This pleasant walk starts at the bottom of Eastern Arterial Road (near the speed camera) and follows the service trails and bush tracks into Garigal National Park and down the side of the valley to Middle Harbour Creek. From here the track follows Middle Harbour Creek north to the pipe bridge, and along the Bungaroo bush track and the pipeline service trail as it climbs up to St Ives.
(open in app)
This walk passes through a remote area and sections have no visible track. At least one person in your group should have training and experience in off track walking and navigation. Even with these notes and a GPS these extra skills and equipment are required.
Cross sectional view of the Killara to St Ives via Rocky Creek bushwalking track
Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Killara to St Ives via Rocky Creek bushwalking track
Overview of this walks Grading - Based on the AS 2156.1 - 2001
These details are new. This new feature still requires more testing and refining. Please use the 'Walker Feedback' for report specific issues. Please e-mail Matt if you have any general comments. Hope you find it helpful.
Under this standard, a walk is graded based on the most difficult section of the walk.
Length
7km
Time
3 hrs
.
Grade 5/6
Route: Hard
AS 2156.1
Gradient
Very steep (4/6)
Quality of track
Rough unclear track (5/6)
Signs
Directional signs along the way (3/6)
Experience Required
Some bushwalking experience recommended (3/6)
Weather
Weather generally has little impact on safety (1/6)
Infrastructure
Limited facilities, not all cliffs are fenced (3/6)
*This summary of grading information is new and still in testing
Some more detail of this walks Grading
Here is a bit more details explaining the grading looking at sections of the walk. Gradient
3.8km of this walk has short steep hills and another 2.3km has gentle hills with occasional steps. Whilst another 530m is very steep and the remaining 220m is flat with no steps.
Quality of track
2.7km of this walk follows a formed track, with some branches and other obstacles and another 1.8km follows a clear and well formed track or trail. Whilst another 1.2km follows a rough unclear track and the remaining 1.1km follows a rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely.
Signs
Around 4.8km of this walk has directional signs at most intersection, whilst the remaining 2km is clearly signposted.
Experience Required
Around 3.5km of this walk requires some bushwalking experience, whilst the remaining 3.3km requires no previous bushwalking experience.
Weather
This whole walk, 7km is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation).
Infrastructure
Around 3.7km of this walk is close to useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats), whilst the remaining 3.1km has limited facilities (such as not all cliffs fenced).
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(0 km)
Eastern Arterial Rd
to
End of Bushrangers Reserve service trail Track: Moderate - servicetrail
Length = 1.45 km
Time = 33 mins
Climb = 83 m
Descent = -62 m
From Eastern Arterial Rd at the bottom of the hill near the speed camera (approximately 300m south of Nicholson Ave), this walk passes the 'Bushranger Reserve' sign and heads through the metal gate. The walk follows the grassy trail up the hill and through the dense bush, undulating gently as it steadily climbs the side of the valley. The walk passes an intersection with an overgrown trail (downhill on the left) and continues for a while to the end of the management trail.
(1.45 km)
End of Bushrangers Reserve service trail
to
Int of Koola Ave service trail and Bushranger Reserve track Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 88 m
Time = 3 mins
Climb = 15 m
Descent = 0 m
Veer right: From the end of the management trail, this walk follows the bush track along the side of the hill for a short distance, before turning right and climbing steeply up the rocky hill. The walk soon comes to the base of a large rock outcrop, where the track turns left and continues up the hill, climbing up through the outcrop and the trees to an intersection with a management trail.
(1.54 km)
Int of Koola Ave service trail and Bushranger Reserve track
to
Int of Murrumba Place servicetrail and Koola bushtrack Track: Moderate - servicetrail
Length = 728 m
Time = 15 mins
Climb = 35 m
Descent = -19 m
Veer left: From the intersection, this walk follows the management trail, keeping the valley on the left and passing behind houses on the right. It soon comes to an intersection with a grassy management trail on the right. Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the management trail, keeping the valley to the left. The trail passes behind the houses (up to the right) as it undulates through the bush for a while, before coming down to the intersection with the management trail (uphill on the right). Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the management trail heading down the hill, with the ground sloping up to the right, for a short distance until coming to the intersection with the defined bush track on the left.
(2.27 km)
Int of Murrumba Place servicetrail and Koola bushtrack
to
Koola and Gordon Creek tracks Intersection Track: Hard - bushtrack
Length = 533 m
Time = 16 mins
Climb = 1 m
Descent = -76 m
Turn left: From the intersection, this walk follows the bush track heading south-east, through the bush and away from the management trail. After a little while, the track starts to drop down the long and, at times, quite steep rocky hill, descending into the valley. After a while,this walk comes down to the intersection of the Middle Harbour Creek track, about 20m above the creek at the bottom of the valley.
(2.8 km)
Koola and Gordon Creek tracks Intersection
to
Int of Pipeline and Middle Harbour Creek tracks Route: Hard - bushtrack
Length = 1.15 km
Time = 25 mins
Climb = 45 m
Descent = -60 m
Turn left: From the intersection, this walk follows the rocky bush track with the ground sloping up to the left. Keeping Middle Harbour Creek on the right, this track undulates along the bottom of the valley for a long while before rising up above the junction with Rocky Creek. The track bends left to follow Rocky Creek for a little while, then drops steeply down the hill, coming to the Rocky Creek crossing where someone has tied up a wire across the creek. From the other side of the creek, this walk follows a very faint track, climbing up the hill and continuing through the bush for a little while before coming to two pipelines. The track heads heads around the smaller pipeline and continues under the second, climbing to the 'Y' intersection of a management trail and bush track.
Pipeline
Alt = 2 m
This pipeline is unearthed at Hunter Street, St Ives, and travels through Garigal National Park, across Middle Harbour Creek to John Oxley Drive, Sorlie. The pipe carries water under pressure From Ryde to Pymble to the reservoir at Beacon Hill. The old smaller-capacity pipe can still be seen running parallel to the larger pipe. [1]
(3.95 km)
Int of Pipeline and Middle Harbour Creek tracks
to
Int of Bungaroo and Lower Link Track Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 425 m
Time = 8 mins
Climb = 13 m
Descent = -9 m
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the bush track heading away from the pipeline, keeping the creek on the right as it winds through the thick bush for a while with the ground sloping up to the left. The walk comes to the intersection with the Bungaroo track (this heads up the wooden steps on the left).
(4.38 km)
Int of Bungaroo and Lower Link Track
to
Int of Gov. Phillip and Bungaroo tracks Optional sidetrip: Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 236 m
Time = 4 mins
Climb = 10 m
Descent = -5 m
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the bush track, with the ground sloping up to the left and keeping the wide creek a short distance (through the bush) to the right. The track continues through the thick bush and around some boulders for a little while before bending to the right and coming to the Middle Harbour Creek, which it crosses at the large sandstone steppingstones (not safe to cross if stepping stones covered in water). The walk then continues up the steps on the other side to the signposted intersection of the 'Governor Phillip Track'. (Retrace your steps back to the main track, then turn right to continue along this walk.)
Bungaroo
Alt = 9 m
Governor Arthur Phillip (first governor of NSW) described this section of the river as where "the flowing of the tide ceased". Phillip and his party of nine camped here in 1788 whilst looking for land suitable for farming. John White (Surgeon General) described the the area as "the most desert, wild and solitary seclusion that the imagination can form any idea of". Over the past 200 years the river has changed, but somewhere not far upstream of the stepping stone is Bungaroo. More info
(4.38 km)
Int of Bungaroo and Lower Link Track
to
Int of Pipeline and Bungaroo Tracks Track: Hard - bushtrack
Length = 1.3 km
Time = 33 mins
Climb = 165 m
Descent = -47 m
Turn left : From the intersection, this walk heads up the steep wooden steps and follows the bush track, winding up the long hill for a while, climbing both wooden and rock steps as it winds up and around rock platforms. After climbing some more wooden steps, this walk comes to an intersection with the middle link track, at a rock surface with 3 green painted arrows. Veer right: From the intersection, this walk follows the bush track heading north-west, keeping the valley on the right as the track winds steadily up through the bush via some spaced-out wooden steps. The walk then climbs up some rock steps through a cleft in a rock outcrop, and then continues along for a short distance to the intersection of the upper link track. Turn right: From the intersection, this walk follows the bush track, heading north through the bush for a short while before coming to the lookout rock at the track markers. From here, the walk follows the bush track, heading up the wooden steps and through the gum trees for a short while before coming to the intersection with the Pipeline Track, with a sign pointing back along the 'Bungaroo Track'.
(5.67 km)
Int of Pipeline and Bungaroo Tracks
to
Int of Pipeline Track and Founders Way Walk: Easy - servicetrail
Length = 177 m
Time = 3 mins
Climb = 0 m
Descent = -8 m
Turn right: From the intersection, this walk follows the Pipeline Track arrow along the management trail, keeping the pipeline on the left as it heads through the bush for a while, before it passes a 'Garigal National Park' signpost and comes down to the intersection with the wide management trail heading off to the right.
(5.85 km)
Int of Pipeline Track and Founders Way
to
Hunter Ave (opposite Yarrabung Rd) Walk: Easy - servicetrail
Length = 914 m
Time = 19 mins
Climb = 43 m
Descent = -28 m
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the service trail, keeping the pipeline on the left and the backs of the houses on the right, as the walk heads through the bush for a while before climbing up a hill to the intersection of Hunter Avenue, where the pipeline goes underground.
Catch the bus from Hunter Ave (opposite Yarrabung Rd)
Fire Danger This walk passes Greater Sydney Region fire area which currently has a LOW MODERATE rating and No fire ban in place. (Tomorrow the Fire Danger Rating is LOW MODERATE, No fire ban.) (Downloaded 8 years ago) Please Note: Each park may have its own fire ban, this rating is only valid for today and is based on information from the RFS Please check the RFS Website for more information.
Garigal National ParkLink to official closures and fire bans page Largely following Middle Harbour Creek and stretching from Seaforth in the south to St Ives in the north Garigal National Park is hidden through Sydney's Northern suburbs. Despite how close it is to large urban centres Garigal is quite beautiful with lots of different walking and cycling tracks. For those just wishing to picnic Davidson Reserve is a great spot just next to Middle Harbour Creek, under the Roseville Bridge. Region: Sydney & Surrounds Park feesCampingFacilities I am not aware of any closures in this park at the moment.
Hi
Walked this walk 2/9/'11, but had to turn back (to Gordon Creek) at the Rocky Creek crossing as on my own & worried about slipping on very slippery crossing surface. All the same great walk!
Hiking near Sydney 
Route: Hard
1 km
You can phone 131500 (the transport info line) for up to date running times.
There is free parking available.
not too much longer now :)