Shepherds Gully and Devines Hill

Downloads GPX PDF

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 Settlers Road & Shepherds Gully Road (-33.3550091,150.9824479)
Mode	Bus Car (There is free parking available.) Special (Wisemans Ferry Dialacar provides a taxi style mini-bus service based in Wisemans Ferry. The cost is typically about $1 per km (ex Wisemans Ferry). They will pick-up and drop-off from Sydney or the Central Coast and will happily drop walkers off or pick them up from tracks in the area. The cost for a pick-up from Gosford and drop off near Wisemans Ferry would be approximately $150 (please call for up-to-date pricing) and the minivan can carry up to 13 passengers. Phone: 0448 122 374)
Directions	From Pacific Motorway, M1 Turn on to Peats Ridge Road Offramp then drive for 3.8 km Keep left onto Cooks Road and drive for another 2.8 km Keep left and drive for another 1.4 km Keep right and drive for another 410 m Turn sharp left onto Popran Road and drive for another 6.4 km Turn left onto Wisemans Ferry Road and drive for another 33.5 km Continue onto Settlers Road and drive for another 8.6 km
Finish	(-33.375265,150.9849863)
Mode (end)	Car Shuttle Bus Car (There is free parking available.) Special (Wisemans Ferry Dialacar provides a taxi style mini-bus service based in Wisemans Ferry. The cost is typically about $1 per km (ex Wisemans Ferry). They will pick-up and drop-off from Sydney or the Central Coast and will happily drop walkers off or pick them up from tracks in the area. The cost for a pick-up near Wisemans Ferry and drop off at Gosford would be approximately $150 (please call for up-to-date pricing) and the minivan can carry up to 13 passengers. Phone: 0448 122 374)

Track Notes Turn by turn instructions & maps

Getting started
From the signposted track head on Settlers Rd, marked with a "Shepherd's Gully Road" Convict Trail signpost (about 9km from Wisemans Ferry crossing), the walk passes the 'Yengo National Park' signpost and follows the management trail gently up the hill. After a short distance the walk passes an information sign and goes around a gate. The walk then continues to wind up along the valley for a long while, initially through very moist forest but getting drier as it climbs. Keep an eye out on the other side of the gully for remnants of the rock retaining walls of the earlier lines of the road. There are also some areas of beautiful scenery with lots of boulders, ferns and grasstrees. The walk eventually arrives at a signposted intersection beside a gate.....

Turn map	Directions & comments
	At the intersection of Settlers Road & Shepherds Gully Road Start heading along Shepherds Gully Road (a vehicle track). After 360 m head through/around the gate.
	After another 1.9 km (at the intersection of Old Great North Road & Shepherds Gully Road) veer right, to head along Old Great North Road. After another 15 m head through/around the gate.
	After another 335 m continue straight, to head along Old Great North Road. After another 360 m continue straight, to head along Old Great North Road. Then find the "Hangmans Rock" (on your left). Hangmans Rock Hangmans Rock is beside the historic Old Great North Road, near Wisemans Ferry, NSW. This beautiful sandstone cave/overhang has some steps and a bench seat cut into it and is part of the history of the convict built OGNR. It is uncertain what purpose the spot served, but stories that convicts were hanged through the hole in the roof of the cave appear unlikely to be true, despite giving a name to the atmospheric spot. After another 1.1 km head through/around the gate.
	At the intersection of Settlers Road & Old Great North Road veer left, to head along Settlers Road (a highway\|tertiary). After another 10 m find the "Old Great North Road" (on your right). Old Great North Road The historic Great North Road was built using convict labour between 1826 and 1836 (this section south of Wollombi was completed in 1832). The road formed a link between Sydney and the Hunter Valley, including Newcastle. There are visible remnants of the original work in bridges, retaining walls and other structures along the way. The 'Convict Trail Project' has member groups involved in the conservation of historical remnants along the road. The Convict Trail Project and the NPWS have erected information signs at various points to illustrate the history. The Convict Trail Project has an excellent website for further reading.
	After another 2 m come to the end. About 25 m past the end is a car park. About 90 m past the end is "Thomas James Bridge". Thomas James Bridge The historic Thomas James Bridge is on Wisemans Ferry Rd, NSW. This is the oldest in-use bridge on mainland Australia (Tasmania has older bridges) and is one of several convict built bridges along the Old Great North Road. The bridge was built during 1830 (the timber deck is more recent) and was named after the overseer of 'Road Party 25' which built the bridge.

Terrain Know the Hills, grading & facilities

Shepherds Gully and Devines Hill

Grading

	Class 3/6 Moderate track
Length	4 km
Time	1 h 45 min to 2 h

Quality of track	Formed track, with some branches and other obstacles (3/6)
Gradient	Short steep hills (3/6)
Signage	Clearly signposted (1/6)
Infrastructure	Limited facilities, not all cliffs are fenced (3/6)
Experience Required	No experience required (1/6)
Weather	Weather generally has little impact on safety (1/6)

Articles Discover more details to thrive on track

Wisemans Ferry
Wisemans Ferry village is on the banks of the Hawkesbury river, NSW. The town, and nearby car ferry, is named after Solomon Wiseman, a former convict who received a land grant in the area and established the ferry service. The town is a popular day trip and weekend destination from Sydney. There are several good spots to eat in town, including bistros at the Wisemans Ferry Inn and the Wisemans Ferry Bowling club, and takeaway food from Bush Bites cafe. The Riverbend Restaurant can be found in the 'Retreat at Wisemans' for finer dining. The area has some great walking and interesting history surrounding the convict built Old Great North Road.

Old Great North Road
The historic Great North Road was built using convict labour between 1826 and 1836 (this section south of Wollombi was completed in 1832). The road formed a link between Sydney and the Hunter Valley, including Newcastle. There are visible remnants of the original work in bridges, retaining walls and other structures along the way. The 'Convict Trail Project' has member groups involved in the conservation of historical remnants along the road. The Convict Trail Project and the NPWS have erected information signs at various points to illustrate the history. The Convict Trail Project has an excellent website for further reading.

Devines Hill
Devines Hill is a historically significant area on the Old Great North Road, near present day Wisemans Ferry, NSW. There are substantial remnants visible here, including cuttings, retaining walls and quarry sites. There were 3 main road lines built at different times to climb the hills just north of Wisemans Ferry, starting with Finchs Line to the east, followed by the Devines Hill ascent and then Shepherds Gully, to the west. Information signs in the area provide some interesting historical background and the 'Convict Trail Project' has an excellent website for further reading.

Hangmans Rock
Hangmans Rock is beside the historic Old Great North Road, near Wisemans Ferry, NSW. This beautiful sandstone cave/overhang has some steps and a bench seat cut into it and is part of the history of the convict built OGNR. It is uncertain what purpose the spot served, but stories that convicts were hanged through the hole in the roof of the cave appear unlikely to be true, despite giving a name to the atmospheric spot.

Thomas James Bridge
The historic Thomas James Bridge is on Wisemans Ferry Rd, NSW. This is the oldest in-use bridge on mainland Australia (Tasmania has older bridges) and is one of several convict built bridges along the Old Great North Road. The bridge was built during 1830 (the timber deck is more recent) and was named after the overseer of 'Road Party 25' which built the bridge.

Get more information
Wildwalks

Weather & Alerts Check forecasts & closures
Weather Forecast
- Gosford Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon
  
  Tuesday 29 April
  
  24°C
  Showers developing.
  80% chance of rain
  
  Partly cloudy. Patchy morning fog. High chance of showers, most likely during this afternoon and evening. The chance of a thunderstorm during this afternoon and evening. Light winds. Daytime maximum temperatures in the low to mid 20s.
  
  UV Alert: Sun protection 9:20am to 2:20pm, UV Index predicted to reach 5 [Moderate]
  
  Wednesday 30 April
  
  14°C → 21°C
  Showers increasing.
  90% chance of rain
  3 → 20mm
  
  Cloudy. High chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm. Light winds becoming south to southwesterly 15 to 25 km/h in the morning. Overnight temperatures falling to between 11 and 15 with daytime temperatures reaching between 17 and 20.
  
  Thursday 1 May
  
  13°C → 19°C
  Showers.
  95% chance of rain
  8 → 35mm
  
  Cloudy. High chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm along the coastal fringe. Winds south to southwesterly 15 to 25 km/h tending south to southeasterly 20 to 30 km/h during the day. Overnight temperatures falling to between 8 and 13 with daytime temperatures reaching between 15 and 19.
  
  Friday 2 May
  
  12°C → 20°C
  Showers.
  90% chance of rain
  1 → 15mm
  
  Partly cloudy. High chance of showers. Winds south to southeasterly 15 to 25 km/h becoming light during the evening. Overnight temperatures falling to between 8 and 12 with daytime temperatures reaching between 16 and 20.
  
  Saturday 3 May
  
  13°C → 22°C
  Shower or two.
  70% chance of rain
  0 → 9mm
  
  Shower or two.
  
  Sunday 4 May
  
  14°C → 23°C
  Shower or two.
  60% chance of rain
  0 → 4mm
  
  Shower or two.
  
  Monday 5 May
  
  15°C → 23°C
  Possible shower.
  40% chance of rain
  0 → 1mm
  
  Possible shower.
  
  Forecast data thanks to © Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Alerts
- Dharug National Park alerts
  Safety alerts: Vegetation removal Old Great North Road
  Vegetation removal works occurring along Old Great North Road between West Commission Trail and Devines Hill Monday 31 March 2025 to Friday 16 May 2025. Machinery may be operation along Old Great North Road during works.
  For more information, contact the Wollemi Yengo area office on 02 6574 5555.
  
  Closed areas: Area closed for conservation works
  Some parts of this park are closed from Monday 31 March to Friday 29 August 2025 while conservation works are being undertaken on Devine's Hill. The closed areas are:
  
  Devine's Hill section of the Old Great North Walk
  
  Penalties apply for non-compliance. Signage installed on closed section. For more information, contact the Wollemi - Yengo Area Office - (02) 6574 5555.
  
  Alert kindly provided by © NSW Nataional Parks and Wildlife Service

Other Journeys Discover nearby and similar journeys

Some of the information and maps on this page was generated using data from the awesome © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Please see how you can embed some widgets, access data and other stuff to that might be helpful.

Weather Forecast

Alerts