional signs.
Experience Required
24km of this walk requires some bushwalking experience and another 18km requires no previous bushwalking experience. The remaining (670m) requires a leader a with moderate level of bushwalking experience.
weather
40km of this walk is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation) and another 2.3km is affected by storms that may impact your navigation and safety. The remaining (660m) is affected by forecast, unforecast storms and severe weather events that may impact on navigation and safety.
Infrastructure
25km of this walk has limited facilities (such as not all cliffs fenced) and another 17km is close to useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats). The remaining (760m) has limited facilities (such as cliffs not fenced, significant creeks not bridged).
Similar walks
Other Nearby walks
Plan your trip to and from the walk here
The Hornsby to Brooklyn three day walk walk starts at the Hornsby Train Station (gps: -33.703509, 151.09801)Your transport options to Hornsby Train Station are by;
Train. (get details)
Bus. (get details)
Car. There is free parking available.
(get details)
The Hornsby to Brooklyn three day walk ends at the Hawkesbury River Railway Station (gps: -33.547222, 151.22659)
Your transport options to Hawkesbury River Railway Station are by;
Train. (get details)
Bus. (get details)
Car. There is free parking available.
(get details)
Fire Danger
Each park may have its own fire ban, this rating is only valid for today and is based on information from the RFS Please check the RFS Website for more information.Weather Forest
This walk starts in the Metropolitan weather district always check the formal BOM forecast or pdf before starting your walk.Forecast snapshot
Park Information & Alerts
Short URL = http://wild.tl/htbtdw
Gallery images
There are other downloads I am still working on.
You will probably need to login to access these — still all free.
* KML (google earth file)
* GPX (GPS file)
Special Maps/ brochures
* A3 topo maps
* PDF with Lands Topo map base
* PDF with arial image (and map overlay)
I wanted to get the main site live first, this extra stuff will come in time.
Happy walking
Matt 🙂
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