Epping to Hornsby Station
Download & Print Map and Notes6 hrs 45 mins
705 m
Hard track
(0km) Epping Station → Int of Derby street service trail
940 m
18 mins
3m
-33m
Very easy
(0.94km) Int of Derby street service trail → Int of Epping Trk and Malton Rd Trail
1.5 km
25 mins
7m
-21m
Moderate track
Turn left: From the intersection the track follows the Whale Rock sign down the service trail which narrows into a bushtrack and follows Devlin creek through the gully all the way along until it widens out into a rocky service trail again and comes to the intersection of the Cheltenham service trail.
(2.43km) Int of Epping Trk and Malton Rd Trail → Big Ducky Waterhole
190 m
3 mins
3m
-1m
Easy track
Big Ducky Waterhole
(2.61km) Big Ducky Waterhole → Whale Rock
480 m
8 mins
6m
-9m
Easy track
Whale Rock
(3.09km) Whale Rock → Conscript Pass
3.3 km
1 hr 3 mins
102m
-65m
Moderate track
Continue straight: From the intersection the track follows the Thornleigh via Great North Walk arrow down the short but steep hill and across the river at the causeway. On the other side of the river the track comes up to the intersection of the Great North Walk service trail.
Turn left: From the intersection, this walk follows the ‘Thornleigh Station’ sign[1] past the ‘Lane Cove Valley’ map, initially keeping the other trail and river to your left. The trail follows the valley floor, keeping the river just to your left, for a bit over 500m, to then cross the Lane Cove River at a rocky ford[2]. This crossing may become impassable after heavy or prolonged rain. On the other side of the river, this walk continues along the trail[3] for about 400m (with the river now close by on your right) to come to an intersection with a faint track[4] (on your left, that leads up towards Pennant Hills Park).
Continue straight: From the intersection, the walk follows the management trail, keeping the river just to your right. After about 60m, the trail bends right and crosses the Lane Cove River at a rocky ford[5], then continues along the valley floor among the fern trees (and concrete pipe access points[6]) for about 900m to cross the Lane Cove River again at another rocky ford[7]. (These crossings may become impassable after heavy or prolonged rain). The trail then continues along the valley floor[8] (with the river now on your left) for just over 150m to come to an intersection at the bottom of the sealed Morona Ave trail[9] (on your right), marked with a ‘Lane Cove Valley’ map/sign[10] and a GNW arrow post[11].
Veer left: From the intersection, this walk follows the GNW arrow post along the valley floor, away from the two trails, keeping the river just to your left. The track soon narrows, leading past a water depth indicator[12], and becomes rocky for about 150m before coming to a faint intersection, where GNW arrow post points left[13]. Here, the walk turns left and crosses the Lane Cove River using the concrete stepping stones[14] (this crossing may become impassable after heavy or prolonged rain) to follow the ‘Thornleigh Station’ sign[15] up the timber steps for about 40m and find a GNW registration box[16] (damaged at time of writing). The track bends sharply right[17] and zigzags up the rocky hill for another 30m, before bending sharply left to find the ‘Conscript Pass’ and ‘B Stevens’[18][19] engravings (at the third metal hand rail).
Conscript Pass
(6.39km) Conscript Pass → Int of the GNW and Lorna Pass tracks
100 m
3 mins
19m
0m
Moderate track
(6.49km) Int of the GNW and Lorna Pass tracks → Int of Handley and Ferguson Avenues
580 m
14 mins
50m
0m
Hard track
Veer right: From the intersection, this walk follows the GNW arrow post and ‘Thornleigh Station’ sign[33] uphill along the wide rocky track[34]. After just over 150m, the track bends left (ignoring a faint track on your right[35]) and heads uphill for another 40m to come to the back (south-east corner) of Thornleigh Oval[36], marked with a ‘Lane Cove National Park’ signpost[37].
Turn right: From the intersection, this walk follows the GNW arrow post along the fence line around the oval, keeping the oval to your left. After about 100m, this walk passes in front of the clubhouse[38] (there are toilets[39] and a water tap[40] on your right) to pass a ‘Great North Walk’ sign[41] and come to the corner of ‘Handley’ and ‘Ferguson’ Avenues[42] in front of the ‘Thornleigh Oval’ sign[43].
Thornleigh Oval
(7.07km) Int of Handley and Ferguson Avenues → Int of Railway Parade and Pennant Hills Road overpass steps
810 m
14 mins
18m
-4m
Very easy
(7.88km) Int of Railway Parade and Pennant Hills Road overpass steps → Thornleigh Train Station
110 m
2 mins
1m
-1m
Easy track
(7.99km) Thornleigh Train Station → Morgan Rd
990 m
18 mins
7m
-47m
Easy track
(8.98km) Morgan Rd → Int of Bike Trail and Morgan Rd tracks
230 m
4 mins
3m
-7m
Moderate track
(9.21km) Int of Bellamy trail and Morgan Rd tracks → Zig Zag Creek Bridge int.
130 m
2 mins
0m
-6m
Easy track
Thornleigh zigzag railway
(9.34km) Zig Zag Creek Bridge intersection → The Jungo
1.4 km
25 mins
16m
-37m
Moderate track
The Jungo
(10.77km) Jungo campsite → Int of GNW and Stringybark Ridge trail
100 m
2 mins
1m
0m
Moderate track
(10.87km) Int of GNW and Stringybark Ridge trail → Elouera Lookout
1 km
27 mins
81m
-58m
Moderate track
Elouera Lookout
(11.92km) Elouera Lookout → Int of the Great North Walk and the Blue Gum Walk (SW)
2.8 km
1 hr 12 mins
195m
-203m
Moderate track
Veer left: From the intersection, this walk heads north along the main rocky track, keeping the valley down to your left. The track leads along beside a rock wall (which is on your right) and through a rock outcrop[128], where the track soon heads quite steeply uphill along the eroded track[129] for a short time. At the top of this steep section, the rocky track continues to meander much more gently up along the side of the hill[130] for about 300m, then crosses a small, rocky gully[131], just below some houses[132]. The track then continues gently uphill for about 100m to an intersection with the unsignposted Blackfellows Head track[133] (on your right).
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk heads north along the clear track, keeping the valley down to your left for about 100m, where the walk comes to a three-way intersection and ‘The Jungo’ sign[134] points back along the track.
(14.77km) Int of the Great North Walk and the Blue Gum Walk (SW) → Clearing
710 m
17 mins
39m
-70m
Hard track
Turn left : From the intersection the track winds down the steep bushtrack heading straight down the side of the ridge through thick bracken fern all the way down to the bottom of the valley where it flattens out and comes to some bike jumps. From here the track continues past the jumps to the intersection at the open clearing.
(15.47km) Clearing → Ginger Meggs Park
240 m
5 mins
5m
-19m
Moderate track
Veer left: From the intersection, this walk heads north, down the hill with the creek on the right, to the intersection just before the causeway over Waitara Creek. There are usually ducks and brush turkeys in this area.
Turn right: From the intersection, this walk follows the management trail across Waitara Creek and up the hill, passing around the gate before arriving on Valley Road, at the lower corner of Ginger Meggs Park.
(15.71km) Ginger Meggs Park → Berowra Valley Bushland Park
580 m
12 mins
26m
-15m
Easy track
Berowra Valley Bushland Park
(16.29km) Berowra Valley Bushland Park → Int of Quarry Road and Great North Walk
540 m
14 mins
89m
-12m
Hard track
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the GNW arrow post up a couple of timber steps[149] and then follows the track as it winds up over the gentle rise. Once over the rise, the track then leads down to the intersection with Quarry Rd, where a ‘Great North Walk’ sign[150] points back up the track.
(16.83km) Int of Quarry Road and Great North Walk → Hornsby Train Station
720 m
14 mins
34m
-8m
Easy track
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows Quarry Rd up the gentle hill[153] for about 180m, then follows the GNW arrow[154] left onto Dural St[155]. The footpath leads past the unit block, then past a few shops to come to an intersection with the Pacific Hwy. Following the GNW arrow, this walk turns right across ‘Dural St’[156], passes a few more shops, then crosses ‘Dural Lane’[157] before turning left across the Pacific Hwy at the traffic lights[158]. Here the walk continues straight across the ‘Station St’ pedestrian crossing[159], past the large ‘Great North Walk’ sign[160] and across the bus lane to the western entrance of Hornsby Station[161].
Maps for the Epping to Hornsby Station 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 |
Parramatta River | 1:25 000 Map Series | 91303N PARRAMATTA RIVER | NSW-91303N |
Sydney | 1:100 000 Map Series | 9130 SYDNEY | 9130 |
Cross sectional view of the Epping to Hornsby Station bushwalking track
Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Epping to Hornsby Station
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 | 17.5 km | ||
Time | 6 hrs 45 mins | ||
. | |||
Grade 4/6 Hard track |
AS 2156.1 | Gradient | Very steep (4/6) |
Quality of track | Formed track, with some branches and other obstacles (3/6) | ||
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
8km of this walk has gentle hills with occasional steps and another 6km has short steep hills. Whilst another 3.1km is flat with no steps and the remaining 720m is very steep.
Quality of track
8km of this walk follows a clear and well formed track or trail and another 7km follows a formed track, with some branches and other obstacles. The remaining (3.1km) follows a smooth and hardened path.
Signs
Around 9km of this walk is clearly signposted, whilst the remaining 9km has directional signs at most intersection.
Experience Required
Around 9km of this walk requires some bushwalking experience, whilst the remaining 9km requires no previous bushwalking experience.
weather
Around 14km of this walk is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation), whilst the remaining 3.2km is affected by storms that may impact your navigation and safety.
Infrastructure
Around 11km of this walk has limited facilities (such as not all cliffs fenced), whilst the remaining 7km is close to useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats).
Similar walks
Other Nearby walks
Plan your trip to and from the walk here
The Epping to Hornsby Station walk starts at the Epping Station (gps: -33.772529, 151.08242)Your transport options to Epping Station are by;
Train. (get details)
Bus. (get details)
Car. There is free parking available.
(get details)
The Epping to Hornsby Station ends 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)
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/eths
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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