Hornsby to Mt Kuring-gai
Download & Print Map and Notes9 hrs
1319 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 → End of Clarinda St
1.9 km
44 mins
131m
-49m
Moderate track
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows Manor Rd as it initially heads up a gentle hill. After about 600m, Manor Road turns to skirt about Mount Wilga Hospital, and the road changes name to Rosamond St. The walk continues along to the intersection with Stewart Ave on the left (this is a four-way intersection, with Carrington Rd on the right).
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
Veer right: 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
(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
(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) Int of GNW and Lyrebird Gully tracks → Calna Creek campsite (north)
110 m
2 mins
3m
0m
Easy track
Calna Creek Campsite (north)
(17.69km) Calna Creek campsite (north) → Calna Creek campsite (south)
400 m
9 mins
23m
-23m
Moderate track
Calna Creek Campsite (south)
(18.09km) Calna Creek Campsite (south) → Lyrebird Caves
1.6 km
33 mins
106m
-39m
Hard track
Lyrebird Caves
(19.71km) Lyrebird Caves → Lyrebird Waterfall
140 m
4 mins
1m
-14m
Moderate track
Lyrebird waterfall
(19.85km) Lyrebird Waterfall → Lyrebird Clearing
1.4 km
27 mins
92m
-21m
Hard track
(21.22km) Lyrebird Clearing → Int of Glenview Rd and the Pacific Hwy
530 m
12 mins
84m
-2m
Moderate track
(21.75km) Int of Glenview Rd and the Pacific Hwy → Mt Kuring-gai Railway Station
520 m
9 mins
9m
-8m
Very easy
Maps for the Hornsby to Mt Kuring-gai 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 |
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 Mt Kuring-gai bushwalking track
Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Hornsby to Mt Kuring-gai
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 | 22.3 km | ||
Time | 9 hrs | ||
. | |||
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 | Directional signs along the way (3/6) | ||
Experience Required | Some bushwalking experience recommended (3/6) | ||
Weather | Storms may impact on navigation and safety (3/6) | ||
Infrastructure | Limited facilities, not all cliffs are fenced (3/6) |
Some more details of this walks Grading
Here is a bit more details explaining grading looking at sections of the walk
Gradient
11km of this walk has short steep hills and another 6km has gentle hills with occasional steps. Whilst another 3km is flat with no steps and the remaining 2.7km is very steep.
Quality of track
6km of this walk follows a rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely and another 6km follows a clear and well formed track or trail. Whilst another 6km follows a formed track, with some branches and other obstacles and the remaining 3.9km follows a smooth and hardened path.
Signs
Around 14km of this walk has directional signs at most intersection, whilst the remaining 8km is clearly signposted.
Experience Required
Around 12km of this walk requires some bushwalking experience, whilst the remaining 10km requires no previous bushwalking experience.
weather
Around 19km of this walk is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation), whilst the remaining 3km is affected by storms that may impact your navigation and safety.
Infrastructure
Around 11km of this walk is close to useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats), whilst the remaining 11km has limited facilities (such as not all cliffs fenced).
Similar walks
Other Nearby walks
Plan your trip to and from the walk here
The Hornsby to Mt Kuring-gai 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 Mt Kuring-gai ends at the Mt Kuring-gai Railway Station (gps: -33.653812, 151.13673)
Your transport options to Mt Kuring-gai 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/htmkg
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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