This walk explores some of the hills and river banks of the Lane Cove National Park. Leaving the weir precinct on Max Allen Drive, the walk follows the Great North Walk over the hill and down to Fiddens Wharf (just near the oval). The return journey, past Schwartz Homestead, provides a great chance to see some local heritage. The track passes several picnic areas by the river providing a great chance to rest, eat and enjoy the view.
(open in app)
There are Closed areas in Lane Cove National Park Today's Fire rating LOW MODERATE (No fire ban)
Cross sectional view of the Fiddens Wharf walking track bushwalking track
Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Fiddens Wharf walking track 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
4.3km
Time
1 hr 27 mins
.
Grade 3/6
Track: Moderate
AS 2156.1
Gradient
Short steep hills (3/6)
Quality of track
Formed track, with some branches and other obstacles (3/6)
Signs
Directional signs along the way (3/6)
Experience Required
No experience required (1/6)
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
2.2km of this walk has short steep hills and another 1.3km is flat with no steps. The remaining (840m) has gentle hills with occasional steps.
Quality of track
2.7km of this walk follows a formed track, with some branches and other obstacles and another 1.3km follows a smooth and hardened path. The remaining (250m) follows a clear and well formed track or trail.
Signs
Around 3.8km of this walk is clearly signposted, whilst the remaining 420m has directional signs at most intersection.
Experience Required
This whole walk, 4.3km requires no previous bushwalking experience.
Weather
This whole walk, 4.3km is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation).
Infrastructure
Around 2.3km of this walk is close to useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats), whilst the remaining 1.9km has limited facilities (such as not all cliffs fenced).
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(0 km)
Max Allen Drive Bridge
to
Int. Great North Walk near Naamaroo Walk: Easy - road
Length = 220 m
Time = 5 mins
Climb = 14 m
Descent = 0 m
From the bridge, this walk heads gently uphill along the road[1] to the intersection with the visible concrete stairs just below the National Parks Office[2]. Veer right: From the intersection, this walk follows the road uphill, keeping the short sandstone wall and National Parks office on your left[3]. The road soon bends left and leads up past the staff parking[4], to an intersection (with a track on your right) marked with a large 'Great North Walk' sign[5].
(0.22 km)
Int. Great North Walk near Naamaroo
to
Int. Great North Walk and Naamaroo Service Trail Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 16 m
Time =
Climb = 1 m
Descent = 0 m
Veer right: From the intersection, this walk follows the GNW arrow post[6] up the timber steps away from the road. The track passes a 'Caution - Swimming in Lane Cover River is not advisable...' sign[7] and then comes to an intersection with a wider management trail[8].
(0.24 km)
Int. Great North Walk and Naamaroo Service Trail
to
Int. Great North Walk and Bradfield Rd Access Trk Track: Moderate - servicetrail
Length = 295 m
Time = 8 mins
Climb = 31 m
Descent = -1 m
Veer left: From the intersection, this walk follows the wide trail uphill[9], initially keeping the cliff line to your right[10]. The trail bends right then leads uphill for about 130m, coming to an intersection (just below the power lines) where a 'Park Visitors Centre' sign[11] points back down the hill. Turn left: From the intersection, this walk follow the 'Blue Hole - Fiddens Wharf' sign[12] and power line[13] up along the wide management trail. Just as the trail flattens out, this walk comes to an signposted intersection with a narrower track[14] (on your left).
(0.53 km)
Int. Great North Walk and Bradfield Rd Access Trk
to
Northern Int. Bradfield Rd and Great North Walk Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 111 m
Time = 2 mins
Climb = 4 m
Descent = -1 m
Veer left: From the intersection, this walk follows the GNW arrow posts[15] down the timber steps. The track gently meanders through the open forest[16] for a short time then heads up a few steps to come to a T-intersection[17] with a sealed road.
(0.64 km)
Northern Int. Bradfield Rd and Great North Walk
to
Southern Int. Bradfield Rd and Great North Walk Walk: Easy - road
Length = 30 m
Time =
Climb = 0 m
Descent = -1 m
Veer left: From the intersection, this walk follows the GNW arrow[18] down along the road for a short distance and comes to another signposted intersection[19] with a track (on your right).
(0.67 km)
Southern Int. Bradfield Rd and Great North Walk
to
Int. Great North Walk and Thistlethwaytes Picnic Area Trk Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 428 m
Time = 9 mins
Climb = 8 m
Descent = -28 m
Turn right: From the intersection, this walk follows the NPWS arrow[20] up the timber steps, away from the road. The track soon leads down[21] a longer set of timber steps where the track meanders[22] through the bush, passing a few rocky outcrops[23][24] before heading down the another series of timber stairs. Just beyond these steps, the track leads to a T-intersection[25] with a wide management trail, marked with a 'Sandstone Hillslope Community' information sign[26][27].
(1.1 km)
Int. Great North Walk and Thistlethwaytes Picnic Area Trk
to
Bottom of Fiddens Wharf Oval Trk Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 798 m
Time = 16 mins
Climb = 23 m
Descent = -44 m
Turn right: From the intersection, this walk follows the upper arrow on the historic walk sign post[28], gently uphill along the wide trail. The trail leads through the casuarina forest[29] for about 30m then passes the 'Scribbly Gum' information sign[30]. The trail then bends left and leads downhill, narrowing significantly[31]. Here the track heads down a series of timber steps[32] to pass a 'Sydney Red Gum' information sign[33]. The track then crosses the ferny gully and passes the 'Sandstone Gully Community'[34] and then the 'Sydney Peppermint'[35] information signs. From here, the track leads across another gully[36] then up and along the side of a steep hill (with an unfenced cliff to your left[37]) for about 70m, coming to a rock platform with a 'Blackbutts' information sign[38]. Here the walk leads down the staircase[39] and stone path for a short time and crosses the 'weedy'[40][41] creek on a short timber boardwalk[42]. The now flat track leads for another 50m to a signposted intersection (with some steps on your right), where a 'Visitor Centre Loop' sign[43] points back along the track.
(1.9 km)
Bottom of Fiddens Wharf Oval Trk
to
Thistlethwaytes Picnic Area Track: Moderate - bushtrack,servicetrail
Length = 1.15 km
Time = 23 mins
Climb = 49 m
Descent = -51 m
Turn around: From the intersection, the track follows the 'Visitors Centre Loop' arrow[44][45] along the track, keeping the river to your right. After about 50m, this walk heads over a short timber boardwalk[46] and crosses the 'weedy'[47][48] creek. The walk then heads up some steps and a staircase to the top of a rock platform, where there is a 'Blackbutts' information sign[49]. The track leads gently up along the side of hill for about 70m, passing an unfenced cliff to your right[50], where the track bends left to lead across a rock gully[51]. The track then leads past the 'Sydney Peppermint'[52] and 'Sandstone Gully Community'[53] information signs and across a ferny gully to find a 'Sydney Red Gum' information sign[54]. From here, the walk heads up a series of timber steps[55] to where the track suddenly widens into a mostly flat trail. This trail soon bends right and leads through the casuarina forest, past the 'Scribbly Gum' information sign[56] to an intersection (with a narrower track on your left), just before the 'Sandstone Hillslope Community' information sign[57][58]. Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk heads around the hillside, with the river below on the right. The walk tends left as it contours around the hill. It then descends over speed bumps for approximately 50m to the car park of Thistlethwaytes picnic area.
(3.05 km)
Thistlethwaytes Picnic Area
to
Schwartz Homestead Path: Easy - Wheelchair accessible - road
Length = 257 m
Time = 5 mins
Climb = 4 m
Descent = -6 m
Continue straight: From the picnic area, this walk heads down the road, with the water to the right. The walk continues down the road for a short time, to the intersection with the entrance of the National Parks and Wildlife Service's Depot on the left, and the Schwartz Homestead a short distance up the hill.
Schwartz Homestead
Alt = 5 m
The Schwartz Homestead is a neat little white and green 1920's timber cottage with a balcony on three sides. It was probably built by orchardist George Warr, who leased the land from 1917.[59]More info
(3.3 km)
Schwartz Homestead
to
Int. Opposite Bakers Flat Path: Easy - Wheelchair accessible - road
Length = 366 m
Time = 7 mins
Climb = 9 m
Descent = -7 m
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk heads along the road, with the water on the right. The walk tends left, continuing up the road to pass a brick building on the right, before coming to the signposted intersection, opposite Baker's Flat.
(3.67 km)
Int. Opposite Bakers Flat
to
Baker's Cottage Optional sidetrip: Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 120 m
Time = 3 mins
Climb = 10 m
Descent = -1 m
Turn left : From the intersection, the walk heads up the stairs tending right, up the hill. The walk passes a sign about native grasses before continuing right, to Baker's Cottage. (Retrace your steps back to the main track, then turn left to continue along this walk.)
Baker's Cottage
Alt = 13 m
Baker's Cottage was built in 1865 as the residence of William Baker and his family. The cottage once stood in the middle of a well-kept garden and orchard. The cottage itself was once larger, with more rooms and a verandah surrounding it. The residence changed hands only twice, and was then appropriated by the Minister of Lands in 1938.
(3.67 km)
Int. Opposite Bakers Flat
to
Int. Max Allen Dr and Jenkins Hill Trk Walk: Easy - road
Length = 331 m
Time = 7 mins
Climb = 15 m
Descent = -10 m
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk heads down the road towards the car park at '29 Bakers Flat'. The walk continues along the road to pass the clearing and tend right, up the hill, to an intersection with a bush track on the right.
(4 km)
Int. Max Allen Dr and Jenkins Hill Trk
to
Int. National Parks Office Trk and Max Allen Dr Path: Easy - Wheelchair accessible - footpath
Length = 213 m
Time = 5 mins
Climb = 1 m
Descent = -7 m
Turn right: From the intersection, this walk heads down the path for approximately 50m to pass a toilet block on the left of the track. The track continues to an intersection with a railed footpath. Veer right: From the intersection, this walk heads down the slight gradient, away from the toilet block to the large concreted area above the weir. Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk heads along the footpath to the road.
(4.21 km)
Int. National Parks Office Trk and Max Allen Dr
to
Max Allen Drive Bridge Path: Easy - Wheelchair accessible - road
Length = 50 m
Time = 1 mins
Climb = 0 m
Descent = -2 m
Turn right: From the intersection, this walk heads gently down along the road[60] to an intersection just before the bridge[61], marked with the 'Great North Walk' track head signs[62][63].
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.
Lane Cove National ParkLink to official closures and fire bans page This small but picturesque city park is a haven of peaceful bushland along the winding Lane Cove River. Home to the Kukundi Wildlife Shelter and 27 km of the Great North Walk, you can also hire a boat, take a stroll or enjoy a picnic by the weir. Region: Sydney & Surrounds Park feesCampingFacilities Current Park Closure information for Lane Cove National Park Closure information last downloaded Sunday 27th of September 2015 07:00 AM Closed areas: Terrys Creek walking track maintenance Some areas of this park will experience temporary disruptions and delays due to walking track maintenance, unless the closure is otherwise extended or removed. Closed areas are:
nice and easy walk - just right after I have been suffering from a sprained ankle for the last couple of months.
Particular highlight: on the bit that is a return walk we saw two nests of sulphur-crested cockatoos. These are big bulges on tall trees, very high. (I know, I am baby when it comes to Australian nature and probably nobody else gets excited, but I have never seen it before...)
admin - re: cockatoo nests
Super Administrator | 2011-05-30 01:14:59
MSch wrote:
nice and easy walk - just right after I have been suffering from a sprained ankle for the last couple of months.
Particular highlight: on the bit that is a return walk we saw two nests of sulphur-crested cockatoos. These are big bulges on tall trees, very high. (I know, I am baby when it comes to Australian nature and probably nobody else gets excited, but I have never seen it before...)
HI MSch
Great to have you back on your feet again.
I think the nests are worth getting excited about. :)
Matt :)
Hiking near Sydney 
Track: Moderate
1 km
You can phone 131500 (the transport info line) for up to date running times.
A park entry fee is required for driving into the park.
not too much longer now :)