Sydney Bushwalk

Sydney the gateway to NSW, where you can find good food, Wine bars, Pubs, gambling Clubs, Fine Dinning, Bondi Beach, sun, surf and friendly locals. Heard all that before! Why not do something different? Take a chance and go trekking in the bush. Stop doing the tourist thing that people do all the time when they visit a different City. Go trekking in the Bush or as we say here bushwalking. Not only is it good for your health, but you get to see something different like the unique fauna and flora.

If you are used to cacophony and bustle of city life then you will find the world of nature and the silence totally weird. Think Church cathedral, in silence we stand in awe. This is the feeling you will get when you get out of Sydney and trek into the bush country. You do not have to travel hundreds of kilometers to enjoy some excellent bushwalking areas. Sydney is surrounded by National Parks.

Included on your bush walk is the wildlife. Sorry, no Lions and tigers and elephants, although, you can go to Taronga park zoo at Mosman to see them. In the bush you are more likely to bump into wallabies, Kangaroo, snakes, lizards, Kookaburras, galas and birds. The wildlife is unique and diverse, having evolved separately and in isolation.

Precaution

If this is what you plan to do when visiting Sydney, then be prepared. Take some sensible precautions. Get someone who knows the bush to show you around. The National parks around Sydney are safe. Pack some insect repellent if you plan to walk in the summer, around November to February. When starting out be sure to wear comfortable shoes, pack extra water, food is optional. Plan ahead this way you will avoid problems. Walks can be a quick jaunt of 30 minutes or up to a day or more. There are places where you can camp overnight. Most important, let someone know where you plan to go walking in case of an accident.

Great North walk

I have done a section of this walk a number of times with friends and on my own. This is a moderate trek. It takes approximately 4-5 hours from start to finish. In summer, it is best to attempt this walk early in the morning while still cool, in winter it does not matter. Although you have to leave enough time to get to the other end and catch the train back to where you are staying.

Cowan is about 30KM out of Sydney heading North. The walk starts from here and ends at Brooklyn. This walk is a part of the Great North walk so called because it stretches from Sydney to New Castle which is 2 hours by car on the motorway some 170KM North of Sydney. The Great North walk though meanders along the coast and follows the coastline, then cuts inland. It would take a week to walk the whole way.

If you are staying in one of the hotels in Sydney City, you can board the train at Central Railway or Wynyard Station and disembark at Cowan. Signs at Cowan will show you where to start. There are a number of continuous hill climbs on this walk, so being reasonably fit would be an advantage.

The silence, the majestic trees, the smell of eucalyptus the sound of the birds and the views are magical.

A word of caution. On some warm days, you might find a snake or two lying in the middle of the trek seeking warmth. They are dangerous so be careful, look where you are planting your feet and be aware of your sorrounding. Australia has some of the most poisonous snakes you can find anywhere.

More information

Information can be obtained from your tour guide or the NRMA motoring services website here http://www.openroad.com.au/

For details on the different walks in NSW check out the national parks and wildlife website

http://www2.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/parks.nsf/WebMgmt/HTMLPages+Homepage

If you need further information on this subject or you are interested in doing one of the walks in Sydney. Let me know.