Solander Trail and Senses Track, St Ives Wildflower Garden

A short hiking, jogging and cycling path in the St Ives Wildflower Garden, in Sydney’s north.

I’m dropping my son off at the the St Ives Wildflower Garden for a “bush birthday party”, so I take the opportunity to do a short walk in the park. Having done the Mueller Track a couple of years ago, I take the shorter Solander Trail. It’s a paved trail and there’s only a handful of other people around, so it would make an ideal loop for cycling with kids.

The track passes through Lamberts Clearing, a popular picnic area (but very quiet today), and also the site of the Fern House and The Knoll Native Garden. It’s rather uninspiring as a bushwalk, although there are some wildflowers in bloom.

About halfway around the loop, there’s two linking trails to the Mueller Track (which is a much nicer walking track). A bench is situated at Endlicher Point, the furthest point of the loop.

Just after Cunninghams Rest and opposite the visitor centre, I take a short detour via the Senses Track in the hope of something a little more interesting. It’s also a sealed path, but with a vaguely promising sign saying “Lookout”. Alas, a sturdy wooden platform provides a view of some trees. It is, I think, the least inspiring lookout I have ever been to.

I’ve left the car at Caleys Paviliion – you can also start at the Visitor Centre – so I’ve just got a few hundred metres from here to complete the walk. It’s nice to get some exercise, but the Solander Trail is really more suited as a cycle or jogging trail. Take the Mueller Track if you’re interested in doing a bushwalk!