Refuge Rock and Natural Arch
Download & Print Map and Notes30 mins
1.4 km Return
38 m
Moderate track
(0km) End of Trevors Ln → Refuge Rock
690 m
13 mins
14m
-24m
Moderate track
From the end of Trevors Ln, Cherrybrook, the walk passes the ‘Berowra Valley Regional Park’ sign and follows the management trail beside the houses. The walk almost immediately passes around a gate and arrives at an intersection with another management trail.
Turn left: From the intersection, the walk follows the management trail, directly away from the houses. After a short distance, the trail reaches an intersection with another management trail, signposted ’92A/92B …’.
Veer left: From the intersection, the walk follows the ‘ST22/23’ arrow, going gently up the hill, along the management trail. After a very short distance, the trail passes under some high voltage powerlines and immediately reaches an intersection with a bush track, to the right, and management trail, to the left.
Continue straight: From the intersection, the walk follows the management trail away from the high voltage powerlines, leaving the visible tower to the left. The trail descends gently, through pleasant forest (ignoring an unmarked bush track to the right) and reaches an intersection with another management trail, signposted ’92A 92B/16′.
Veer right: From the intersection, the walk follows the level management trail, leaving the ’92A 92B/16′ signpost behind on the left. After a short distance, the trail passes a clearing, to the left, and descends for a while before arriving at a large, flat rock outcrop, the western edge of ‘Refuge Rock’.
Turn left: From the intersection, the walk follows the management trail, directly away from the houses. After a short distance, the trail reaches an intersection with another management trail, signposted ’92A/92B …’.
Veer left: From the intersection, the walk follows the ‘ST22/23’ arrow, going gently up the hill, along the management trail. After a very short distance, the trail passes under some high voltage powerlines and immediately reaches an intersection with a bush track, to the right, and management trail, to the left.
Continue straight: From the intersection, the walk follows the management trail away from the high voltage powerlines, leaving the visible tower to the left. The trail descends gently, through pleasant forest (ignoring an unmarked bush track to the right) and reaches an intersection with another management trail, signposted ’92A 92B/16′.
Veer right: From the intersection, the walk follows the level management trail, leaving the ’92A 92B/16′ signpost behind on the left. After a short distance, the trail passes a clearing, to the left, and descends for a while before arriving at a large, flat rock outcrop, the western edge of ‘Refuge Rock’.
Refuge Rock
Refuge Rock is a large area of rock outcrops and platforms, at the end of the Refuge Rock walk near Cherrybrook. This area has a great atmosphere and is a nice spot to explore or relax, close to the suburbs, but feeling a million miles from it. The various rock platforms extend for hundreds of metres in all directions. At the far south-east edge of Refuge Rock is a natural arch, know as ‘London Bridge’. Refuge Rock was used as a target area during military training around WWII. There are a number of visible marks in the rock surface from mortar shells. More info.
(0.69km) Refuge Rock → Natural Arch
300 m
6 mins
4m
-21m
Hard track
Turn right: From the western edge of Refuge Rock (where the management trail arrives), the walk heads south, across the rock outcrop toward a well defined bush track. Some parts of this section are a little difficult to follow as the track becomes faint in places. The walk then follows the bush track as it crosses another large rock outcrop (becoming faint at times) and bends to the left just before the end of the outcrop. The track is more distinct again here as it winds down through a gully, ignoring a bush track to the right, to climb over a rounded ridge of rock. The track continues a little further before reaching an intersection at the top of a small cliff line.
Veer left: From the intersection, the walk drops into the first of two very prominent slots in the rock platform to the north-east (beside a banksia tree). The walk follows this slot to the edge of the rock platform then bends around to the right to enter the next slot (closer to the cliff line). The walk drops through this very narrow slot to emerge at the base of the very cool natural arch. At the end of this side trip, retrace your steps back to the main walk then Continue straight.
Veer left: From the intersection, the walk drops into the first of two very prominent slots in the rock platform to the north-east (beside a banksia tree). The walk follows this slot to the edge of the rock platform then bends around to the right to enter the next slot (closer to the cliff line). The walk drops through this very narrow slot to emerge at the base of the very cool natural arch. At the end of this side trip, retrace your steps back to the main walk then Continue straight.
Natural Arch
This natural arch, known locally as ‘London Bridge’ is at the south-eastern edge of Refuge Rock, near Cherrybrook. The arch is formed below a long, narrow block of rock at the edge of a larger rock platform. To see the arch, you walk down through the narrow chasms separating the block from the rock platform, to emerge underneath the arch. The arch itself, and the area around it is beautiful. More info.
Maps for the Refuge Rock and Natural Arch walk
You can download the PDF for this walk to print a map.These maps below cover the walk and the wider area around the walk, they are worth carrying for safety reasons.
Hornsby | 1:25 000 Map Series | 91304S HORNSBY | NSW-91304S |
Sydney | 1:100 000 Map Series | 9130 SYDNEY | 9130 |
Cross sectional view of the Refuge Rock and Natural Arch bushwalking track
Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Refuge Rock and Natural Arch
Overview of this walks grade – based on the AS 2156.1 – 2001
Under this standard, a walk is graded based on the most difficult section of the walk.
Length | 1.4 km | ||
Time | 30 mins | ||
. | |||
Grade 3/6 Moderate track |
AS 2156.1 | Gradient | Gentle hills with occasional steps (2/6) |
Quality of track | Clear and well formed track or trail (2/6) | ||
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) |
Some more details of this walks Grading
Here is a bit more details explaining grading looking at sections of the walk
Gradient
This whole walk, 690m has gentle hills with occasional steps.
Quality of track
This whole walk, 690m follows a clear and well formed track or trail.
Signs
This whole walk, 690m has directional signs at most intersection.
Experience Required
This whole walk, 690m requires no previous bushwalking experience.
weather
This whole walk, 690m is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation).
Infrastructure
This whole walk, 690m has limited facilities (such as not all cliffs fenced).
Similar walks
Other Nearby walks
Plan your trip to and from the walk here
The Refuge Rock and Natural Arch walk starts and ends at the End of Trevors Ln (gps: -33.708264, 151.05772)Your transport options to End of Trevors Ln are by;
Bus. (get details)
Car. There is free parking available.
(get details)
Fire Danger
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 Forest
This walk starts in the Metropolitan weather district always check the formal BOM forecast or pdf before starting your walk.Forecast snapshot
Park Information & Alerts
Short URL = http://wild.tl/rr
Gallery images
There are other downloads I am still working on.
You will probably need to login to access these — still all free.
* KML (google earth file)
* GPX (GPS file)
Special Maps/ brochures
* A3 topo maps
* PDF with Lands Topo map base
* PDF with arial image (and map overlay)
I wanted to get the main site live first, this extra stuff will come in time.
Happy walking
Matt 🙂
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