11km Circuit
Download & Print Map and Notes
4 hrs 15 mins
8.2 km Circuit
634 m
Hard track
Mill Creek picnic area
This beautifully situated picnic area is located a short distance along an unsealed road, off Wisemans Ferry Rd, about 5.5km east of Wisemans Ferry. There are picnic tables, fireplaces, an information board and pit toilets. There is some excellent bush walking in the area with two signposted circuit walks starting from the end of the picnic area. There is a ‘large group’ camping area adjacent.
(0km) Mill Creek Picnic Area car park → Int of Grass Tree and 11km circuits
870 m
24 mins
84m
-48m
Moderate track
From the Mill Creek picnic area (signposted on Wisemans Ferry Rd, about 6km east of Wisemans Ferry crossing), the walk crosses from the information signs to the the ‘Start/Finish’ walking track signpost at the far end of the picnic area.
Continue straight: From the ‘Start/Finish’ walking track signpost at the end of the picnic area, the walk follows the bush track and immediately takes the right hand branch at a fork in the track (the other track is the return leg of the Grass Tree circuit). The walk passes through a mix of closed in, dense vegetation and more open forest with some beautiful views and lots of grasstrees. After crossing a creek using wooden steps and a concreted stone path, the track climbs more steeply before dropping to the signposted intersection of the ’11km Walking Track’ and ‘1.5km Grass Tree Circuit’.
Continue straight: From the ‘Start/Finish’ walking track signpost at the end of the picnic area, the walk follows the bush track and immediately takes the right hand branch at a fork in the track (the other track is the return leg of the Grass Tree circuit). The walk passes through a mix of closed in, dense vegetation and more open forest with some beautiful views and lots of grasstrees. After crossing a creek using wooden steps and a concreted stone path, the track climbs more steeply before dropping to the signposted intersection of the ’11km Walking Track’ and ‘1.5km Grass Tree Circuit’.
Grasstrees
The beautiful Grasstree is one of the icons of the Australian bush. It is a very slow growing plant, with the trunk typically only growing about one cm per year. These plants can grow and survive for several hundred years. The trunk is usually black, apparently a result of bushfires. As with some other native plants, fires can actually promote flowering and further growth. More info.
(0.87km) Int of Grass Tree and 11km circuits → Int of 11km circuit and Link track
2.6 km
1 hr 9 mins
257m
-92m
Hard track
Turn right: From the intersection, the walk follows the ’11km Walking Track’ arrow along the bush track. The track climbs for a while, with nice views down into the gully, before dropping to a picturesque creek crossing marked with a small ‘walker arrow’. From here the track climbs steeply for a short distance, then passes another track marker at the start of a section with beautiful rock overhangs and boulders. The track then drops to another creek crossing, marked with a small walker sign on a boulder in the middle of the creek, beneath a huge tree with impressive roots draping over the rocks.
Turn right: From the creek, the walk follows the walker arrow along the bush track, going downstream and keeping the creek to the right. This section of the walk has several steep climbs and plenty of great scenery. After meandering for some time the walk passes a regenerating bush track, to the right (marked with a walker post and old arrows on the trees), and continues, crossing a gully marked with walker arrows in both directions. After crossing another gully (unmarked), the walk climbs very steeply, passing a track marker and climbing further to reach an intersection at the top of the hill (very faint bush track to the right), marked with two arrow track markers on a post.
Turn right: From the creek, the walk follows the walker arrow along the bush track, going downstream and keeping the creek to the right. This section of the walk has several steep climbs and plenty of great scenery. After meandering for some time the walk passes a regenerating bush track, to the right (marked with a walker post and old arrows on the trees), and continues, crossing a gully marked with walker arrows in both directions. After crossing another gully (unmarked), the walk climbs very steeply, passing a track marker and climbing further to reach an intersection at the top of the hill (very faint bush track to the right), marked with two arrow track markers on a post.
(3.47km) Int of 11km circuit and Link track → 11km Nth rock platform
2.4 km
1 hr 8 mins
212m
-194m
Hard track
Continue straight: From the intersection, the walk follows the lower track arrow (left) on the signpost, along the bush track. The track immediately bends to the right and goes steeply down the hill. This section of the walk has some beautiful scenery with great boulder formations and beautiful forest and valley views. It also has some very steep sections as it drops and climbs through two gullies (plus a third minor tributary) before reaching an intersection at the top of a ridge, on a small rock platform immediately after passing a track marker (the main track bends to the left here). There are minor tracks from here to a much larger rock platform nearby with some nice views.
11km circuit Nth Viewpoint
This informal, unfenced lookout is on a large rock platform on the northern part of the 11km Circuit, in Dharug National Park. The nice views and atmosphere make this a good spot for a break while doing the circuit walk.
(5.91km) 11km Nth rock platform → Mill Creek Picnic Area car park
2.2 km
57 mins
81m
-301m
Hard track
Turn left: From the small rock platform, the walk goes west along the bush track, leaving the much larger rock platform to the right. The track soon passes a track marker on the left and gently climbs up the ridge line, over the small hill and down the ridge line on the other side. The track then bends to the right and descends steeply, zigzagging down the side of the hill. The walk passes numerous track markers along the way and eventually descends into the more shaded and moist lower part of the valley. There is beautiful scenery through this section, as the walk descends, steeply at times, then crosses a wooden bridge and climbs some steps to the edge of the Mill Creek Picnic area. From here it is a short walk across the picnic area to the visible walking track signpost.
Turn sharp right: From the ‘Start/Finish’ walking track signpost at the end of the Mill Creek picnic area, the walk crosses the picnic area to the car park (Mill Creek picnic area is signposted on Wisemans Ferry Rd, about 6km east of Wisemans Ferry crossing).
Turn sharp right: From the ‘Start/Finish’ walking track signpost at the end of the Mill Creek picnic area, the walk crosses the picnic area to the car park (Mill Creek picnic area is signposted on Wisemans Ferry Rd, about 6km east of Wisemans Ferry crossing).
Maps for the 11km Circuit 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.
| Gunderman | 1:25 000 Map Series | 91313S GUNDERMAN | NSW-91313S |
| Lower Portland | 1:25 000 Map Series | 90312S LOWER PORTLAND | NSW-90312S |
| Gosford | 1:100 000 Map Series | 9131 GOSFORD | 9131 |
| St Albans | 1:100 000 Map Series | 9031 ST ALBANS | 9031 |
Cross sectional view of the 11km Circuit bushwalking track
Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the 11km Circuit
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 | 8.2 km | ||
| Time | 4 hrs 15 mins | ||
| . | |||
| Grade 4/6 Hard track |
AS 2156.1 | Gradient | Very steep (4/6) |
| Quality of track | Rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely (4/6) | ||
| Signs | Directional signs along the way (3/6) | ||
| Experience Required | Some bushwalking experience recommended (3/6) | ||
| Weather | Storms may impact on navigation and safety (3/6) | ||
| 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
6km of this walk is very steep and another 1.6km has short steep hills. The remaining (210m) is flat with no steps.
Quality of track
6km of this walk follows a rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely and another 1.6km follows a formed track, with some branches and other obstacles. The remaining (210m) follows a clear and well formed track or trail.
Signs
Around 8km of this walk has directional signs at most intersection, whilst the remaining 210m is clearly signposted.
Experience Required
Around 8km of this walk requires some bushwalking experience, whilst the remaining 210m requires no previous bushwalking experience.
weather
Around 7km of this walk is affected by storms that may impact your navigation and safety, whilst the remaining 970m is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation).
Infrastructure
Around 5km of this walk has limited facilities (such as not all cliffs fenced), whilst the remaining 3.1km is close to useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats).
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Plan your trip to and from the walk here
The 11km Circuit walk starts and ends at the Mill Creek Picnic Area car park (gps: -33.400835, 151.04778)Your transport options to Mill Creek Picnic Area car park are by;
Bus. Wisemans Ferry Dialacar provides a taxi style mini-bus service based in Wisemans Ferry. The cost is typically about per km (ex Wisemans Ferry). They will pick-up and drop-off from Sydney or the Central Coast and will happily drop walkers off or pick them up from tracks in the area. The cost for a pick-up from Gosford and drop off near Wisemans Ferry would be approximately 0 (please call for up-to-date pricing) and the minivan can carry up to 13 passengers. Phone: 0448 122 374 (get details)
Car. There is free parking available.(get details)
Short URL = http://wild.tl/22
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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