Starting at Hornsby station you soon head into the bush and down the steep depression era stone steps through the volcanic Old Mans Valley to a picnic area at the end of Rosemead Rd. Here you follow the Blue Gum walk through one of Sydneyâ's rare Blue Gum Forest stands to then cross Berowra Creek a few times at Fishponds waterhole. After exploring the edge of the valley you will cross the Steele Military Bridge before climbing to Tunks Ridge rest area. Not far from here the walk starts to lead steeply down enjoying more sandstone caves to cross under Galston Road to find the Galston trackhead. Note this walk was re-routed in early 2016 to go via the streets of Hornsby Heights. This re-route is due to the multi-agency decision to close the Fishponds to Steele Bridge section of the Benowie Track. This decision has upset many people and the protest continues.
Download maps and tracknotes for Hornsby to Galston Gorge hiking track from wildwalks.com.
Grade 4 (Hard) -
Challenging Walks for Experienced Walkers: Grade 4 on the
AWTGS signifies challenging walking tracks. Bushwalking experience is recommended for these tracks, which may be long, rough, and very steep. Directional signage may be limited, requiring a good sense of navigation. These walks are suited for experienced walkers who are comfortable with steeper inclines, rougher terrain, and potentially longer distances.
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About the region
The Berowra Valley National Park is a protected national park that is in northern Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The 3,884-hectare national park is situated approximately 20 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district. Berowra Valley National Park is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger Crosslands Reserve is open 8am to 7.30pm during daylight savings and 9am to 5pm the rest of the year Barnetts Road Reserve and the lookout is closed from sunset to sunrise.
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