Spit Bridge to North Harbour Reserve
Download & Print Map and Notes4 hrs
381 m
Moderate track
(0km) Int. Spit Rd and Ellery’s Punt Reserve Road → Int. Ellery’s Punt Reserve Rd and Manly Scenic Walkway
100 m
2 mins
2m
-7m
Easy track
Veer right: From the intersection, this walk heads down the hill towards the water. The walk soon comes to Ellery’s Punt Reserve car park on the right. This walk continues past this, down the footpath to the signposted intersection.
Ellery’s Punt Reserve
(0.1km) Int. Ellery’s Punt Reserve Rd and Manly Scenic Walkway → End of Sandy Bay Rd
980 m
22 mins
51m
-51m
Moderate track
(1.09km) End of Sandy Bay Rd → Int. Sandy Bay Rd and Fairbairn Ave
40 m
1 mins
0m
-2m
Very easy
(1.13km) Int. Sandy Bay Rd and Fairbairn Ave → Clontarf Reserve (Clonny’s)
480 m
9 mins
11m
-14m
Moderate track
Turn left: From Clontarf Marina, this walk follows the footpath along Sandy Bay Road, keeping the water on the right. About 100m from the marina, the footpath turns right and heads into ‘Clontarf Reserve’. The walk passes the ‘Manly Scenic Walkway’ signpost and heads over the grass towards the children’s play area, then past the public phone to Clonny’s Cafe.
Clontarf Reserve
Clonny’s
(1.62km) Clontarf Reserve (Clonny’s) → Int of Manly to Spit track and Ogilvy Road steps
1.2 km
25 mins
53m
-32m
Moderate track
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk keeps the water to the right as it heads towards the rocky end of the beach. The walk then follows the ‘Castle Rock’ sign up the stairs and around the hill for some time, going up and down steps before turning right down some stone cut steps to a signposted intersection, above the tiny Board Beach.
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the ‘Manly’ sign (keeping the water to the right) as it passes up the stairs between the rocks. The track soon comes to a signposted intersection, with the ‘Access to Cutler & Amiens Rd’ off to the left.
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the ‘Manly’ sign as it heads up the slight hill and across the rock shelf, keeping the water on the right. The walk then steps off the rockshelf to continue along the hillside, undulating steeply in parts. The track is board-walked in many places, with a few access points to the water along the way. The walk crosses a bridge before continuing left around the hill to a well signposted intersection.
(2.79km) Int of Manly to Spit track and Ogilvy Road steps → Int of Manly to Spit track and Castle Rock Beach steps
30 m
1 mins
0m
-3m
Moderate track
(2.82km) Int of Manly to Spit Track and Castle Rock Beach steps → Castle Rock Beach
50 m
1 mins
0m
-11m
Moderate track
Castle Rock Beach
(2.82km) Int of Manly to Spit Track and Castle Rock Beach steps → Grotto Point Engravings track
510 m
14 mins
54m
-17m
Moderate track
Continue straight: From the rest area, this walk follows the bush track up the rock steps and along the side of the hill, keeping the water to the right. The track continues steadily up to the 4-way signposted intersection.
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the ‘Manly’ arrow up the bush track and rock steps. The track winds around to the intersection of the Grotto Point Engravings track, found at the small bench seat and the large wooden sleeper.
(3.32km) Grotto Point Engravings track → Grotto Point Engravings
40 m
1 mins
2m
0m
Moderate track
Grotto Point Engravings
(3.32km) Grotto Point Engravings track → Int. Arabanoo Lookout Trk and Manly Scenic Walkway
960 m
21 mins
50m
-27m
Moderate track
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows ‘Crater Cove Lookout 700m’ sign along bush track, keeping the water to the right. The walk crosses several separate sections of boardwalk and rock platforms as it winds through the heath, to come to a large rock platform with great views at the unnamed lookout in southern Crater Cove .
Continue straight: From the lookout, this walk follows the bush track along the hillside, keeping the water out to the right. The track continues for a short while until coming to an intersection at the base of some stairs on the left.
Turn right: From the intersection, this walk follows the bush track down the short hill towards the ocean, soon coming to the Crater Cove Lookout.
Veer left: From Crater Cove Lookout, this walk heads up onto the boardwalk, away from the fenced lookout. The track follows the cliffs, keeping the water views to the right. As the boardwalk finishes, the walk continues along a bush track which winds through the scrub to the signposted intersection with a track on the left, which points to Arabanoo Lookout.
Crater Cove Lookout
(4.29km) Int. Arabanoo Lookout Trk and Manly Scenic Walkway → Reef Beach platform
840 m
17 mins
3m
-78m
Moderate track
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the ‘Manly via Reef Beach’ sign down the hill to a fenced lookout. From the lookout, the track heads further along the hillside to wind down past some more views. The track soon passes by a large rock shelf, as it comes close to the water and then comes to a boardwalk with bench seat behind Reef Beach.
Reef Beach
(5.12km) Reef Beach platform → Int. Alternate High Tide Route and Manly Scenic Walkway
350 m
7 mins
10m
-10m
Moderate track
(5.48km) Int. Alternate High Tide Route and Manly Scenic Walkway → South end of Forty Baskets Reserve
560 m
15 mins
31m
-32m
Hard track
Turn right: From the intersection, the walk follows the bush track down and across the wooden boardwalk, then up to Beatty St.
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk heads along Beatty St away from the bushland. The walk passes Geddes St on the left to continue to houses number 28 and 30 Beatty St. The walk turns right to head down the laneway between these two houses to an intersection beside the beach. Now Turn left to rejoin the main walk .
(5.48km) Int. Alternate High Tide Route and Manly Scenic Walkway → South end of Forty Baskets Reserve
240 m
4 mins
6m
-7m
Moderate track
Forty Baskets Reserve
(5.71km) South end of Forty Baskets Reserve → End of Gourlay Avenue
450 m
9 mins
19m
-21m
Very easy
Continue straight: From the toilet block, the walk follows the footpath up the gentle hill, keeping the water on the right. The footpath soon comes the intersection with a set of stairs, uphill to the left.
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the footpath up the gentle hill, keeping the water to the right. The path soon comes to another intersection with a set of stone and dirt stairs (uphill to the left).
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the footpath, keeping the water below on the right. Soon, the walk passes around a blue metal gate then continues on to the hairpin bend at the end of Gourlay Ave, just above a small marina.
(6.16km) End of Gourlay Avenue → Int of Gourlay Avenue and Clarence Street footpath
250 m
5 mins
12m
-4m
Easy track
(6.4km) Int of Gourlay Avenue and Clarence Street footpath → Int of Clarence and North Harbour Sts
100 m
2 mins
5m
-2m
Very easy
(6.51km) Int of Clarence and North Harbour Sts → Int of Beach Ln and North Harbour St
120 m
3 mins
0m
-8m
Very easy
North Harbour Reserve
(6.63km) Int of Beach Ln and North Harbour St → End of King Avenue
230 m
5 mins
12m
-5m
Easy track
(6.63km) Int of Beach Ln and North Harbour St → End of Lower Beach Street
480 m
11 mins
34m
-1m
Moderate track
Shop at the Park
(7.1km) End of Lower Beach Street → Int of Upper Beach and West Streets
50 m
3 mins
18m
0m
Moderate track
(7.15km) Int of Upper Beach and West Streets → Int of Ethel St and Kanangra Cr
700 m
14 mins
31m
-17m
Very easy
(7.85km) Int of Ethel St and Kanangra Cr → Int. Avona Cres Trk and Avona Cres
720 m
16 mins
22m
-68m
Moderate track
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk heads down the hill on Manly Road, in the direction of the traffic. The walk then turns left into Avona Cr, continuing down the road to an intersection with stone cut steps (on the left).
(8.57km) Int. Avona Cres Trk and Avona Cres → Int. Ellerys Punt Rd and Avona Cres Trk
60 m
2 mins
0m
-12m
Moderate track
(8.63km) Int. Ellery’s Punt Rd and Avona Cres Trk → Int. Spit Rd and Ellery’s Punt Reserve Road
40 m
1 mins
0m
-2m
Easy track
Maps for the Spit Bridge to North Harbour Reserve 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.
Parramatta River | 1:25 000 Map Series | 91303N PARRAMATTA RIVER | NSW-91303N |
Sydney Heads | 1:25 000 Map Series | 91302N SYDNEY HEADS | NSW-91302N |
Sydney | 1:100 000 Map Series | 9130 SYDNEY | 9130 |
Cross sectional view of the Spit Bridge to North Harbour Reserve bushwalking track
Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Spit Bridge to North Harbour Reserve
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 | 8.7 km | ||
Time | 4 hrs | ||
. | |||
Grade 3/6 Moderate track |
AS 2156.1 | Gradient | Short steep hills (3/6) |
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
3.7km of this walk has short steep hills and another 2.9km has gentle hills with occasional steps. The remaining (2.1km) is flat with no steps.
Quality of track
3.8km of this walk follows a smooth and hardened path and another 2.7km follows a formed track, with some branches and other obstacles. The remaining (2.2km) follows a clear and well formed track or trail.
Signs
Around 7km of this walk is clearly signposted, whilst the remaining 2.1km has directional signs at most intersection.
Experience Required
Around 8km of this walk requires no previous bushwalking experience, whilst the remaining 450m requires some bushwalking experience.
weather
Around 8km of this walk is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation), whilst the remaining 240m is affected by storms that may impact your navigation and safety.
Infrastructure
Around 7km of this walk is close to useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats), whilst the remaining 1.8km has limited facilities (such as not all cliffs fenced).
Similar walks
Other Nearby walks
Plan your trip to and from the walk here
The Spit Bridge to North Harbour Reserve walk starts and ends at the Int. Spit Rd and Ellery’s Punt Reserve Road (gps: -33.801224, 151.24643)Your transport options to Int. Spit Rd and Ellery’s Punt Reserve Road are by;
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/sbtnhr
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 🙂
Comments