On top of Grose Head South (also called Mount Grose) – at the northern end and highest point of Springwood Ridge – is the Grose Trig. It was established in 1881, and named after Major Francis Grose (1758-1814), an early administrator of the Sydney colony.
Although the rocky cairn is quite basic and the vane a little rusty, the trig point is in fairly good condition.
Re-growth from the last bushfire surrounds the Grose Trig and as a result there are no views from the trig point itself – but a short walk to the edge of the cliffs provides a sweeping view over the Lower Grose Valley and beyond. (The best views are from the Grose Head Lookout, which is about a kilometre away below the peak.)
Getting to the Grose Trig
The shortest way to the Grose Trig is from the end of Mountain Avenue in Yarramundi, which is a steep 9.8km return bushwalk or mountain bike.
There are multiple routes you can take from the end of White Cross Road in Winmalee, which all pass Grose Head Lookout before the steep bushwalking track up to the top of Grose Head South (this 1km section is not suitable for mountain-biking):
- Blue Gum Swamp Trail – 14.6km return. A shaded firetrail through tall blue gum forest (steep climb near the end to the ridge)
- Shaws Ridge Trail – 15.9km return. Follows Shaws Ridge before dropping down to Blue Gum Creek and climbing steeply up to Springwood Ridge
- Springwood Ridge Trail – 23.2km return. Long ridge-top firetrail and the least interesting route
- Combining the Shaws Ridge Trail & Blue Gum Swamp Trail (15.1km) or the longer Springwood Ridge Trail & Blue Gum Swamp Trail (18.9km) offers a mix of ridge-top walking and the more picturesque trail though the Blue Gum Swamp.
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