October 1 - 31, 2025: Issue 647

 

Central Trail: Ku-ring-Gai Chase National Park, Spring 2025

Photos by Kevin Murray

  • Distance: 3.5km one-way
  • Time suggested: 1hr
  • Grade: Easy
  • Entry fees: Park entry fees apply

Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park runs from St Ives to the banks of the Hawkesbury River at Brooklyn and east to the Pittwater estuary. The 14,882ha park includes the stunning Barrenjoey Head, at Palm Beach. Multiple entry points offer easy access – one of the many reasons this park is so popular with locals and visitors from outside of Pittwater.

Centre trail traverses along a ridge off McCarrs Creek Road near Terrey Hills, in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. The ‘trail’ along the ridge line provides scenic views over several waterways, including Coal and Candle Creek and Akuna Bay.

The track starts on Coal and Candle Drive, about 20 metres in from the toll gate. From the intersection, the walk passes around the gate (signposted ‘Centre Track’) and follows the parks management trail along the ridge line. About halfway along the Centre track walk you will find the Rocky Outcrop on the Southern side of the track, (there are several other rocky outcrops along the walk) opposite a rocky knoll with a small overhang cave. From here, there are panoramic views south across the valley.

During Spring the display of wildflowers such as the pink boronia, fringed violet, bush iris and fuchsia and grevilleas, along with their floral scents mingling with the scent of eucalypt to create a heady perfume, makes a visit to the Park a very sweet gift. 

Here you’ll find a rock escarpment and tessellated pavements revealing faint engravings of footprints and the wallaby etched into the sandstone. This is one of hundreds of sacred and learning sites of the original custodians of this enthreaded with songlines place.

Kevin and his wife Glenys last took this walk in August 2020 with good friend Joe Mills, on one of those clear blue late Winter skies and as flowers were marking the shift in the year, and among the more than 1,000 plant species recorded in this place. 

More in: A Bunch Of Wildflowers: Historical Spring September Songs and;

And more wonderful views and blooms from Spring 2025 in Mr. Murray's poetry in pictures:

Coal and Candle Creek