It’s not only a fine and sunny weekend (despite earlier forecasts of rain), but the skies are finally clear after many months of bushfire smoke. So while not the most exciting walk to do around Sydney, I’m looking forward to my first local bushwalk in over three months. I’m exploring some short bushwalks around Middle Harbour Creek, to find some new ideas for our local Cub pack walks.
Barrie Street Loop
Today’s bushwalk takes the wide service trail from the end of Barrie Street (East Killara) down to Gordon Creek. There used to be a timber bridge over Gordon Creek, built in the 1920s as part of a sewage system that transported waste from the northern suburbs to North Head. Like many timber bridges built for bushwalkers, it was not maintained and eventually after becoming unsafe in 1998, it was demolished in 2008.
Before heading down the last few hundred metres to Gordon Creek, I take an unmarked track that continues along the valley. It’s a fairly distinct trail, even though it’s not on any of my maps – the only challenge being a number of trees across the track from recent storms that needs to negotiated.
Before the track eventually peters out, about one kilometre further, there’s some nice pools in the creek and moss-covered rocks. If it wasn’t for the plastic bottles washed down by the recent rain and an occasional whiff of sewage, you would think you’re in a remote valley in the Blue Mountains.
Returning the same way the junction, I then take the Gordon Creek Track down to the creek crossing and toward the Two Creeks Track.
Despite very heavy rain and local flooding a week ago, the creek level is fairly low and the stepping stones provide a safe path across Gordon Creek, and up to the Two Creeks Track just a little further up the hill.
It’s back the same way from Gordon Creek up to the site of the old bridge, but then rather than returning the same way I take the Lockley Track that heads toward Middle Harbour. Although fallen trees make the going a bit tough in places, it’s a fairly decent track that follows Middle Harbour Creek all the way up The Cascades in St Ives. There’s some nice views down the creek as I get closer.
I’m not going very far along this track, however. Just as a the track is about to descend to Middle Harbour Creek, there’s an indistinct track (more of a route) that goes up the spur back to the end of Barrie Street. There’s not too much undergrowth and often there’s a faint trail to follow, making this a fairly easy ascent back up through the casuarina trees to the car (finishing right next to the “Garigal National Park” sign.
| Location | End of Barrie Street (East Killara) |
| Distance | 2km loop (1-2 hours) |
| GPS Route | Barrie Street Loop |
Koola Avenue Loop
I’m back the following day, mainly to see if some caves marked on my topographical map might be a suitable shelter or location for investing our new Cubs… This time I’m starting at the end of Koola Avenue, and doing a similar loop to yesterday’s walk that heads down to Middle Harbour Creek. The track is marked on my map as an “old road formation”, but it’s hard to image the narrow bushwalking trail was ever a road.
The trail reaches Middle Harbour Creek and the Lockley Track near Lockley Point, where there’s a nice view in both directions along the creek and of the sandy beach on the opposite side.
A bit further along the Lockley Track, which follows Middle Harbour Creek, is the waterfall and grotto formed by the Northern Creek. It’s a small but picturesque cascade.
Near the waterfall are some rock overhangs, which are quite long and would provide a bit of shelter from the rain – although they may not quite fit 30 Cubs!
I continue a bit further along the Lockley Track, to the Southern Creek, where’s another small stream cascades into Middle Harbour Creek.
Just past Southern Creek there’s a large tidal mudflat, which is easy to cross at low tide, and another small cave. A few hundred metres further along Middle Harbour Creek and I reach the junction with the route up to Barrie Street, which was as far as I went yesterday. I re-trace my steps for a short distance, taking an indistinct track up a spur to reach the Koola Track, which takes me back to the end of Koola Avenue and completes another short loop. And another potential Cub hike for later in the year!
| Location | End of Koola Avenue (East Killara) |
| Distance | 3km loop (1-2 hours) |
| GPS Route | Koola Avenue Loop |
More information on bushwalks around Middle Harbour
Middle Harbour Creek starts near Mona Vale Road in Terrey Hills, and flows through Garigal National Park. It technically becomes Middle Harbour at the Stepping Stones in St Ives. Middle Harbour then continues to the Port Jackson, with its mouth being between Grotto Point near Clontarf and Middle Head. There are many bushwalks you can do around Middle Harbour as well as the ones above:
- Middle Harbour Creek Loop is a fairly challenging circuit around both sides of Middle Harbour, from St Ives to Roseville Bridge
- Carrol Trig to the Cascades is another loop walk you can do from St Ives or Davidson, which follows one of the most picturesque sections of Middle Harbour Creek.
- Carroll Creek Loop combines a nice section of Middle Harbour with a trail along Carroll Creek, going past some nice cascades.
For more bushwalks (as well as mountain-biking trails and swimming holes) in this area, have a look at the Guide to Garigal National Park. This includes 25 bushwalks in Garigal National Park with links to detailed track notes and online maps.
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