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Home arrow Hiking near Sydney arrow Flint and Steel Bay (to White Horse Beach)     

Bushwalking track notes, photographs, maps and more for Flint and Steel Bay (to White Horse Beach) are found in each of the tabs below
Flint and Steel Bay (to White Horse Beach)
Time: 1 Hr Walking time
Includes the time for the return leg
Please allow extra time to rest and to explore
12.7 km NNE of Terrey Hills
Length: 1.9 km Walk Length
As this is a return style walk, the 1.9 km includes the return leg of this walk (ie back to the start)
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
Climb: 159 m Total Climbing
This walk has a total cumulative climb of 159 m, this is the total of the elevation gains made in each of the walks uphill sections
There is car access and parking near the start and end of this walk
Style: Return
Track: Hard

This is a nice walk to White Horse Beach on Flint and Steel Bay. The return-style walk passes McGaw's ruins and and the old water catchment. From White Horse Beach, there are scenic views across the Hawkesbury River. The ruins are a nice addition to the walk - although overgrown, they add a touch of recent history to the walk. (open in app)


Today's Fire rating
LOW MODERATE (No fire ban)
  Bushwalking track notes photographs, maps and camping spots for Flint and Steel Bay (to White Horse Beach)

Map of Walk

Location

                Sponsor of Flint and Steel Bay (to White Horse Beach) bushwalking tracknotes
Map of Flint and Steel Bay (to White Horse Beach)
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Map Controls - Show Contours | Hide Path | Hide Distances | Hide Names
Map Scale 1 km
Flint and Steel carpark
Signpost at Saddle
McGaw Ruins
Starting point for this hiking track: Flint and Steel carpark

Base maps are used under licence and is © Department of lands   Panorama Avenue Bathurst 2795   www.lands.nsw.gov.au

Maps that cover the walk area (please always carry maps of the area)

Print a map and track notes here
 Broken Bay 1:25 000 Map Series NSW-91301N 
 Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park Tourist Map 1:40 000 Map Series CMA Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park Tourist Map 
 Sydney 1:100 000 Map Series 9130 

Photo Gallery

 
Carpark
 
Carpark +
 
Old sign at carpark
 
Old sign at carpark +
 
Singpost at saddle 1
 
Singpost at saddle 1 +

 
McGaw's ruins track to saddle
 
McGaw's ruins track to saddle +
 
Water catchment
 
Water catchment +
 
Steps up McGaw's Ruins
 
Steps up McGaw's Ruins +

 
McGaw's Ruins
 
McGaw's Ruins +
 
White horse track
 
White horse track +
 
White Horse Beach
 
White Horse Beach +

Terrain


Please note: This is a 'return' style walk and therefore these graphs only show the terrain for the first half of the walk (until the turn around point.)

Cross sectional view of the Flint and Steel Bay (to White Horse Beach) bushwalking track

Cross Section of the Flint and Steel Bay (to White Horse Beach) bushwalking track



Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Flint and Steel Bay (to White Horse Beach) bushwalking track

Summary of the gradients over the the lenght of the Flint and Steel Bay (to White Horse Beach) 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 1.9km
Time 1 Hr
.


Grade 4/6

Track: Hard
AS 2156.1 Gradient Very steep (4/6)
Quality of track Rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely (4/6)
Signs Minimal directional signs (4/6)
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
Around 560m of this walk has short steep hills, whilst the remaining 370m is very steep.

Quality of track
Around 600m of this walk follows a rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely, whilst the remaining 330m follows a formed track, with some branches and other obstacles.

Signs
Around 600m of this walk has minimal directional signs, whilst the remaining 330m is clearly signposted.

Experience Required
Around 600m of this walk requires some bushwalking experience, whilst the remaining 330m requires no previous bushwalking experience.

Weather
This whole walk, 930m is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation).

Infrastructure
This whole walk, 930m has limited facilities (such as not all cliffs fenced).

Track Notes


Since this is a 'return' style walk once you have had enough of the walk, turn around and retrace your steps back to the start.
Drive to Flint and Steel carpark
You can drive or ride to this start of this Bushwalk A park entry fee is required for driving into the park.
You can drive or ride to the start of this walk
Use these links to plan your trip to the start of this walk.
Plan your trip from --> Castle Hill|Chatswood|Dural|Epping|Gosford|Hornsby|Katoomba|Manly|Parramatta|Penrith|Strathfield|Sutherland|Sydney|

(0 km) Flint and Steel carpark to Signpost at saddle
Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 332 m Time = 8 mins
Climb = 1 m Descent = -57 m
From the back of the car park, the walk follows the 'Flint and Steel Track' sign along the bush track heading down through the bush. The walk drops down some stairs and turns right at the old 'Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park' sign, then left down the side of the hill. After about 100m, the walk continues down a set of stairs and then down the bush track to the signposted intersection.

(0.33 km) Signpost at Saddle to McGaw Ruins
Track: Hard - bushtrack
Length = 374 m Time = 14 mins
Climb = 5 m Descent = -80 m
Veer left: From the intersection, this walk follows the 'Flint and Steel Bay' signpost along the defined bush track. The walk passes a water collection cave on the left, and continues down the valley to the McGaw Ruins.

McGaw Ruins Alt = 13 m
The McGaw ruins are situated north-west of White Horse Beach, on West Head in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. The property was originally owned by John Miller, who also owned large areas of West Head. The property was sold to Mr Eardley McGaw in 1928, on the condition that he built a house there.
Mr McGaw built a two-storied house with several other smaller buildings, including a wharf. Mr McGaw and his wife lived there until he became ill, when they moved to Narrabeen and NSW National Parks took over management of the land. The house and other buildings were lost during a 1971 bushfire, leaving the sandstone foundations and ruins to be grown over with vegetation.

(0.71 km) McGaw Ruins to White Horse Beach
Track: Hard - bushtrack
Length = 223 m Time = 5 mins
Climb = 6 m Descent = -10 m
Turn left: Keeping the Hawkesbury River to the left of the track, this walk follows the waterline away from the beach and along the shore for a short while before coming to the unsignposted McGaw ruins.

White Horse Beach Alt = 4 m
White Horse Beach, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, is a 30m stretch of sand sitting on the coast of Flint and Steel Bay between rocky boulders. The beach, backed by a steep hill, provides north-westerly views over the Hawkesbury from Patonga, Broken Bay Sport and Recreation Centre and up the river towards Brooklyn.

Drive from Flint and Steel carpark
You can drive or ride from this end of this Bushwalk A park entry fee is required for driving into the park.
You can drive or ride from the end of this walk
Use these links to plan your trip from the end of this walk.
Plan your trip to --> Castle Hill|Chatswood|Dural|Epping|Gosford|Hornsby|Katoomba|Manly|Parramatta|Penrith|Strathfield|Sutherland|Sydney|

Getting there

Plan your trip to the start of the walk and back from the end of the walk

Public Transport links currently not working, sorry

Driving Directions
To the start of the walk

Drive from:
From the end of the walk

Drive to:


Near by


Campsites in the park
The Basin campground


Nearest know Outdoor Stores near the start of this walk
Store Address Phone Distance (straight line)
Paddlecraft 3B / 1714 Pittwater Road, Bayview 02 9997 8015 9 km
Outdoor Shack 1131 Pittwater Rd , Collaroy (02) 9981 6933 17 km
Larry Adler Ski & Outdoor 1024 Pittwater Rd , Collaroy (02) 9971 8711 17.7 km
Kellys Camping & Outdoors 826 Pittwater Rd , Dee Why (02) 9972 0061 19.7 km
Mannings Sports 172 Mann St , Gosford (02) 4325 1617 17.8 km


A list of the nearest UHF CB repeaters I found to Flint and Steel Bay (to White Horse Beach).
Channel Call sign
(more info)
Site Distance and dir from Flint and Steel Bay (to White Horse Beach)
Click to re-center search
6 VMB7 CB Repeater Site 16 Alan Rd BEROWRA HEIGHTS 14 km (to the WSW)
8 MDC08 Gencom Site Lot 6 Wakefield Close KARIONG 16 km (to the N)
5 SYD05 Sydney Adventist Hospital 185 Fox Valley Rd WAHROONGA
Emergency use only
25 km (to the SW)
3 VMB2 Tower Street BATEAU BAY 27 km (to the NE)
7 SYD07 7 Glamorgan St BLACKTOWN 42 km (to the WSW)

Weather and Park info

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 7 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.

Weather and Climate
Weather and Climate summary detailed weather and climate information here
°C (feels like °)
km/h from the
% humidity     (as at )
Wed      29°Showers. Likely storm developing.
Thu19°|25°Possible shower.
Fri18°|30°Partly cloudy.
Sat16°|24°Possible late shower.
A graph displaying the average daily temperature range for the year

Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park Link to official closures and fire bans page
A largely untouched wilderness on the northern boundary of Sydney, Ku-ring-gai Chase NP is one of Australia's oldest national parks. Here at the head of the Hawkesbury River, you'll find Aboriginal engravings and sites, as well as sandstone escarpments,
Region: Sydney & Surrounds
Park fees Camping Facilities I am not aware of any closures in this park at the moment.

Walker Feedback

Comments
Add NewSearch
Anonymous IP:123.243.197.xxx | 2008-11-13 18:35:18
keen to go
Ron IP:114.73.124.xxx | 2012-04-22 00:41:34
The White Horse Beach track looks nothing like the photos. It is overgrown and difficult to find in places. We had a nice swim at the beach (at low tide), but we never found the McGaw ruins.
admin - re: Super Administrator | 2012-04-22 22:27:37
Ron wrote:
The White Horse Beach track looks nothing like the photos. It is overgrown and difficult to find in places. We had a nice swim at the beach (at low tide), but we never found the McGaw ruins.

Hi Ron
Thanks for the feedback. It sounds like a few tracks are becoming overgrown with all the recent rain. I will try to get back there and update the notes and photos.
Hope you enjoyed the walk anyway.
Matt :)
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Loading the images not too much longer now :)


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