Great North Walk - Resupply Options

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Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby Samma3l » Wed 22 Sep, 2010 10:34 pm

Hi Guys and Girls,

I'm planning to attempt the Great North Walk in the coming weeks (end October/ Early November) going in the opposite direction (Newcastle to Sydney - it's easier to go home at the end living in Sydney at the moment).

I have the handy set of maps from the department of lands and have been consulting these for expected water resupply options according to the diagrams that are featured. What I would also like to do is plan for possible food resupply. The problem I have is that I have no idea what kind of shops are available. There are places listed on the maps that aren't too far off track, but they don't go into any detail as to what kind of shop they are i.e. whether they are a kiosk, corner store/ IGA or supermarket etc.

This kind of information would come in handy in helping me determine what kind of food I need to bring from the start and what I can expect to be able to pick up along the way. Is anyone familiar with the track able to elaborate for me what is available?

Thanks very much
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby davidmorr » Thu 23 Sep, 2010 10:13 pm

You are never more than a couple of hours from civilisation south of the Hawkesbury so that is relatively easy.

North of the Hawkesbury is another issue. Generally you are well into the bush, and only encounter the odd small shop on the route after Newcastle suburbs (The Gap near Brunkerville, Yarramalong, Somersby). These are tiny shops with a very limited range of products. Whether they will have the food you are after is hard to say.

In these areas, transport is almost non-existent too, so it's not as if you can get a bus to somewhere.

I would suggest taking a drive along the route where it crosses roads to see whether these places offer what you want. Maybe they might hold a package of your own food for you so you can pick it up.
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby Bron » Fri 24 Sep, 2010 1:31 pm

Hi
It depends what level of food supply you are after. if you know you can get limited supplies on a long walk like this I would just take essentials that cant be easily bought ie dehydrated dinners. Plan to buy lunches and extras like dessert when you go past a store. The people I walk with when I have done this walk are mostly after fresh coffee so I mostly know the places where you can get this. I will give the places in reverse to make it easier.
day 1 - cafe at Merewether beach, shops at Charlestown, Strip shops at Warners Bay there is a bakery that does coffee.
Day 2 - pub at Teralba, i think there is a caravan park as well.
day 3 Service station at Heatons Gap, limited supplies, dont bother with the coffee
day 4-7 from Heatons gap you are in the Watagans so there is no resupply until you get to Yarramalong Valley. The Kulnura Store is several Kms away on the Bucketty rd.
day 7 Yarramalong has a small general store and pretty good coffee.
day 8 Somersby has a small general store and good coffee
day 9 - no shops
day 10 a small general store/takewaway at Patonga near the ferry wharf
day 11 pub at Brooklyn, several organic cafes and shops; the Takeaway store at Cowan is about 2km up the highway
day 12 Small shop at Berowra Waters and a restaurant across the water
day 13 supermarket at thornleigh, canteens at Thornleigh Oval and Magdala Park (open on Saturdays), shops at Hunters Hill.

The days are an estimate, as I have only done the GNW southwards once and north several times.

Hope this helps
regards
Bron
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby Samma3l » Sat 25 Sep, 2010 3:18 pm

This is great! Exactly what I was looking for thanks very much. I will be using this info to plan for food on my trip
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby Leppy » Thu 28 Oct, 2010 7:57 pm

Hi,
I have found this blog to be very helpfull.
http://mitupela.net/b/index.php?blog=2& ... &tb=1&pb=1
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby Samma3l » Tue 02 Nov, 2010 9:02 pm

Thanks heaps - I'm still reading it, taking notes etc
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby Leppy » Sat 06 Nov, 2010 8:32 pm

They have done a really good job on the blog hey! I love how they have shared the notes that they made along the way. Are you doing the whole walk soon?
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby Samma3l » Tue 09 Nov, 2010 9:59 pm

I originally planned to do it in October, but with other things coming up, I may have to reschedule to late January/early February
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby jeremy089786 » Wed 19 Jan, 2011 12:16 pm

Thanks for the notes Guys, hopefully going to Finish the walk off (Newcastle to Wondabyne) at the start of Spring!!
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby Greenie » Wed 19 Jan, 2011 7:48 pm

Could I suggest you add an extra day and finish at either Patonga or Brooklyn. From Patonga you can catch a ferry to Palm Beach or maybe to Brooklyn then get the train back. Just that you are going miss out on some great scenery in that section of the walk.
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Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby Bluegum Mic » Wed 19 Jan, 2011 8:24 pm

I second finishing at patonga. Simply gorgeous views, highly recommend the side track to mt wondabynes summit. 360 degree views especially of the whole of pittwater and Brisbane waters not to mention all up and down the coast. We also splurge and get the water taxi from patonga to Brooklyn to get the train home. Not too expensive if split amongst a few of you. Enjoy
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby wildwalks » Tue 25 Jan, 2011 3:45 pm

I have been updating our notes for the whole of the Great North Walk. As part of this process I have put together a little (some what dodgy) table of things along the way (just to help my planning). I hope in the next few weeks to clean this up and get it up propperly and put it up as part of our GNW update on WIldwalks.com, but thought it might be of use to some people here.

This is info is following the main route from south to north.

City: food accom
Woolwich: Ferry, buses, plenty of little cafes and pubs
Hunters Hill: cafes
int of Figtree & Ryde Rd: Coles Express
Boronia Park: BBQ, toilets, tap water, picnic tables, play ground
Buffalo Creek Reserve: Toielts, tap water, play ground, BBQ, picnic tables
Magdala Park: toilets, tap water, parking
Int. opposite end of Mowbray Rd : Access to service station, Mcdonalds
Int west of Fairlands: Access to cafe, North Ryde train
Lane Cove NP: (Access to Carvan Park accomodation, North Ryde Train), Tap water, toilets, BBQ areas
Deburgs Bridge: Access to Mcquarie Train; Cafe at plant shop
Browns water hole: Access to Cafes and Macquarie Uni station
Conscript Pass: Access to Badenpowel Scout campsite
Thornleigh: Cafe; supermarket; hotel, Train, camping store
Jungo: Basic Campsite (access to Cherrybrook; shops)
Elouera Lookout: Views, access to road
Fishponds Lookout: (Access to Hornsby Station and Accomodation), creek water
Steele Bridge: Access to Hornsby Heights
Tunks Ridge: Campsite, toilet
Galston Gorge: Road acess Creek Water
Blackash: Campsite
Crosslands: Road access, tap water, toilets, BBQ facilities, campsite (Fee), Accomodation
Calna Creek: Access to small campsites and Ku-ring-gai Train
Naa Badu Lookout: View, access to Berowra
Berowra Waters: Cafe, tap water, Toilets, road access
Berowra Waters View: Improptue campsite, views
Deep Bay Creek: Small creek
Ridge top campsite: (access to Berowra Heights)
Cowan: Corner store with basic supplies, meals, train station, road access, tap water, toilets
Jerusalem Bay: views, swimming
Brooklyn Dam: campsite, water in dam (treat)
Brooklyn: Train, cafes, accomodation, ferry, road acess, tap water, toilets
Patoonga: cafes, accomodation, ferry, road acess, tap water, toilets
Warrah Lookout: Views
Van Dahls bush campsite: Basic campsite (there are a few - need to work out which is which)
Tunnel Track: (access to Woy Woy tip and Woy Woy)
Wondadbyne campsite: campsite
Kariong Brook: Creek water - treat
Myron Brook: Creek water - treat
Wondadbyne Trail intersection: (Access to Wondabyen Station)
Scopas Peak: views
Patonga and Girrakool tracks: (Access to Camp Kariong and Girrakool) - water after some rain
Phil Houghton Bridge campsite: clearing used as a campsite
Old Pacific Highway: parking
Southern Mooney Mooney Creek Campsite: Campsite
Northern Mooney Mooney Creek Campsite: Campsite
Mooney Mooney Creek Crossing: Creek water - treat
Old Mooney Mooney Creek Dam: Creek water - treat
Quarry rest area: campsite
Somersby resevoiur: no water
Somersby Store: Small store, basic supplies, meal, toilet, tap water
Palm Grove Campsite: Campsite
Ourimbah Valley Trackhead: Road access
Hidden Valley: Accomodation???
Stringy Bark: Campsite, creek water near by
Archery Range: Camping, tank water, toilets
Forest & Tooheys: Access to Forest Park Country Retreat
Yarramalong: Small store, basic supplies, meal, toilet, tap water, pub, accomodation
Cedar Brush Rest Area: Campsite
Basin campsite: Campsite, toilet, tables, bench seats, water tank
Wollombi Brook : Creek water - treat
Mt Worramalong Campsite: Small unsignposted campiste south of the Mt W
Watagan Creek Campsite: Campsite (access to creek water - treat)
Watagan Creek Rd: road access
Flat Rock rest area: Campsite
Flat Rock: lookout
Congewai Valley west trackhead: Road Access - (can walk north to Paxton)
Congewai Valley East trackhead : Access to Water tank on Brown Muirs Farm
Barraba Campsite: Campsite (After rain might find water in dam near hut)
Saddle Rest Area: campsite
Great North Walk Rest Area * 2: campsite
Narrow Place Lookout: views
Watagan Headquarters: Road Access, campsite
Hunter Lookout: view, picnic tables, toilets
Mcleans Lookout: view, picnic tables
Wallis Creek: Creek water - treat
Heaton Lookout: Views, picnic tables, road acess, water tank{reliability??} toilet
Watagen Hotel: Road access, Accomodation, small shop, basic supplies, meals, picnic area, toilet, tap water
Eddie Peterson Memorial Park: Road access, toilet, water and shelter
Teralba: Train, road access, pub, accomodation options
Speers Point Park: park area, toielts, water, pool
Warners Bay: Toilets, tap water, cafes, meals, Dip & Dots Ice cream, bus
Charlestown Park: (Access to Charlestown shops, and service station), picnic table, shelter, BBQ
Yuelarbah car park: information signs, parking
Leichhardts Lookout: views
Glenrock Beach : Access to Glenrock Lagoon and scout camp
Glenrock Scout Camp(can stay in accom): short Side trip, road access, public phone
Merewether Ocean Baths: Toilets, tap water, shelter, pools, road access
Swell Cafe: Toilets, tap water, shelter, cafe, road access
Dixon Park: Toilets, tap water, shelter, road access
Strzelecki Lookout: Views, parking
Hunter Street Mall: Shops, cafes, meals, toilets, tap water
Queens Wharf: cafes, meals, toilets, tap water, ferry, walk to train, and Beer (thanks Greenie)

Hope that helps.

Matt :)
Last edited by wildwalks on Tue 25 Jan, 2011 7:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby Greenie » Tue 25 Jan, 2011 5:56 pm

You forgot to add one very important supply option at Queens Wharf that is available and I am sure well deserved by the end of the GNW, Beer!
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby wildwalks » Tue 25 Jan, 2011 7:17 pm

Greenie wrote:You forgot to add one very important supply option at Queens Wharf that is available and I am sure well deserved by the end of the GNW, Beer!

Oops, what an oversight ! -- Fixed that ;)

Matt :)
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby Samma3l » Sat 19 Mar, 2011 10:46 pm

So close yet so far. Got as far as Fishponds today at about midday today (19 Mar). The Fishponds was flooded, and I wasn't sure about the other creek crossings towards Thornleigh as the others I crossed were swollen and I had no time to weave in and out of the crossings that would follow. I was going to catch the train between Hornsby and Thornleigh but pretty much left me with nowhere really to camp on the way back (Baden Powell and Lane Cove were out due to not being booked or too far away at that time of day). I'll have to finish it off another weekend.

Matt, I found your missing 26kms too by the way...
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby wildwalks » Sun 20 Mar, 2011 7:10 am

Samma3l wrote:The Fishponds was flooded

Sounds like a good call not to push across these creeks - They do tend to drop pretty quickly (usually within a day) once the rain stops.

Samma3l wrote:Matt, I found your missing 26kms too by the way...

Thanks - which 26km are missing???

Matt :)
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby wildwalks » Sun 20 Mar, 2011 7:23 am

Samma3l wrote:Matt, I found your missing 26kms too by the way...

Ahhh - are you talking about that table from in the other forum thread?? Let me know what is missing. I did notice the other day that I have put a few legs in a couple of time by mistake, making the whole thing a bit longer - but did not notice anything missing. I plan to update my other post on Monday when I am near a proper computer - but let me know if there is anything else that needs a tweak, Although missing 26km sounds like more than a tweak :)
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby Samma3l » Sun 20 Mar, 2011 9:16 am

Sent you a pm.

I thought I'd add a couple of oddities that I saw on the trek.

There was a bred duck in the middle of a creek crossing near Ouribmbah, that seemed pretty content to have it's out spot out in the middle of no where.

And there are a pair of feral chickens (a rooster and a hen) near the Galston Gorge Bridge.

They were a little bit out of place and found it interesting to see them on the walk
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby Lindsay » Sun 20 Mar, 2011 4:53 pm

Samma3l wrote:And there are a pair of feral chickens (a rooster and a hen) near the Galston Gorge Bridge.

They were a little bit out of place and found it interesting to see them on the walk


The Galston Gorge chooks have been a feature of the area for years. I don't know where they came from but they seem to be there whenever I pass through. :? If you are heading north to south then you must be almost finished?
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby wildwalks » Sun 20 Mar, 2011 6:49 pm

Lindsay wrote:I don't know where they came from but they seem to be there whenever I pass through. :?

I tried to find out, but did not find any solid answers. Chatting with a few people from Galston they seemed to think that there was once a house in the gorge, on the other side of the valley from the trackhead, and that they had chooks. If so then these are the descendants (of their chooks), Not sure if it is true.
One other guy mentioned a theory that involved aliens - but it had just a touch less credibility.
Matt :)
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby wildwalks » Sun 20 Mar, 2011 7:08 pm

Samma3l wrote:Matt, I found your missing 26kms too by the way...

Hi All
Samma31 was kind enough to PM me to chat about the extra 26km question. I thought this was worth sharing. The original table of waypoints I posted here http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=6078#p73332 said the length of the GNW was 276km. 26Km longer than the official length of the walk. I noticed that I had included a couple of way points twice in the list so I have fixed that up and the length I then came up with is Just over 260km + the ferry trips. The actual length on the walk has varied over the 20 odd years of its history and I am sure there will be many more changes over the next 20 years.
I did some quick analysis of the type of track you are walking on during the walk - this is not perfect but pretty close (some of the road is also dirt roads but more major dirt roads)
Beach 0.81%
Duckboard 0.08%
Ferry 4.81%
Footpath 8.48%
Road 18.72%
Track 41.29%
Trail or dirt road 25.81%

Matt :)
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby Samma3l » Sun 20 Mar, 2011 7:19 pm

Lindsay wrote:
Samma3l wrote:And there are a pair of feral chickens (a rooster and a hen) near the Galston Gorge Bridge.

They were a little bit out of place and found it interesting to see them on the walk


The Galston Gorge chooks have been a feature of the area for years. I don't know where they came from but they seem to be there whenever I pass through. :? If you are heading north to south then you must be almost finished?


I had to quit early due to the creeks flooding out. Going to go back and finish it over a weekend in a couple of weeks. I'm a bit disappointed I couldn't do it in one go. I got as far as fishponds though
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby john_sydney » Mon 18 Jul, 2011 7:48 pm

Thanks very much re water points - very helpful. I have marked the GNW maps with the info.
I have been doing the Sydney bits over the last few weekends. I did Thornleigh Station to Berowra Station last Saturday to fill in the gap between Sydney and Brooklyn. The chooks at galston were interesting, there was also a peacock in the flock.
I am planning Patonga to Somersby as a Sat - Sun trip catching the sat morning 9am ferry from palm beach and bus from somersby to gosford and train home on Sunday arvo. I am thinking Patonga - Mooney Mooney ck campsite (27km) on Saturday then 13 km on Sunday to Somersby.
I am also planning Somersby to Newcastle over 7 days over Xmas. i am thinking of getting my wife to meet me in Paxton for the night with some supplies. Somersby - Yarramalong (24km), Yarramalong - Basin Campsite (19km), Basin Campsite - Watagan Ck Campsite (14kmish), Watagan - Paxton (20kmish), Paxton - Barraba Campsite (17.5km), Barraba - Heaton Gap (26km), Heaton Gap - teralba (16km) (train to Newcastle & stay with friends), Newcastle - Teralba (24.7km) & train home.
Regards
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Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby Bluegum Mic » Mon 18 Jul, 2011 8:09 pm

Sounds awesome John. I live 5 minutes from the gorge and drive/hike through there often. I love my little family of chooks. The rooster is absolutely gorgeous. I was very sad to see one had been killed by a car recently. Though I must say their numbers have been on the increase in recent times so it seems that it hasn't had too bad an impact. I remember seeing them down there (well descendants of) as far back as 12 years ago. They are always there without fail. :-)

Enjoy the GNW. It's an awesome track.
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby wildwalks » Tue 19 Jul, 2011 4:06 pm

john_sydney wrote:I am planning Patonga to Somersby as a Sat - Sun trip catching the sat morning 9am ferry from palm beach and bus from somersby to gosford and train home on Sunday arvo. I am thinking Patonga - Mooney Mooney ck campsite (27km) on Saturday then 13 km on Sunday to Somersby.

Hey John,
that is do-able but is a very big first day about 28km on day 1.
Starting at 9am, you will need to be very focused to get to camp before dark. You will need to average just shy of 4km/h for eight hours. I would not recommend it at this time of year, it does not leave much wiggle room.
see http://www.wildwalks.com/bushwalking-and-hiking-in-nsw/brisbane-water-national-park/patonga-to-somersby.html

And on the theme of been negative (sorry), the Somersby bus does not run on Sundays. Perhaps you could start from Somersby on Sat AM then walk south (It is a very early bus).

I think you might find this walk a good alternative with a fairer pace. Transport is a bit easier (you still need to work out your Somersby bus issue).
http://www.wildwalks.com/bushwalking-and-hiking-in-nsw/brisbane-water-national-park/wondabyne-station-to-somersby-store-overnight.html
(then do Wondabyne to Patoonga as a day walk another time.)

Your summer idea looks do-able. still a few big days, but much more plausable when you have more daylight and can just pace yourself. Watch your water supplies and fire danger on this northern section in summer.
This might be helpful http://www.wildwalks.com/gnw

Matt :)
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby john_sydney » Thu 21 Jul, 2011 10:07 am

Thanks Matt
I hadnt realised there was no Sunday bus
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby juju » Thu 08 Sep, 2011 8:37 pm

A friend and I are doing the GNW in a few weeks. Does anyone have any advice? Thanks, Julie.
We'll get fit on the way.
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby wildwalks » Fri 09 Sep, 2011 7:40 am

juju wrote:Does anyone have any advice?

It is an enjoyable walk, but different from many other bushwalking trips.
The walk passes a few shops, roads etc. You can keep you pack heaps lighter by planning meals at the shops and or doing food drops.
You can even stay in B&B's if if you want to keep the pack super lite. The main space you will need to plan for water is heading along the ridge at the Watagans. After the water tank on the farm (not far of Congawai Valley Road), the rest of the water tanks are unreliable (due to vandalism) until you get the Watagan Motel, there are a few unreliable creeks past the Watagan HQ campsite if there is recent.

These notes/maps might be of some help http://www.wildwalks.com/bushwalking/general/list-of-walks.html?groupid=20

Enjoy
Matt :)
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby juju » Fri 09 Sep, 2011 5:25 pm

Thanks for the extra info Mat - I've already checked out that excellent site for which I am also grateful. I never ceases to amaze me how generous people are on the net.
I was unsure I'd like to do a walk such as this (much prefer deep deep in the bush). I probably would never have considered it but my friend is doing it as her first overnight and asked me along as an experienced partner. Now I'm looking forward to it. After driving to and from Sydney so often, it will be fun to walk it.
We'll get fit on the way.
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Re: Great North Walk - Resupply Options

Postby forest » Fri 09 Sep, 2011 8:50 pm

Hi Juju
Most of the creeks are flowing well and as a local to the Watagan's there's at least one good creek (Wallis Creek) that the walk crosses between Forest HQ and Heaton Lookout.
As Matt said the main Watagan's ridge is your worst stretch without water but once on the ridge is a reasonable walk along the fire trail's so not to hard.

I just got home from Somersby to Warners Bay. Did it in 3 1/2 days, Very sore feet and calves right now :( But I wanted a good fast crack at this section and had a limited window to do it in.
Biggest day was yesterday from the Congewai comms tower to the ridge on the eastern side of Heaton Gap, 43ish kms. (The new huts great in Congewai East, Hadn't seen that before and a great spot for water)
Hardest day was from half way along Yarramalong valley to the Congewai comms tower. Lots of ups and downs in that 31 km's.
Racked up around 125km's all up.

The best thing about this walk is how close you can be to civilisation, yet how far away you can feel !!!

If you like a good bushwalk you'll love it, by no means is it a city walking trail. Some sections are quite hard and isolated.
I didn't see another person between Yarramalong and Heaton Gap and you'll only pass a some farm houses in the valley's and then it's all bush.
I am a GEAR JUNKIE and GRAM COUNTER !!

There, It's out. I said it, Ahh I feel better now :lol:
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Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
 
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Location: Hunter Valley
Region: New South Wales
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