IT started with a ferry trip on the Sun going from Brooklyn to Little Wobby. The only way to get to Wobby is to walk or ferry or personal boat. You could swim but I’ve heard sharks like eating people.
AT the rec centre the planned route, which was all mapped out, fizzled away and I was starting to wonder if the day was going to go as planned, or not. After looking and trying to find anything that looked like a previously trodden path, I spotted some rope connecting a few trees together and heading up the slope. Wandering over to the rope, and comparing to the route map, they seemed to overlap so I pulled myself up the slope. Where the rope ended a trail materialised. Not for long though. The trail appeared and disappeared multiple times and when it wasn’t there I just had to make my own path like the original explorers. Thankfully it wasn’t too hard going, though it was slow.
EVENTUALLY things got easier and the path followed the ridge line along the Midway Ridge Trail. At this point I came across a young chap named Patrick who was a uni-student on holidays. He came across on the 7:40am ferry and decided on another path up the cliff but he also encountered similar issues to me. That is, following a non existent path. But he made it up and we chatted for a while. He was unable to get any friends to spend more than two days away from the city so he has started a two week trip on the Great North Walk to walk from Thornleigh to Newcastle. Well done to him.
AFTER bidding Patrick farewell I continued the ridge trail which offered great views of Brooklyn and Dangar Island (also accessible only by boat). At some point along the trail, at the top of the cliff, there are a couple TV antennas which service the houses way down below. Those coax cables must be 100m long, or possibly longer and a booster would be a must. There can’t be anything that good on tele to warrant the effort needed to run these cables.
THE single track ended and opened on to the fire trails. The fire trails do offer easier walking conditions but there isn’t usually a lot to see. But you can pick up the pace and cover plenty of ground over a short period of time. The fire trails zig and zag all through the bush but I was taking the path that lead to Mount Wondabyne, elevation 251m. The short off shoot trail that climbed Mount Wondabyne wasn’t too steep but once at the top the views were incredible. Looking south and west it was just trees and valleys as far as the eye could see.
AND north and east was Brisbane Water.
UPON leaving Mount Wondabyne, the path flowed gently down hill until it opened, once again, on to a fire trail. This was short lived though as the selected route turned on to Thommos Loop. This wasn’t so gentle and dropped 100m in 600m down to Kariong Brook Falls. It was cool and the pool was welcoming, though not welcoming enough, but after the 1.5km climb which saw 140m of elevation gain, I wish I had of taken a dip.
THE final climb lead to Rifle Range Firetrail. The home stretch. Well almost. There was one final detour to take. Pindar Walking Track is a 10km return single track leading to Pindar Cave, Pindar Pool and Pindar Falls. It was here I meet George. We walked out to together which really helped the final hour go by much faster. George took a 2 month trip to the US in late 2019 and got back to Australia just in time. Unfortunately for George, who had left his job prior going to the US, he has come back to no job and knows he has to pull his finger out.
WE got back to the main trail and it was only a short trip down the hill to Wondabyne Station. A quick look a the timetable app said we didn't’t want to miss the next train, which was due in 32 minutes, as it was 1 1/2 hours until the next one. We had time and didn’t have to rush but it gave us a reason to not dilly dally.
THE trail down to the station dropped 160m in just under 1.5km. It was part fire trail and part single track. The fire trail surface was loose and footing was tricky but once it hit the single track it was much easier though I’m still glad I didn’t have to walk up it this morning. It’s a tough way to start your day.
WONDABYNE Station is interesting. It is the only station in Australia that doesn’t have road access and was also told, though not sure if correct or not, that it is also the shortest station. When waiting for a train that does stop here you have to flag down the driver and he will stop the train, otherwise he just keeps going. The platform is so short that only 1 door of the last carriage is available to enter the train. And if catching the train to Wondabyne you have to let the guard know of your plans otherwise the train won’t stop.
THE train pulled away from Wondabyne, next stop Hawkesbury River station, where the day started and this was the end of todays journey.
