Blackwattle Trail

Download & Print Map and Notes

1 Hr

2.2 km One way

98 m

Moderate track

This walk follows the Blackwattle Trail around the fringe of Cherrybrook, starting at the Cherrybrook Rural Fire Brigade building, in Shepherds Drive, and finishing in Patricia Place. It is a nice walk and follows a management trail for its whole length. The walk passes through a mix of dry eucalypt forest and wetter areas with ferns. There are also some patches of casuarinas and plenty of grasstrees to see along the way.

Blackwattle Trail gate behind Cherrybrook RFS

Blackwattle management trail east of Blackwattle Place

Ferns and forest on the Blackwattle trail

Casuarinas and Eucalypts on the Blackwattle trail

A small causeway on the Blackwattle trail

Nice rock outcrops along the Blackwattle trail

Cherrybrook Rural Fire Brigade

The Cherrybrook Rural Fire Brigade building is in Shepherds Dr (near the intersection with Macquarie Dr), Cherrybrook. This is the home of the Cherrybrook Rural Fire Service, a wholly volunteer brigade. There is an entry onto the 'Blackwattle Trail' and some of the local bushwalks behind the building, and a water tap at the front of the building. More info.

(0km) Cherrybrook Rural Fire Brigade building → Top of the Disturbed Creek stairs

340 m

7 mins

-17m Moderate track

From in front of the 'Cherrybrook Rural Fire Brigade' building (in Shepherds Dr, just up the hill from the roundabout intersection with Macquarie Dr), the walk goes behind the fire brigade building, then passes around a locked gate onto the 'Blackwattle Trail'. The walk soon arrives at an intersection with a bush track on the right, marked with a short timber signpost.
Continue straight: From the intersection, the walk follows the management trail down the hill, keeping the houses to the left, arriving at the signposted intersection at the top of the stairs (with a track on the right).

(0km) Top of the Disturbed Creek stairs → End of Blackwattle Place

70 m

1 mins

-4m Moderate track

Continue straight: From the intersection at the top of the steps, the walk follows the management trail, keeping the houses to the left, and soon comes to the intersection just before the gate at the end of Blackwattle Place.

(0km) End of Blackwattle Place → Int of Blackwattle trail and Disturbed Creek trail

210 m

4 mins

12m

-2m Moderate track

Continue straight: From the intersection behind the gate at the end of Blackwattle Place, the walk follows the management trail steeply downhill to cross the concrete causeway. The track then meanders along before coming to the intersection with another management trail (which goes steeply down the hill on the right).

(1km) Int of Blackwattle trail and Disturbed Creek trail → Int of Blackwattle Trail and Appletree Dr track

570 m

12 mins

21m

-17m Moderate track

Continue straight: From the intersection, the walk follows the management trail, keeping the creek on the right, and soon bends to the right. The walk gently meanders along the management trail above the forested creek on the right, with only occasional glimpses of the houses up to the left. On a curve to the left, the walk comes to an intersection with another management trail (initially overgrown) going up the hill on the left, and a faint bush track going gently down the hill to the right.

(1km) Int of Blackwattle Trail and Appletree Dr track → Opposite 38 Appletree Drive

110 m

3 mins

17m

0m Moderate track

Turn left: From the intersection, the walk follows the management trail steeply up the hill, passing the gate and arriving opposite 38 Appletree Drive, near Hoya Place.

(1km) Int of Blackwattle Trail and Appletree Dr track → Opposite 21 Daphne Place

460 m

10 mins

25m

-16m Moderate track

Continue straight: From the intersection, the walk follows the management trail along the flat section, initially keeping the steep uphill management trail to the left, and soon crosses a concrete causeway. The walk meanders for a while before passing a gate and coming out opposite 21 Daphne Place.

(2km) Opposite 21 Daphne Place → End of Daphne Place

70 m

2 mins

0m Very easy

Turn right: From opposite 21 Daphne Place, the walk follows the road, keeping the houses to the left, for a short distance to the very end of Daphne Place.

(2km) End of Daphne Place → Opposite 5 Patricia Place

520 m

12 mins

35m

-15m Moderate track

Veer right: From the very end of Daphne Place, the walk follows the bush track from the grassy nature strip, keeping all the houses (and the 'Tuscan Way' signpost) to the left, and immediately bends to the right and passes a signposted gate above a drainage culvert. The walk follows an arc to the left for some distance before going gently uphill, then bending to the right behind the houses, keeping the houses on the left. The track then becomes asphalted and goes more steeply up the hill, bending to the right before passing a gate and coming out opposite 5 Patricia Place.

Maps for the Blackwattle Trail walk

You can download the PDF for this walk to print a map.
These maps below cover the walk and the wider area around the walk, they are worth carrying for safety reasons.

Hornsby	1:25 000 Map Series	91304S HORNSBY	NSW-91304S
Sydney	1:100 000 Map Series	9130 SYDNEY	9130

Cross sectional view of the Blackwattle Trail bushwalking track

Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Blackwattle Trail

Overview of this walks grade – based on the AS 2156.1 – 2001

Under this standard, a walk is graded based on the most difficult section of the walk.

		Length	2.2 km
		Time	1 Hr
		.
Grade 3/6 Moderate track	AS 2156.1	Gradient	Short steep hills (3/6)
		Quality of track	Clear and well formed track or trail (2/6)
		Signs	Directional signs along the way (3/6)
		Experience Required	Some bushwalking experience recommended (3/6)
		Weather	Storms may impact on navigation and safety (3/6)
		Infrastructure	Limited facilities, not all cliffs are fenced (3/6)

Some more details of this walks Grading

Here is a bit more details explaining grading looking at sections of the walk

Gradient

1.6km of this walk has gentle hills with occasional steps and another 520m has short steep hills. The remaining (70m) is flat with no steps.

Quality of track

Around 2.2km of this walk follows a clear and well formed track or trail, whilst the remaining 70m follows a smooth and hardened path.

Signs

Around 2.1km of this walk has directional signs at most intersection, whilst the remaining 170m is clearly signposted.

Experience Required

Around 1.8km of this walk requires some bushwalking experience, whilst the remaining 480m requires no previous bushwalking experience.

weather

Around 1.6km of this walk is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation), whilst the remaining 670m is affected by storms that may impact your navigation and safety.

Infrastructure

Around 2.1km of this walk has limited facilities (such as not all cliffs fenced), whilst the remaining 170m is close to useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats).

Similar walks

A list of walks that share part of the track with the Blackwattle Trail walk.

Daphne Place dog walking trail

515 m One way, 15 mins

This is a pleasant dog-friendly walk, passing through some nice bush on the fringe of Cherrybrook. Despite being within the Berowra Valley Regional Park, this is an 'Authorised On-Lead Dog Walking Track'. The walk starts at the end of Daphne Pl, Cherrybrook and can be done as a one-way walk, finishi

Total climbing: 35m

Moderate track

Blackwattle Close loop

613 m Circuit, 30 mins

This is a pleasant loop walk, close to Cherrybrook. The walk crosses Disturbed Creek (not officially named) a couple of times and includes some nice scenery along the creek with ferns, grasstrees and eucalypt forest.

Total climbing: 23m

Moderate track

Cherrybrook to Refuge Rock

4.1 km One way, 1 hr 45 mins

A nice walk around the fringes of Cherrybrook plus the interesting and atmospheric Refuge Rock. The optional sidetrip to the natural rock arch adds some beautiful scenery to the walk. The walk passes through an interesting mixture of moist creek side scenery and drier forest before reaching Refuge R

Total climbing: 147m

Moderate track

Cherrybrook to Thornleigh

4.4 km One way, 1 hr 45 mins

This walk is mostly within the Berowra Valley Regional Park. It has some beautiful sections with great scenery, including sandstone rock features, lots of ferns and great scenery along Zig Zag creek. There is an optional side trip to visit the remnants of the historic Thornleigh Quarry and Zig Zag r

Total climbing: 128m

Moderate track

Callicoma Loop

5.1 km Circuit, 2 hrs

This great circuit walk passes through some really nice forest around the fringe of Cherrybrook. Highlights of the walk include some beautiful rock overhangs at the 'Callicoma Caves', and the atmospheric 'Coachwood Grotto'. The walk starts and finishes at the pleasant Lakes of Cherrybrook park.

Total climbing: 153m

Hard track

Cherrybrook to Hornsby via Fishponds

9 km One way, 3 hrs 45 mins

A beautiful walk through the Berowra Valley Regional Park. The walk mostly follows the Great North Walk, between Cherrybrook and Hornsby. There are some fantastic lookouts along the way and some excellent scenery along Berowra creek, including the 'Fishponds'. The start and end of the walk are close

Total climbing: 536m

Hard track

This walk follows the Great North Walk above Berowra Creek from Thornleigh to Galston Gorge, on bush tracks and service trails. The Steele Bridge is quite an interesting landmark of the area. Fishponds is a wonderful highlight, it is a lovely water hole surrounded by tall sandstone cliffs. The walk

Total climbing: 768m

Hard track

Plan your trip to and from the walk here

The Blackwattle Trail walk starts at the Cherrybrook Rural Fire Brigade building (gps: -33.720020, 151.04591)

Bus. (get details)

Car. There is free parking available.<br /> (get details)

The Blackwattle Trail ends at the Opposite 5 Patricia Place (gps: -33.709601, 151.05582)

Bus. (get details)

Car. There is free parking available.<br /> (get details)

Weather Forecast

This walk starts in the Metropolitan weather district.

Current Alerts

Park Information

Berowra Valley National Park

Following the Berowra Creek the Berowra Valley National Park is located on the Hornsby Plateau and is made up of typical Hawkesbury Sandstone. The great North walk, Benowie walking track, and many other great walks stretch spann this park. The area has varied vegetation including many different sorts of Eucalyptus and plenty of native animals, includingl swamp wallibies, water dragons, bandicoots, Lyre Birds, and bush turkeys. There are several campsites within the Park, and Crosslands Reserve is also a popular spot near the middle of the park.

Comments

Download PDF

Open in App

Short URL: http://wild.tl/bt