Lady Carrington Drive

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Safer Bushwalks Tips on staying safe on track
Before you start any bushwalk ensure you;
• Tell someone you trust where you are going and what to do if you are overdue
• Have adequate equipment, supplies, skills & knowledge for the whole journey
• Consider the impact of weather forecasts, park/track closures & fire dangers
• Can respond to emergencies & call for help at any point
• Are healthy and fit enough for this journey
If not, change plans and stay safe. It is okay to delay and ask people for help.

Getting There Transport options and directions

Start	At the intersection of Sir Bertram Stevens Drive & Lady Carrington Drive (-34.1488024,151.0301973)
Mode	Car
Directions	From Princes Highway, A1 Turn on to then drive for 200 m Turn left onto Kooraban Street and drive for another 4.7 km Turn left onto Sir Bertram Stevens Drive and drive for another 470 m
Finish	(-34.0794063,151.0551439)
Mode (end)	Car Shuttle Car (Parking fees apply in the area.)

Track Notes Turn by turn instructions & maps

Getting started
From the car park on Sir Bertram Stevens Drive (500m north of the intersection with McKell Ave), this walk heads between the boulders (on the western edge of the car park) then leads downhill to get around to the back of the locked gate (56cm high) and sandstone wall. From here the walk follows the wide dirt Lady Carrington Drive trail downhill past the 'Forest Path' information sign and continues mostly downhill for just over 600m through the forest to come to a three-way intersection signposted with the 'Walumarra Track'.
From the intersection, this walk heads downhill along the main wide dirt trail, keeping the valley to the right. The trail bends right and leads down into the valley for about 60m passing the 'red cedar' information sign to come to the signposted three-way intersection with 'The Forest Path' beside the the Bola Creek picnic area, just before the creek.....

Turn map	Directions & comments
	At the intersection of Sir Bertram Stevens Drive & Lady Carrington Drive Start heading along Lady Carrington Drive (a vehicle track). Find the car park at the start. After 35 m find the "Pinch Point" (20 m on your left). Pinch Point Pinchpoints between rocks. The widest space is between the 5th and 6th rock from the fence (at the west side of car park) is 56cm wide. After another 6 m head through/around the gate.
	After another 610 m (at the intersection of Lady Carrington Drive & Walumarra Track) continue straight, to head along Lady Carrington Drive. After another 165 m find the "Bola Picnic Area" (20 m on your left). Bola Picnic Area Bola Picnic Area, in the Royal National Park, is at the intersection of Lady Carrington Drive and Forest Island Track, beside Bola Creek. You will find a small clearing with a picnic table in a gorgeous rainforest setting, surrounded by tall trees and ferns scattered through the area. There is no car access to the picnic area, making this a lovely quiet area.
	At the intersection of Lady Carrington Drive & Forest Path continue straight, to head along Lady Carrington Drive.
	The starting point of an optional sidetrip. An optional side trip to Palona Cave and Waterfall. To start this optional side trip turn right here. On returning from this side trip turn right when you get back to this intersection. Details below. After another 1.1 km (at the intersection of Lady Carrington Drive & Palona Cave (Limestone Caves) Track) continue straight, to head along Lady Carrington Drive. After another 150 m find the "Palona Brook Picnic Area" (5 m on your right). Palona Brook Picnic Area Palona Brook Picnic Area is found on the north side of Palona Brook along side the old Lady Carrington Drive. The picnic area is home to a couple of wooden picnic tables and is next to the steep gully and culvert that Palona Brook flows through. A pleasant spot to rest when visiting the nearby sandstone cove or exploring the old road. Then find the "Picnic Table" (30 m on your right). Picnic Table A timber slat picnic table and bench seat. The table is 76cm high, 91cm deep and 2.12m wide. The seats are 44cm high, 30cm deep and 2.12m wide (no backrest). After another 5.2 km find the "Jersey Spring Clearing" (9 m on your left). Jersey Spring Clearing The Jersey Spring Clearing is an open grassy area between the old Lady Carrington Drive and the Hacking River. The clearing is not formally named but is just south of the Jersey Spring. This is a great area to stop, rest and enjoy the journey along the old road After another 145 m find the "Jersey Spring" (on your right). Jersey Spring The Jersey Spring is beside the old Lady Carrington Drive in the Royal National Park. The permanent spring feeds into two sandstone troughs, built in 1892 to provide water for horses and people traveling along the road. The troughs are still fed by the same spring (although it has moved overtime and the water is no longer suitable for drinking). The springs are named after Rt. Hon. Victor George (Earl of Jersey), the 17th governor of NSW. After another 1.9 km come to the "Trip Hazard". Trip Hazard There are a number of tall stone walls and culverts crossing creeks along Lady Carrington Drive that are unfenced and have unmarked edges. The potential fall is significant enough to cause serious injury or death. Stay well clear of the edges. After another 140 m find the "Gibraltar Rock" (on your right). Gibraltar Rock Gibraltar Rock, Royal National Park, is a sandstone overhang found near the northern end of Lady Carrington Drive. The old road passes under the rocks and is home to a small section of sandstone cobblestone. At this point, the old road offers great views of the Hacking River and across to Wattle Forest picnic area. These and many other sandstone formations, together with the history, make this old road quite interesting to explore. There is a picnic table under the overhang. Then find the "Trip Hazard" (on your right). Trip Hazard An 8cm trip hazard between dirt and cobblestones. After another 300 m come to a car park.
	The end. About 45 m past the end is "Willow Tree". Willow Tree Willow Tree is a picnic area in the Royal National Park. It is found on the south side of Audley, between the old Lady Carrington Drive and the Hacking River. The picnic area has a large shelter with 4 picnic tables, an open grassy area, parking, BBQ's, tap water, garbage bins, recycling and toilets. The picnic area stretches along the river bank and provides a lovely spot to stop and enjoy the park . About 20 m past the end is "Lady Carrington Drive". Lady Carrington Drive Opened in 1886 by Lady Carrington, this road was formally named 'Lady Carrington Road' (later changed to 'drive'), and started on the southern side of the then newly constructed Audley weir. The road become popular among people exploring the region. The road follows the Hacking River's east bank and then Bola Creek to Sir Bertram Stevens Drive. Much history has been preserved, with several drinking troughs still filling with water and many sandstone retaining walls still standing. The brooks that the old road crosses have been named using the traditional names of birds, the following is a list with the English name in brackets. Mullion (Eagle), Wurrul (Bee Eater), Burowa (Bustard), Karonga (White Crane), Gorra Worra (Laughing Jackass), Buralga (Native Companion), Kobardo (Parrot), Birumba (Plover), Dirijiri (Wagtail), Murrindum (Quail), Dumbal (Crow), Tamur (Bronze winged Pigeon), Burunda (Swan), Karani (Duck), Palona (Hawk) Brooks. About 110 m past the end is "Toilet". Toilet Male and female toilet block. Entrance is 67cm wide, hand basins 90cm high, toilet seat 43cm high. Male toilet has a urinal with 20cm step. No handrails. There's a bigger toilet at the back, entrance is 81cm wide, hand basins 76cm high, toilet seat 47cm high.

An optional side trip to Palona Cave and Waterfall.

Turn map	Directions & comments
	At the intersection of Palona Cave (Limestone Caves) Track & Lady Carrington Drive Start heading along Palona Cave (Limestone Caves) Track (a walking track).
	Continue another 730 m to find Palona Cave at the end. About 35 m past the end is "Palona Falls". About 45 m past the end is "Palona Cave". Palona Cave Palona Cave is off Lady Carrington Drive, north of Bola Picnic Area, in the Royal National Park. Palona Cave is a large limestone overhang with a few cave decorations such as columns and stalactites. Being open to the environment, the cave has some green moss and is not reminiscent of other pristine white limestone caves. The cave is a unique feature for the area and is well worth allowing time to explore. About 70 m past the end is "Palona Brook Falls". Palona Brook Falls The waterfalls on Palona Brook are just beyond Palona Cave. The brook is ephemeral (not permanently running), but when it is running, the waterfalls are a cool place to explore on warm days. The waterfall is made of up two main cascades, with a short landing in between. The water falls into a reasonably small rocky pool. Turn around and retrace your steps back the 730 m to the main route.

Turn map

Directions & comments

At the intersection of Palona Cave (Limestone Caves) Track & Lady Carrington Drive Start heading along Palona Cave (Limestone Caves) Track (a walking track).

Continue another 730 m to find Palona Cave at the end.

About 35 m past the end is "Palona Falls".

About 45 m past the end is "Palona Cave".

Palona Cave

Palona Cave is off Lady Carrington Drive, north of Bola Picnic Area, in the Royal National Park. Palona Cave is a large limestone overhang with a few cave decorations such as columns and stalactites. Being open to the environment, the cave has some green moss and is not reminiscent of other pristine white limestone caves. The cave is a unique feature for the area and is well worth allowing time to explore.

About 70 m past the end is "Palona Brook Falls".

Palona Brook Falls

The waterfalls on Palona Brook are just beyond Palona Cave. The brook is ephemeral (not permanently running), but when it is running, the waterfalls are a cool place to explore on warm days. The waterfall is made of up two main cascades, with a short landing in between. The water falls into a reasonably small rocky pool.

Turn around and retrace your steps back the 730 m to the main route.

Terrain Know the Hills, grading & facilities

Lady Carrington Drive

Grading

	Class 3/6 Moderate track
Length	9.6 km
Time	3 h 15 min to 3 h 45 min

Quality of track	Clear and well formed track or trail (2/6)
Gradient	Short steep hills (3/6)
Signage	Directional signs along the way (3/6)
Infrastructure	Generally useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats) (1/6)
Experience Required	Some bushwalking experience recommended (3/6)
Weather	Weather generally has little impact on safety (1/6)

Naturally Accessible
Slope summary:
The majority of this walk is gently undulating, although there are some very steep sections at the southern end. If using a wheelchair, assistance is most likely to be required on some of the hills.

Surface summary:
This walk follows a 5.5m wide dirt trail (old road) for most of the length. All creeks have bridges (culverts). The trail becomes boggy after rain. There are two pinch points, the narrowest is at the southern end at 56cm.

Some facilities on route

Entity|toilet: There is one 9.7 km from the start.

Order of key facilities on route

Item	From Start	Name & link to notes
Entity\|toilet	9.7 km	Toilet

Articles Discover more details to thrive on track

Bola Picnic Area
Bola Picnic Area, in the Royal National Park, is at the intersection of Lady Carrington Drive and Forest Island Track, beside Bola Creek. You will find a small clearing with a picnic table in a gorgeous rainforest setting, surrounded by tall trees and ferns scattered through the area. There is no car access to the picnic area, making this a lovely quiet area.

Palona Cave
Palona Cave is off Lady Carrington Drive, north of Bola Picnic Area, in the Royal National Park. Palona Cave is a large limestone overhang with a few cave decorations such as columns and stalactites. Being open to the environment, the cave has some green moss and is not reminiscent of other pristine white limestone caves. The cave is a unique feature for the area and is well worth allowing time to explore.

Palona Brook Picnic Area
Palona Brook Picnic Area is found on the north side of Palona Brook along side the old Lady Carrington Drive. The picnic area is home to a couple of wooden picnic tables and is next to the steep gully and culvert that Palona Brook flows through. A pleasant spot to rest when visiting the nearby sandstone cove or exploring the old road.

Calala
The signposted 'Calala' clearing lies between the old Lady Carrington Drive and the Hacking River. The large clearing has a picnic table and plenty of shade from the surrounding trees. There is an informal steep track that provides access to a small sandy beach on the Hacking River, making this a lovely spot to rest on a warm day.

Jersey Spring Clearing
The Jersey Spring Clearing is an open grassy area between the old Lady Carrington Drive and the Hacking River. The clearing is not formally named but is just south of the Jersey Spring. This is a great area to stop, rest and enjoy the journey along the old road

Jersey Spring
The Jersey Spring is beside the old Lady Carrington Drive in the Royal National Park. The permanent spring feeds into two sandstone troughs, built in 1892 to provide water for horses and people traveling along the road. The troughs are still fed by the same spring (although it has moved overtime and the water is no longer suitable for drinking). The springs are named after Rt. Hon. Victor George (Earl of Jersey), the 17th governor of NSW.

Gibraltar Rock
Gibraltar Rock, Royal National Park, is a sandstone overhang found near the northern end of Lady Carrington Drive. The old road passes under the rocks and is home to a small section of sandstone cobblestone. At this point, the old road offers great views of the Hacking River and across to Wattle Forest picnic area. These and many other sandstone formations, together with the history, make this old road quite interesting to explore. There is a picnic table under the overhang.

Lady Carrington Drive
Opened in 1886 by Lady Carrington, this road was formally named 'Lady Carrington Road' (later changed to 'drive'), and started on the southern side of the then newly constructed Audley weir. The road become popular among people exploring the region. The road follows the Hacking River's east bank and then Bola Creek to Sir Bertram Stevens Drive. Much history has been preserved, with several drinking troughs still filling with water and many sandstone retaining walls still standing. The brooks that the old road crosses have been named using the traditional names of birds, the following is a list with the English name in brackets. Mullion (Eagle), Wurrul (Bee Eater), Burowa (Bustard), Karonga (White Crane), Gorra Worra (Laughing Jackass), Buralga (Native Companion), Kobardo (Parrot), Birumba (Plover), Dirijiri (Wagtail), Murrindum (Quail), Dumbal (Crow), Tamur (Bronze winged Pigeon), Burunda (Swan), Karani (Duck), Palona (Hawk) Brooks.

Get more information
Wildwalks

Weather & Alerts Check forecasts & closures
Weather Forecast
- Cronulla Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
  
  Saturday 15 March
  
  Mostly clear.
  
  Mostly clear. Winds northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h becoming light in the late evening.
  
  Sunday 16 March
  
  24°C → 37°C
  Becoming windy. Mostly sunny.
  10% chance of rain
  
  Mostly sunny. Light winds becoming northwesterly 25 to 40 km/h in the morning.
  
  Fire Danger Rating: Extreme
  
  UV Alert: Sun protection 9:40am to 4:20pm, UV Index predicted to reach 8 [Very High]
  
  Monday 17 March
  
  18°C → 21°C
  Windy. Partly cloudy.
  20% chance of rain
  
  Slight chance of a shower in the early morning. Mostly sunny day. Winds westerly 15 to 20 km/h turning southerly 25 to 40 km/h before dawn then decreasing to 15 to 25 km/h in the evening.
  
  Alert: Large and powerful surf conditions are expected to be hazardous for coastal activities such as rock fishing, swimming and surfing.
  
  Tuesday 18 March
  
  18°C → 22°C
  Partly cloudy.
  10% chance of rain
  
  Partly cloudy. Light winds.
  
  Wednesday 19 March
  
  19°C → 25°C
  Mostly sunny.
  10% chance of rain
  
  Mostly sunny. Light winds becoming northerly 15 to 20 km/h during the morning then tending northeasterly 15 to 25 km/h during the day.
  
  Thursday 20 March
  
  21°C → 27°C
  Sunny.
  20% chance of rain
  
  Mostly sunny. Slight chance of a shower. The chance of a thunderstorm. Light winds becoming northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the day.
  
  Friday 21 March
  
  22°C → 26°C
  Sunny.
  20% chance of rain
  
  Mostly sunny. Slight chance of a shower. Light winds becoming easterly 15 to 20 km/h during the day.
  
  Saturday 22 March
  
  22°C → 26°C
  Mostly sunny.
  20% chance of rain
  
  Mostly sunny. Slight chance of a shower. Light winds becoming east to northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the day.
  
  Forecast data thanks to © Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Alerts
- Royal National Park alerts
  Closed areas: Vehicle Trails Closed - Repair
  Vehicle Trails Closed
  
  Loftus Trig Vehicle Trail, Engadine Lakes Vehicle Trail, Goarra Ridge Vehicle Trail & Farnell Avenue Vehicle Trail will be closed on weekdays commencing Wednesday 12th March to Friday 04th April 2025 while trail construction work is being undertaken. All trails will be reopened on weekends.
  
  Heavy machinery will be operating on all vehicle trails. Please do not enter closed areas. Please follow instructions and signage of NPWS staff and contractors.
  
  Penalties apply for non-compliance. For more information, please contact the Royal National Park Office on 9542 0632.
  
  Closed areas: Werrong Beach track
  Werrong Beach track in Royal National Park is closed until further notice due to landslides. Signs will be in place around the closed area.
  Penalties apply for non-compliance. For more information, contact the local NPWS office.
  
  Closed areas: Trails closed for upgrades - Temptation Creek/Loftus Loop Area
  Some walking and mountain bike trails within the Loftus Loop network at Temptation Creek are closed from Tuesday 11 March to Monday 30 June for upgrade works. The closed areas are:
  
  Farnell Avenue Trail
  
  Rawson Parade Trail
  
  Savilles Creek Trail
  
  The fire trails east of Farnell Avenue will remain open for recreation.
  Penalties apply for non-compliance. For more information, contact the Royal National Parks Visitors Centre on 9542 0648
  
  Closed areas: Marley walking track partial closure
  This section of Marley walking track between the carpark and fire trail is closed for repairs until April 2025.
  Big Marley and Little Marley fire trails remain open. Fore more information, contact the Royal National Park Visitor Centre on 02 9542 0648.
  
  Closed areas: The Coast track - partial closure
  Walking the full length of The Coast track from Otford to Bundeena or Bundeena to Otford is not currently possible due to several track closures along its length. These closures are necessary due to erosion, rockfall risk and ongoing track upgrade works.
  Please note the following closures:
  
  The Garie to Little Garie section of The Coast track is closed due to hazardous rockfalls and erosion
  
  North Era campground is closed until further notice
  
  Garie Road, Garie Beach and the Garie precinct is closed until further notice due to damage and subsidence of the road surface. Walkers approaching from the north (e.g. from Wattamolla or Bundeena) should exit the track via Curra Moors track.
  
  Bushwalker access is available for the following sections of The Coast track:
  
  South bound access - Bundeena to Curra Moors track via Wattamolla and return only. There's no access to Garie Beach.
  
  North bound access - Is via Garawarra Farm Ridge trail and Burgh Ridge track to North Era and return, during track upgrades.
  
  For further information please contact the Royal National Park Visitor Centre on 02 9542 0648
  
  Closed areas: Curra Moors loop track partial closure
  The section of Curra Moors loop track between the carpark and fire trail is closed for repairs until April 2025.
  Curra Moors fire trail remains open. For more information, contact the Royal National Park Visitor Centre on 02 9542 0648.
  
  Closed areas: North Era campground closed
  North Era campground is closed until further notice due to operational activities. For more information please contact the local area office on 02 9542 0648.
  
  Closed areas: Garie Road closed due to damage
  Garie Road is closed until further notice due to damage to the road surface.
  This road may remain closed for some time to allow for extensive repairs. A reopening date is not currently known.
  Penalties apply for non-compliance. Please check Live Traffic NSW for updates before driving to Garie Beach.
  
  Alert kindly provided by © NSW Nataional Parks and Wildlife Service

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