Bushwalking track notes, photographs, maps and more for Thornleigh to Hornsby hiking trail are found in each of the tabs below
Thornleigh to Hornsby
Time
Distance
Climb
Style
3 Hrs 30 mins
9.2 km
580 m
One way
0.5 km WNW of Thornleigh
Berowra Valley Regional Park
Track: Hard
Following the Great North Walk this easily accessible walk is well managed and signposted. Great views of Berowra Creek from up on the side of the hill and down at waterlevel. If you're quiet, you can expect to see water dragons and a variety of other lizards. This is a great walk for those venturing for the first time into Berowra Regional Park.
Bushwalking can be fun and interesting when you are well prepared. Please ensure you and your group are well prepared and equipped for all possible dangers. The authors, staff and owners of wildwalks take care in preparing these notes but do not accept responsibility for any inconvenience, loss or injury sustained when using these notes. Please take care and feel free to provide feedback through our website. Please note that side trips and alternate routes mentioned in these notes are not included in the tracks overall rating, distance or time estimate. The notes also only describe the side trip and alternate routes in one direction.
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Thornleigh Station is a relatively major bus depot with lines coming from Fox Valley, Normanhurst, Beecroft and Hornsby. It is also possible to come from Castle Hill by transferring buses. Please check with the bus operator for latest info on services --> Link to timetable
Drive to Thornleigh
Thornleigh Station is just off Pennant Hills Rd. You can get there by car from either Castle Hill or Hornsby. Commuter parking is available at the station from The Esplanade side (this tends to fill up during the week) or in the surrounding backstreet. You can drive or ride to the start of this walk Use these links to plan your trip to the start of the walk. Plan a trip from -->
Castle Hill |
Central |
Chatswood |
Dural |
Epping |
Gosford |
Hornsby |
Katoomba |
Manly |
Parramatta |
Penrith |
Strathfield |
Sutherland
(0 km) Thornleigh Train Station to Morgan Rd Walk: Easy - road
Distance = 1 km
Time = 15 mins
Climb = 8 m
Descent = -50 m
From the western side of Thornleigh Station the track heads norht along The Esplanade for approximately 60m before turning left at the traffic lights and following the footpath along Eddy St. At the end of Eddy the track turns left onto Tillock St following the Great North Walk markers as they turn right into Morgan St. The track continues to the end of this street where there is a small Great North Walk Marker indicating the start of the bushtrack.
(1.01 km) Morgan Rd to The Jungo Track: Moderate - bushtrack, servicetrail, bushtrack
Distance = 1.7 km
Time = 30 mins
Climb = 44 m
Descent = -68 m
From the end of Morgan St the bushtrack follows the Great North Walk signs behind the houses. Once behind the houses the grass trail changes to a narrow bushtrack following Zig-Zag Creek heading west. This continues until reaching an intersection with a wide asphalt servicetrack. From the intersection the track heads north-west down the hill along the asphalt servicetrail until coming to an intersection with a small bushtrack. The intersection is just before a small bridge that crosses Zig-Zag Creek. From the intersection the track heads along the bushtrack north-west. In this section the track is climbs slightly up and away from the Zig-Zag Creek however they remain parallel. The track continues until comeing to a reasonably large clearing signposted as 'The Jungo'. At the northern end of this clearing the track intersects with a wide servicetrail.
(2.72 km) The Jungo to Int. of Blue Gum Walk (SW) and GNW Track: Moderate - bushtrack, servicetrail, bushtrack
Distance = 3.5 km
Time = 1 Hrs 30 mins
Climb = 307 m
Descent = -295 m
From 'The Jungo' the track follows the Great North Walk signs north-east along the servicetrail downhill to the creek and then immediately up the other side. At the top of the small hill the servicetrail splits into two parts with this trail veering off to the right and heading steeply down once again to Zig-Zag Creek. Once across the creek the track flattens out and continues north-east around the hill with only minor ups and down until going steeply up to the ridge. Once on the ridge the track becomes a very flat bushtrack until coming to an intersection with the Quarter Sessions Rd Track. The ridgeline section of this walk is extremely pleasant with some very nice lookouts over Berowra Creek and the surrounding bushland. At the intersection the track heads north following the signs to 'Fishponds' along the ridge for approximately 50m. At this point the track begins to head down along a rough bushtrack and rockstairs. The track continue down the hill until coming to 'Fishponds'. Fishponds a very pretty series of waterholes in Berowra Creek (a series of small rockpools developed through the erosion of the rock). From 'Fishponds' the track crosses the creek using the stepping stones and follows the Great North Walk signs around the edge of the ponds and onto a narrow bushtrack. The section of track along the rock can be quite slippery after rain. Once on the bushtrack the trail continues further north-east for a short while before climbing up to the ridge. Just after climbing the ridge the track comes up to an intersection with a servicetrail that leads off to Currong Rd. From the ridge this trail offers some good views over Berowra Creek and the valley. From the intersection the track heads north along the ridgeline along a small service trail. Due to the fact that the vegetation along the ridge is quite sparse there are some excellent views in this section over the valley. This is particularly the case where the track goes out and along the clifftop. In these sections metal safety railings have been installed. This track continues until coming to the intersection to north track point on Quarter Sessions Rd. These are clearly signposted with directional arrows pointing along the Great North Walk and up to the Blue Gum Track. From the intersection of the Quarter Sessions Rd Track and the Great North Walk the track heads north-east along the side of the ridge. At this point there are some good views around the Berowra Valley. Navigation in this section is relatively easy due to there being one, well signposted continuous track. This continues until reaching an intersection with several signposts indicating that this intersection is part of the Hornsby Blue Gum Walk. This is indicated by the marker which is a small tree on a metal plaque.
(6.25 km) Int. of Blue Gum Walk (SW) and GNW to Int of GNW and Blue Gum Walk (Nth) Track: Moderate - Bush Track
Distance = 0.7 km
Time = 15 mins
Climb = 35 m
Descent = -80 m
From the intersection of the Blue Gum Walk (SW) and the Great North Walk the track heads north-east down the spur until reaching waterlevel. The track crosses a small and extremely creek which is a tributary of the Berowra Creek. Continuing north-east the track goes along at waterlevel until in the last section rising slightly and coming up to an extremely well-singposted intersection with a bushtrack. Signs at this intersection point towards Tunks Ridge Reserve and up to Hornsby.
(6.92 km) Int of GNW and Blue Gum Walk (Nth) to Rosemead Rd Park Track: Moderate - Bush Track
Distance = 1.1 km
Time = 20 mins
Climb = 60 m
Descent = -44 m
From the intersection the track follows the signs south along the Alternative Great North Walk route. Approximately 75m along the track the trail passes over a small bridge and approximately 100m before the end climbs steeply to the top of the hill using the carved rock stairs. Once on the top the track flattens out before coming to an intersection with a bushtrack withb a large sign on the corner. From the intersection the track heads south uphill until coming to the intersection with the servicetrail . From the intersection the track heads south gradually to the top of the small hill. Once on the top the track zig zags down to the south until passing over a small creek. Just past these the track passes several houses off to the right. 10m before the end the track gets off the servicetrail following the GNW markers and onto a bushtrack and goes into the park at the bottom of Rosemead Rd.
Rosemead Rd Park
Alt = 82
This is a relatively small park surrounded by shady eucalyptus trees that would be a good spot to break along the walk. It has several small picnic tables and chairs as well as fresh water.
(8.04 km) Rosemead Rd Park to Int of Quarry Rd and Old Man Valley Servicetrail Track: Hard - servicetrail, road
Distance = 0.6 km
Time = 10 mins
Climb = 101 m
Descent = -19 m
From the park at the end of Rosemead Rd tbe track heads north-east across the park and onto the bushtrack going up the hill. This climbs steadily and sometimes steeply along rockstairs until coming to an intersection with a servicetrail signposted with several small GNW markers. From the intersection the track heads east along the bushtrack away from the servicetrail. This goes for a short while before comking to an intersection with an asphalt road. This is the end Quarry Rd and is signposted with several GNW signs From the intersection the track heads south-east along the aspalt road. This continues until coming to a large servicetrail going off to the left. This is signposted as the Old Man Valley Servicetrail.
(8.67 km) Int of Quarry Rd and Old Man Valley Servicetrail to Hornsby Train Station Path: Easy - Wheelchair accessible - road
Distance = 0.5 km
Time = 10 mins
Climb = 25 m
Descent = -4 m
From the intersection the track heads east along Quarry Rd, gradually turning to the south until coming to Dural St where the track turns left. Following the Great North Walk markers the track heads east until turning right at the Pacific Hwy. The trail turns left at the traffic lights and goes east across Station St and into the west side of Hornsby Railway Station.
Following the Berowra River the Berowra River National Park is located on the Hornsby Plateau and is made up of typical Hawkesbury Sandstone . Through this walking tracks stretch from Pennant Hills to Brooklyn with the main track, The Great North Walk spanning the entire park. The area has varied vegetation including many different sorts of Eucalyptus as well as native animals however these are largely nocturnal. There are several campsites within the Park with the main one being Crosslands Reserve, in northern Hornsby Heights.
Hiking near Sydney 
1 km
