Starting at Seaforth Oval, this walk follows a section of the 'Harbour to Hawkesbury' track along Middle Harbour Creek. The walk has many highlights, including great views of Bantry Bay, the Historic Magazine Buildings and the Natural Bridge. This walk is blessed with great bushland and views of Middle Harbour. Stop and relax, or wet your toes, at Flat Rock beach before the last section to Davidson Picnic Area.
Walk with a club - Enjoy bushwalking and make new friends (community announcement) The NPA is more than just a bushwalking club. We are a conservation group that helps protect natural places As a member you can join any of our 1000 guided walks each year and enjoy our quaterly Magazine 'Nature NSW'. Membership fee is just $65 per year, concession fee also available. Learn More...
Seaforth Oval is a large playing oval on the Wakehurst Parkway in North Balgowlah. It is managed by Manly Council, who have also recently been upgrading the Timber Getters Track in association with NPWS. There is a distant view of Chatswood from the oval. There are toilets, but they are usually locked. There is a large car park, shelter and sign with information about the Harbour to Hawkesbury walk. More info
(0 km)
Seaforth Oval
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Int of the Timbergetters and Engraving Tracks Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 46 m
Time = 1 mins
Climb = 0 m
Descent = -2 m
From the corner of the car park with the information signs, the walk heads into the bush and down the wooden steps to the bottom, where it flattens out at the signposted intersection with the Engraving Track[1].
(0.05 km)
Int of the Timber Getters and Engraving Tracks
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Int of the Timbergetters and Old Bullock Track Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 336 m
Time = 9 mins
Climb = 4 m
Descent = -34 m
From the intersection, this walk follows the 'Timbergetters Track' sign[2] down the wooden steps and through the bush, winding steadily down a long hill as it drops down several more sets of steps, following the bush track to the signposted intersection with the Old Bullock Track[3] (closed for maintenance at time of writing).
(0.38 km)
Int of the Timber Getters and Old Bullock Track
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Bantry Bay Picnic Area Track: Hard - bushtrack
Length = 505 m
Time = 15 mins
Climb = 5 m
Descent = -75 m
From the intersection (with the signposted 'Old Bullock Track'[4] on the right), this walk heads west down the three wooden steps and along the track, winding through the dense scrub for a while. The walk crosses a small creek at some stepping stones and passes an old telegraph pole with no power lines attached. The track continues in this manner for a little while longer before it comes to the top of a short set of rock steps, where it starts to wind down into the valley using several scattered sets of wooden steps and one long set of rock steps, until coming down to the large picnic area at the bottom.
Bantry Bay Picnic Area
Alt = 9 m
The area of Bantry Bay has been popular with day visitors since the late 1800s. In the early 1900s, the picnic area was also home to a dance hall (foundations still visible), dining room, picnic ground and overnight accommodation. Today, the picnic area has a picnic table and a number of fireplaces. There is also a public wharf, toilets, open grassy area, shade from trees and a great view across the water. There are no garbage facilities. The picnic area is at the bottom of the Timber Getters Track, below Seaforth Oval, on the eastern shore of Bantry Bay. More info
(0.89 km)
Bantry Bay Picnic Area
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The Bluff Lookout Track: Hard - bushtrack
Length = 1.83 km
Time = 48 mins
Climb = 166 m
Descent = -77 m
From the picnic area (keeping the water on the left), this walk follows the "Bantry Bay Track" sign along the rocky bush track which undulates along the side of the hill, winding through the bush for a little while. The walk passes by the base of some cliffs and starts to climb up the hill at a rocky outcrop, continuing to wind up the long rocky hill as the track climbs to the top of the valley, eventually winding up some rock steps to a large rock platform, Here, the walk passes some track markers pointing back down the valley to a short bush track, leading to the signposted intersection of the Bluff Track at the lookout.
Bluff Lookout
Alt = 102 m
The Bluff is a large, unfenced rocky hilltop, in Garigal National Park, that provides great views up Middle Harbour. The views extend across the bushland of the National Park, along Bantry Bay, to the city of Sydney (You can even see Centrepoint Tower). Apart from the distant views, the bluff is also an interesting rock feature, with a number of caves containing honeycomb rock formations.
(2.72 km)
The Bluff Lookout
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Int of Bluff and Natural Bridge Tracks Track: Moderate - servicetrail
Length = 208 m
Time = 4 mins
Climb = 11 m
Descent = 0 m
From the intersection, this walk follows the 'Bluff Track' sign along the rocky service trail, heading away from the lookout and through the bush for a little while before coming to the intersection with a defined bush track on the right. From the intersection, the track follows the service trail (with the bush track on the right), heading north-west through the bush for a little while before coming to the signposted intersection with the Natural Bridge Track.
(2.92 km)
Int of Bluff and Natural Bridge Tracks
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Natural Bridge Track: Hard - bushtrack
Length = 501 m
Time = 15 mins
Climb = 1 m
Descent = -71 m
From the intersection, this walk follows the Natural Bridge Track along the bush track, heading away from the service trails for a short distance before coming to the intersection of the Currie Road Oval bush track at the track marker. From the intersection, this walk follows the track marker along the bush track, heading west through the bush for a short distance to a large rock outcrop. From here, the walk continues along the defined bush track, winding down the long and sometimes steep rocky hill, into the valley. The vegetation gradually gets thicker, until this walk comes down to a wide rock arch crossing a creek - the Natural Bridge.
Natural Bridge
Alt = 39 m
The Natural Bridge is a sandstone arch in Garigal National Park. The arch spans an unnamed creek feeding into Bantry Bay. The Natural Bridge track uses this arch to cross the creek, and is not always noticed by walkers as the surrounding vegetation hides the full view of the feature from the track. The arch has formed the eroding forces of water flowing down the creek. The arch provides an interesting natural feature to explore and enjoy.
(3.43 km)
Natural Bridge
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Int of Natural Bridge and Currie Road Tracks Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 254 m
Time = 6 mins
Climb = 39 m
Descent = 0 m
From the bridge, the walk follows the bush track heading west (with downstream to the left) up the hill and away from the creek, steadily winding up a gentle hill. This steepens as the walk climbs up a few sets of wooden steps, continuing up the rock hill to the top, where it comes to the signposted intersection of the Currie Road Track.
(3.68 km)
Int of Natural Bridge and Currie Road Tracks
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Int of Bates Creek and Currie Rd tracks Walk: Easy - servicetrail
Length = 182 m
Time = 3 mins
Climb = 5 m
Descent = -1 m
From the intersection, this walk follows the H/H walker on the 'Currie Road Track' sign south, along the service trail. The track soon comes to a four-way intersection with a large gum tree in the centre.
(3.86 km)
Int of Bates Creek and Currie Rd tracks
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Int of Magazine Track and Tipperary Road service trail Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 731 m
Time = 13 mins
Climb = 5 m
Descent = -35 m
From the intersection, this walk follows the bush track, heading through the dense vegetation. After a little while, the track starts to zigzag down the rocky hill and through the bush until it flattens out and crosses Bates Creek. The walk then turns left and continues through the bush, meandering along the flat bush track until coming to the signposted intersection with the Magazine Track.
(4.59 km)
Int of Magazine Track and Tipperary Road service trail
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Back of Magazine Buildings Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 1.15 km
Time = 27 mins
Climb = 45 m
Descent = -79 m
From the intersection, this walk follows the 'Magazine Track' sign along the wide, flat trail which winds around behind some houses (on the right). The track continues along a narrower, rocky bush track which steadily winds down a long hill to the bottom of the valley, where it flattens out just above the water. From here, the walk continues along the bush track, winding up and down along the side of the hill until it follows a track marker up to the magazine buildings' fence line. The track runs parallel to this fence as it heads along to an open, square concrete tank just off to the left of the track, from which the roofs of the magazine buildings and Middle Harbour Creek are both visible.
Bantry Bay Explosives Magazine complex
Alt = 12 m
The Magazine Buildings were the premier storage facility for merchants' explosives between 1915 and 1974. During this time, the carefully constructed building where crucial for the safe storage of explosives used for building public works such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and additionally used by the Australian Navy during World War II. There is currently no public access to the site, and the buildings are best viewed from across the water at Bantry Bay Picnic Area, or anywhere on the other side of Bantry Bay. More info
(5.74 km)
Back of Magazine Buildings
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Int of Magazine and Flat Rock Beach Tracks Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 1.05 km
Time = 23 mins
Climb = 44 m
Descent = -53 m
From the open concrete tank, this walk follows the bush track, with the ground sloping up to the right, as it heads down a short rocky hill. The track flattens out and follows the fence line to the end, where it turns left and continues down the rocky hill, along the bush track running parallel to a shorter fence. Soon, the track turns right and leaves the fence line. The walk follows the bush track heading away from the buildings and down the rocky hill, to the waters edge where it continues along the side of the hill, following Middle Harbour Creek for a long while. In time, the track winds around behind a small beach to the intersection of a narrow bush track heading down a short hill on the left.
(6.79 km)
Int of Magazine and Flat Rock Beach Tracks
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Flat Rock Beach Optional sidetrip: Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 29 m
Time = 1 mins
Climb = 0 m
Descent = -6 m
From the intersection, this walk follows the narrow bush track heading down the hill to the small beach at the bottom.
Flat Rock Beach
Alt = 2 m
Flat Rock Beach is a small, south-facing beach on Middle Harbour, in Garigal National Park. The sand is deposited on a rock shelf that pokes through in places, forming interesting sculptures. The beach is frequented by walkers and boaters enjoying their day by the water. The beach can be accessed by a bush track from the end of Killarney Drive, Killarney Heights. Historically, the beach was a popular picnic area and serviced by a ferry in the early 1900's. Today, there are no facilities, but some shade is provided by the trees at the back of the beach.
(6.79 km)
Int of Magazine and Flat Rock Beach Tracks
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Int of Flat Rock and Magazine Tracks Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 187 m
Time = 5 mins
Climb = 36 m
Descent = 0 m
From the intersection, this walk follows the bush track with the ground sloping up to the right, heading up the wooden steps. The track flattens out and turns right, following the track marker through the bush and up the rocky hill, using the spread-out sets of wooden steps. The walk comes to an intersection and a signpost for the 'Magazine Track'[5].
(6.98 km)
Int of Flat Rock and Magazine Tracks
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Int of Downpatrick Road Servicetrail and Flat Rock Track Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 1.54 km
Time = 39 mins
Climb = 86 m
Descent = -116 m
From the intersection, this walk follows the 'Flat Rock Track' sign along the bush track heading down the side of the hill, with the ground sloping up to the right. The walk winds down the rocky track for a little while, before flattening out as it passes by a small pipeline and then continues along the side of the hill. The track meanders through the bush for a while before coming to the four-way intersection with a bush track (which heads up the rocky hill to the right, and down to a private property at the bottom of the hill on the left). From the intersection, this walk follows the bush track along the side of the hill, with the ground sloping up to the right. The track meanders through the dense bushland, occasionally catching a nice view over Middle Harbour Creek down to the left, and continues to the intersection of a rough service trail on the right, which heads uphill.
(8.52 km)
Int of Downpatrick Road Servicetrail and Flat Rock Track
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Int of Davidson Park driveway and Flat Rock Track Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 688 m
Time = 16 mins
Climb = 32 m
Descent = -41 m
From the intersection, this walk follows the bush track along the side of the hill, with the ground sloping up to the right as it heads through the bush. The walk stays above Middle Harbour Creek for a while before it drops down a steep set of wooden steps to the intersection with the Davidson Park driveway, at a wooden picnic seat.
(9.21 km)
Int of Davidson Park driveway and Flat Rock Track
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Int of Davidson Park driveway and Rotary Rotunda path Path: Easy - Wheelchair accessible - road
Length = 767 m
Time = 13 mins
Climb = 12 m
Descent = -11 m
From the intersection, this walk follows the flat driveway towards the Roseville Bridge, heading under a pipe bridge and coming to the intersection with the driveway to Davidson Park. From the intersection, this walk follows the Davidson Park driveway, crossing under Roseville Bridge with Middle Harbour Creek on the left. The walk passes a small car park and bends to the right, winding around the large picnic areas (on the left), passing a building with some toilets (also on the left), and continuing along for a little while before coming to the signposted intersection of the Rotary Rotunda footpath.
Davidson picnic area
Alt = 4 m
Davidson Picnic Area is in Garigal National Park, under Roseville Bridge (access via Warringah Road, south bound lanes, or via many walking tracks in the area). The picnic area has a boat ramp, wheelchair-accessible toilets, large open grassy areas, picnic tables, free electric BBQ's, and a large rotunda. There are plenty of shady spots provided by the trees. The northern section of the picnic area has a small beach swimming area, and the southern section boasts a boat ramp. The park is open 6am to 8pm (6:30pm outside daylight savings time). Ticket machines are provided to pay the car access fee.
Catch the bus from Int of Davidson Park driveway and Rotary Rotunda path
Fire Danger This walk passes Greater Sydney Region fire area which currently has a NONE rating and No Ban in place. (Downloaded 4 hours ago) Please Note: Each park may have its own fire ban status, this rating is based on information from the RFS and BOM.
Garigal National ParkLink to official closures and fire bans page Largely following Middle Harbour Creek and stretching from Seaforth in the south to St Ives in the north Garigal National Park is hidden through Sydney's Northern suburbs. Despite how close it is to large urban centres Garigal is quite beautiful with lots of different walking and cycling tracks. For those just wishing to picnic Davidson Reserve is a great spot just next to Middle Harbour Creek, under the Roseville Bridge. Region: Sydney & Surrounds Park feesFacilities Current Park Closure information for Garigal National Park Closure information last downloaded Thursday 17th of May 2012 05:00 PM
Closed areas
Boat Ramp upgrade and installation of a new pontoon (Ends Friday 15 June)
The Davidson Park boat ramp will be closed from 23 April 2012 for approximately 8 weeks to undertake boat ramp upgrade and new pontoon works. This project is part of the Better Boating Program in partnership wih NSW Road and Maritime Services.
The Seaforth hazard reduction will affect the area between the Bantry Bay East Picnic Area, Timber Getters Tack, Seaforth Oval, Wakehurst Parkway and behind the properties of Castle Circuit down to Middle Harbour.The hazard reduction burn is a joint exercise with the NSW Rural Fire Service, Fire and Rescue NSW, Manly Council and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
:) Turnoff sign to natural bridge track coming from Bluff lookout is missing. After walking an extra 5oo m and then retracing our footsteps we realised the unmarked intersection was the correct track.Otherwise the walk was fantastic and with a number of rest breaks and view appreciation took us 6 hrs !
It is a good track, and fairly easy to follow. Except the turn to the natural bridge when heading South to North. You can cut through the park and find the track on the other side which saves backtracking but it does add a couple of hundred metres. Lots of stairs though. Its a challening run for trail runners.
Hiking near Sydney 
Track: Hard
1 km
not too much longer now :)