Bushwalking track notes, photographs, maps and more for Wareemba Ave to Thornleigh hiking trail are found in each of the tabs below
Wareemba Ave to Thornleigh
Time:
3 Hrs 45 mins
3.2 km NW of Normanhurst
Length:
8.4 km
Dog Pound Creek Conservation Reserve
Climb:
451 m
Style:
One way
This pleasant half day walk starts from Wareemba Avenue in Normanhurst and winds down into the valley along service trails and bushtracks, meeting a section of the Blue Gum Walk which it follows to the Great North Walk. From here the track continues along the Great North Walk all the way out to the Thornleigh train station. Along this walk you will see a dence and thriving forest filled with Blue Gums and Bracken Ferns, plenty of wild flowers and a wide variety of native animals.
Catch the bus to Wareemba Ave (Near Vale Rd), Thornleigh
You can phone 131500 (the transport info line) for upto date running time info And use these links to plan your Bus (and train) trip to the start of the walk.
(0 km) Wareemba Ave (Near Vale Rd), Thornleigh to Int near Pipe bridge Walk: Easy - Service Trail
Distance = 0.5 km
Time = 5 mins
Climb = 8 m
Descent = -27 m
From the small bridge on Wareemba Ave just down the hill from Vale Rd, the track follows the service trail around the green gate past the large fern tree to cross Larool creek at the concrete Causeway. On the otherside of the creek the track soon comes to an intersection with a less used service trail off to the right. From the intersection the track follows the clear servicetrail up the hill away from the houses. The track passes through a pine and accia forst before coming to an intersection with an indistinct bushtrack off to the left, this is just after then end of the flat section of track. From the intersection the track follows the service trail down the steepish hill to an intersection at the causeway over the creek. From the intersect the track crosses Larool Creek using the concrete causeway and follows the service trail along the rock face. The track heads down the hill with the occational view of the creek bellow on the left and soon passes a concrete column supporting the rock on the right. The tracks passes a few round concrete pipe covers and then comes to an unclear intersection where there are two round pipe covers, an electrical junction box and a pipe bridge crossing the creek on the left.
(0.47 km) Int near Pipe bridge to Int of Blue Gum and Pipeline tracks Track: Hard - Bush Track
Distance = 0.3 km
Time = 5 mins
Climb = 7 m
Descent = -12 m
From the well hiden intersection the track heads from the concreate lids down the rough track and under the pipe bridge where it cross the creek and head up the bank to a bushtrack at the other enf of the bridge. From here the track follows the bush track through the open bracken and Blue Gum forest for a while before the forest becomes more dense. The track soon joins onto the blue gum forest track marked with a small post.
(0.73 km) Int of Blue Gum and Pipeline tracks to Int of Blue Gum Walk at bottom of wooden steps Track: Moderate - Service Trail
Distance = 0.3 km
Time = 5 mins
Climb = 44 m
Descent = -3 m
From the intersection the track follows the Blue Gum Walk marker along the service trail winding up the hill. Shortly after the track turns sharply to the right and then meanders up the spur to an intersection with a grassy service trail on the right marked with another Blue Gum Walk post. From the intersection the track heads up the service trail following the Blue Gum Walk marker, climbing steeply up the hill until it comes to the intersection of the Blue Gum Walk at the bas of a set of wooden steps.
(1.01 km) Int of Blue Gum Walk at bottom of wooden steps to Int of the Great North Walk and the Blue Gum Walk (SW) Track: Moderate - Bush Track
Distance = 0.9 km
Time = 15 mins
Climb = 62 m
Descent = -64 m
From the intersection the track climbs up the wooden steps and continues up the side of the valley through the tall Blue Gum forest and the Bracken Ferns until coming to the unsignposted intersection of the powerline bushtrack, just below the powerlines. From the intersection the track heads north along the bushtrack keeping the valley down to the right as it winds up and down along the side of the ridge all the way through the Blue Gum Forest to the intersection of the Great North Walk
(1.87 km) Int of the Great North Walk and the Blue Gum Walk (SW) to Int of the Great North Walk and the Quarter Sessions road track Track: Moderate - Bush Track
Distance = 0.7 km
Time = 15 mins
Climb = 66 m
Descent = -34 m
From the intersection the track heads south along the bushtrack keeping the valley down to the right and following the Great North Walk arrows to the unsignposted intersection of the Blackfellows Head lookout track. From the intersection the track heads south along the Great North Walk keeping the valley down to the left and following the rocky bushtrack all the way down a long hill to the bottom and up the other side winding all the way to the top and along to the signposted intersection of the Quater Sessions road track.
(2.58 km) Int of the Great North Walk and the Quarter Sessions road track to Int of Great North Walk and Westleigh tracks Track: Moderate - Bush Track
Distance = 2 km
Time = 45 mins
Climb = 110 m
Descent = -133 m
From the intersection the track heads south along the Great North Walk crossing a bridged tributary and winding all the way down to the bottom of the valley where it crosses another bridged tributary and continues up the rocky path all the way to the top of the next hill, following the track along the fenced off cliffs until it comes to the signposted intersection of the Great North Walk and the Westleigh bushtrack.
(4.59 km) Int of Great North Walk and Westleigh tracks to Int of Great North Walk and Jungo campsite Track: Moderate - bushtrack, servicetrail
Distance = 1.1 km
Time = 20 mins
Climb = 38 m
Descent = -63 m
From the intersection the track heads south along the bushtrack keeping the cliffline to the right as it follows the Great North Walk arrows down the rock steps to the bottom and alongside the creek crossing a bridged tributary and continuing along for a short while before crossing the creek and climning steeply up the other side to the intersection of the Great North Walk and the Cherry Brook Lakes service trail. From the intersection the track follows the service trail down the hill to the bottom where it crosses a creek and continues up the other side to the intersection of the Great North Walk and the Jungo campsite.
The Jungo
Alt = 98
A relatively small grassland clearing close to Thornleigh located above Zig-Zag Creek. There is only untreated water in the creek and no toilet.
(5.64 km) Int of Great North Walk and Jungo campsite to Int of Great North Walk and the Zigzag creek bridge Track: Moderate - Bush Track
Distance = 1.4 km
Time = 25 mins
Climb = 56 m
Descent = -35 m
From the intersection the track follows the Bellamy street Great North Walk sign past the campsite and through the bush, alongside zigzag creek crossing a bridged tributary and continuing all the way to the intersection of the Jungo track.
(7.06 km) Int of Great North Walk and the Zigzag creek bridge to Int of Bike Trail and Morgan Rd tracks Walk: Easy - Service Trail
Distance = 0.1 km
Time = 3 mins
Climb = 8 m
Descent = -6 m
From the intersection the track follows the concrete servicetrail up the hill heading away from the Zig-Zag Creek bridge until it comes to the Great North Walk signposted intersection of the bushtrack on the left side of the trail.
(7.19 km) Int of Bike Trail and Morgan Rd tracks to Morgan Rd Track: Moderate - Bush Track
Distance = 0.2 km
Time = 3 mins
Climb = 4 m
Descent = -3 m
From the intersection with the bushtrack and the concrete path the track heads south-east behind the houses following Zig-Zag Creek. After a short while this turns right and heads between the houses and connects with the end of Morgan Road, Thornleigh.
(7.36 km) Morgan Rd to Thornleigh Train Station Walk: Easy - road
Distance = 1 km
Time = 15 mins
Climb = 48 m
Descent = -7 m
From the end of Morgan Street the track heads up along the road until turning left into Tillock Street and then right into Eddy Street. Following the Great North Walk markers the track goes along Eddy Street until turing crossing The Esplanade and turning right at the traffic light. From the car park it is a short walk up to The Thornleigh train station.
You can phone 131500 (the transport info line) for upto date running time info And use these links to plan your Bus (and train) trip home from the end of the walk.
Dog Pound Creek reserve is managed by Hornsby Council and is home to a spectatular native Blue Gum stand. The valley has a number of walks and creeks running through it and joins Westleigh, Thronleigh and Hornsby. The reserve is named after a creek that runs from the former dog pound that was on Warrigal Dr, Westleigh.
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 
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