Lower Hawkesbury bush camps?

[rough60]

Hi all,
Hoping that people know of a few more bush camp sites around the lower hawkesbury area.
Mostly to take the kids to now the weather has warmed up, so far I have:

Berowra Valley Park:
Tunks Ridge
Top of Galston Gorge
Crosslands
Ridge Top
The Jungo
Calna creek north & south
Black Ash

Marramarra NP
Gentlemans Halt
Marramarra creek

Kuring-gai NP
The Basin

Thanks.

[kanangra]

You have a good selection there. Marra Marra is my pick. Oranges should be nice and ripe.

K.

[Bluegum Mic]

Another spot you could do though a little further (though if your doing marramarra then it's not really) you could go cattai NP. I live near Hornsby and it takes me 35-40mins. Take cattai ridge rd from glenorie and follow. There's some good camping by the river.

Crosslands is great for kids and they now have a new playground, undercover eating with BBQ and fancy new amenities block (mind you I camp right down the other end as I like the spot by the river). If camping there you need to organise through Hornsby council. I think you can pay the ranger on the night though (I've seen people do this). Otherwise you can walk back towards the gorge and there is the other campsite which is free. It's not far.

[johnw]

A few years ago we attempted Gentlemans Halt in Marramarra NP as an overnight trip. It's about 19km return. Basically a longish walk on a fire trail with the last km or so on a foot track with a short but very steep section. However we failed to reach the designated campsite, as the area had been affected by fires and rampant regrowth had obliterated the final section of the track. We scrub bashed for ages trying to find a navigable route but had to give up as night fell. We camped on a small unvegetated patch of old fire trail on the ridge high above Gentlemans Halt, which had excellent views over the Hawkesbury. But it was frustrating and disappointing not to find the actual destination, which was somewhere just below us. I'd like to think that the track has been restored by now but suggest contacting the local ranger before attempting it.

Maybe not really lower Hawkesbury, but If you're into a bit of history a nice campsite we've used is at Ten Mile Hollow on the Old Great North Road, although it doesn't have spectacular views. We walked from Wisemans Ferry via Devines Hill, I think about 20km return. I believe there is an alternate route via Simpsons Track, which may be shorter, but I haven't tried it. The campsite has a pit toilet and the OGNR is also popular for MTB cycle touring. As a side trip after breakfast it's worth walking an extra km or so from Ten Mile Hollow to see Clares Bridge. The area around Devines Hill is also popular for short walks. Some info and sketch maps here:
http://www.convicttrail.org/

[Greenie]

On the northern side, in Brisbane Water National Park there is Rocky Ponds. There are no facilities. I had the place to myself last time I was there. With recent rain there should be plently of water going over Gordon Falls. From memory it would be about a 3 hour walk from Woy Woy RD. Can also be accessed from a water taxi from Brooklyn. With a nice walk along the ridge with views over Dangar Is etc

[Bluegum Mic]

Oh and how can I forget Pindar cave. The kids love it. It's a big over hanging wave cave structure that you can camp under without a tent. You take the train over the hawkesbury and get off at wondabyne station (you have to tell the train master you are planning to get off as it does not routinely stop.
Follow the GNW up the rather steep hill (short but sweet) I will have to look up some old notes to see how far till the cairn but then it's perhaps a 5km walk from there (maybe...perhaps). Gosh it's been about six years since I've been but a great spot. You often see a few scouts/venturers there.
Edit: my memory served me well. It's 1.4km to cairn then 5km to cave.

http://www.wildwalks.com/bushwalking-and-hiking-in-nsw/brisbane-water-national-park/pindar-cave.html

[rough60]

Thanks very much for the spots suggested so far, keep 'em coming

You have a good selection there. Marra Marra is my pick. Oranges should be nice and ripe.

K.

The orange grove was in full bloom 2 weeks ago when we were there, smelt fantastic. Was a very nice spot, we had the place to ourselves. (pics below)

Catti sounds interesting, will definitely check that out and Ten Mile Hollow is on a hike rafting loop trip a mate has planned, with hiking inflatables .

The northern side of the Hawkesbury definitely looks like the next place we will be exploring, brisbane waters, yengo, and theres heaps in the wattagens I've found through 4wding.

Thanks again guys,
any camps along the harbour to hawkesbury walk or elsewhere in kuring-gai/garigal NP's?
Cheers.

[Bluegum Mic]

Kuring-gai NP campsites on the hawkesbury to harbour walk are limited. Basically once you come up and over at mt kuring-gai your in bobbin heads territory and there's no camping allowed. There used to be a small area where the track narrows on the lyrebird track heading from davidson park back towards davidson however I'm not sure you can camp there anymore. Even still it's not a great spot (although the fishing is good...I'm born and bred up the road from here).

I'm not sure how long/far you want to take them but the GNW loop from wondabyne station to patonga is fantastic. Start at station, walk up that steep hill, follow GNW sign and branch off to pantonga. There is a beautiful waterfall, you can leave your pack and go up the summit of mt wondabyne (which has the most spectacular views of Brisbane waters, hawkesbury, palm beach etc). From there it's not much further to a camp site (look out for the cairn and it's a short side track). This is a magic little spot with a lovely creek and little cascading waterfall). Then the next day it's a shortish hike out to patonga. Again fantastic views from cliffs over pearl beach etc. You can then camp another night at patonga to elongate your trip or call a water taxi for a fun trip back to Brooklyn to get the train home (I'm sure there's also a ferry service too).

[Leppy]

Hi All,
Could any let me know where the "black ash" camp site is?

[rough60]

It's a few hundred meters up stream from crosslands, nice little campsite.

[Leppy]

Cheers rough60 gotya.... yes know it now - just wasn't aware of it's name... Your right, its a great spot - I hammock there when I stay; plenty of good hangs. I've seen a little trash starting to creep in as it gets warmer...

[Leppy]

Black Ash overnighter

[Leppy]

Has anyone been to or know of two sites that are shown on the GNW maps just north and just south of Sams Creek?

[Leppy]

Checked out the two sites I was questioning above today with a little morning walk

Got away from Berowra waters at 7:30 and headed south on the GNW, gee the slow climb up the ridge was a little hard to take first thing in the morning. Humidity was high and whilst it had not got too warm yet I was really feeling it. I enjoyed the view of the track on the northern side of Banggaral Creek, as you start to come down to the creek from the sourthern side a run of stairs on the other side look alot steeper than they are - Just one of those track visons that keep you going.

I hit NaaBadu lookup at about 8:30 and after not seeing the first of the camps that I thought I would I kept going down to Sams Creek. Wow what a special part of the world that is. The decent was all that I had hope for from the web images I had seen, must admit that the creek itself was not as I had hoped.

Kept on and discovered the camp site on the sourthern bank of sams creek when it hits berowra, the tree's at the western end were suitable for hammocks which is what I was looking for. Feeling like I had rushed the best part of the walk I didn;t stop but rather turned around and headed back for the climb out of sams creek.

It was starting to get a liitle hot and the walk back up was making me work for it. A nice moment when two Lyrebirds gave me a great reason to hold up for a sec and get some photos.

A breack and coffee at the Naabadu on the return trip gave me the rest I was needing and got speaking to a few who dropped by.

Found the other camp site on the way back too... great tent site but didn't do much for me so on I went on the return back to Berowra.

Back to the car and aircon by 12..

[/i]