Darri and Warrimoo to the Sphinx Memorial

(0km) Bedford Ave, Turramurra → Int. Darri Track and Malborough Rd Servicetrail

490 m
9 mins
9m
-25m

Easy track

From opposite 18 Bedford Ave, this walk follows the service trail around the metal gate and past the ‘Terramerragal Reserve’ sign, soon passing the information sign about the Darri Track. This wide track winds down the hill and crosses a small creek, and then follows Cowan Creek downstream. After passing through the dense bush, enjoying the occasional view of the small creek (and avoiding a small false track off to the right), this track comes to an intersection with a service trail coming in from the left, at the concrete ditch.

(0.49km) Int. of Darri Track and Malborough Rd Servicetrail → Cowan Creek and Darri track Int.

1 km
21 mins
27m
-47m

Moderate track

Veer left: From the intersection, this walk follows the management trail that heads up the hill and away from Cowan Creek. The trail soon turns to the right and starts to flatten out. Just before the trail starts heading downhill, it comes to an intersection with a small bush track coming down from the left.
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk heads north along the service trail, passing a large Scribbly Gum on the right and then heading down the hill. The track continues to wind down to the bottom of the valley where it crosses Cowan Creek and continues along the other side, steadily climbing up the side of the valley until coming to the intersection of the Glengarry Road service trail, and a Darri Track information sign.

(1.52km) Cowan Creek and Darri track Int. → Tokanue Place Track Intersection

230 m
5 mins
17m
-5m

Moderate track

Veer right: From the intersection, this walk follows the service trail heading north-east up the hill, climbing up the side of the valley for a short while until it flattens out and comes to the intersection with the Tokanue Place access trail at the large metal gate.

(1.75km) Tokanue Place Track Intersection → Waipori Street Track Intersection

330 m
9 mins
31m
-19m

Easy track

Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the service trail heading north-east, keeping the asphalt service trail on the right, winding around the back of some houses and through the bush for a while until it comes to the intersection of the Waipori Street service trail.

(2.07km) Waipori Street Track Intersection → Gould Avenue Creek crossing

400 m
9 mins
21m
-27m

Moderate track

Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the ‘Darri Track’ sign past the ‘Terramerragal Reserve’ sign and along the service trail, heading through the bush and down the long gentle hill, until it comes to the intersection of the lower valley link trail at the information sign.
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the service trail past the “No Through Road” sign and along the side of the hill, gently undulating until it comes to a small creek crossing, where the service trail becomes a bush track.

(2.47km) Gould Avenue Creek crossing → Int of Darri and Timbarra Road tracks

720 m
18 mins
63m
-18m

Moderate track

Continue straight: From the end of the service trail, this walk crosses the small creek and continues along the bush track, winding up the long hill, keeping the metal handrail on the right. The walk continues up the rocky hill, and up a metal staircase to a flat rock platform at the top. From here, the track turns left onto the rock platform and continues along the bush track, passing a ‘Kuringai Chase National Park’ sign before dropping down a small hill then continuing up some rock steps. From the top of the steps, the walk follows the bush track through the gum trees until it comes to a ‘Y’ intersection with another bush track at a Darri Track marker.

(3.19km) Int of Darri and Timbarra Road tracks → Int of Darri and Warrimoo Tracks

530 m
10 mins
9m
-22m

Moderate track

Turn left: From the intersection, this walk follows the bush track, heading north past some blackened gum trees and through the bush, undulating gently for a while before coming to the signposted intersection of the ‘Warrimoo Track’.

(3.72km) Int of Darri and Warrimoo Tracks → Sonja Huddles Chair

850 m
18 mins
7m
-92m

Moderate track

Veer left: From the intersection, the walk follows the Bobbin Head arrow along the service trail (heading north west). The trail meanders through the bush for a while before winding steadily down a long hill to the end of the ridge. Here, the trail comes to a Memorial Chair at a lookout over Cowan Creek.

(4.57km) Sonja Huddles Chair → Int of Sphinx walking and Warrimoo Tracks

520 m
12 mins
12m
-57m

Moderate track

Continue straight: From the Memorial Chair, the walk heads down the rock steps and follows the bush track. The track winds steeply down the rocky hill and crosses Cowan Creek at the stepping stones. The track then continues along the edge of the creek (keeping the creek to the right) until coming to the signposted intersection with the Sphinx Track.

(5.09km) Int of Sphinx walking and Warrimoo Tracks → Int of Sphinx walking Track and management trail

1.1 km
25 mins
140m
-17m

Moderate track

Turn left : From the intersection, this walk follows the ‘Sphinx Track – Nth. Turramurra’ sign[1] uphill along the clear rocky track. The track zig-zags quite steeply up a series of timber and stone steps[2] for almost 250m to then pass under the high tension power lines[3]. Here the track gently undulates along the side of the hill crossing a few pleasant rock platforms[4] for 130m to cross a small often dry creek on a sandstone rock platform[5]. Now the track leads gently uphill along the side of the valley among the grass trees[6] for almost 200m to cross a usually larger but still fairly small creek on a sandstone rock platform[7]. The walk then heads up a series of and carved stone and timber steps[8] for about 50m where the track mostly flattens out[9] for about 30m to come to a shallow sandstone overhang[10] (on your left). Just shy of 150m past this cave, the track leads between two tall eucalyptus[11] then follows the rocky track[12] and series of timber steps[13] uphill for another 300m to a T-intersection with a wide trail, marked with a ‘Sphinx Walking Track’ sign[14] pointing back down the track.

(6.14km) Int of Sphinx walking Track and Service trail → Int of Sphinx Memorial Track and Sphinx service trail

10 m
1m
0m

Easy track

Veer right: From the intersection, this walk heads gently uphill along the wide trail, for just over 10m to an intersection with an asphalted path (on your left), marked with a ‘Sphinx Fire Trail’[15] sign pointing back down the trail.

(6.15km) Int of Sphinx Memorial Track and Sphinx fire trail → Sphinx Memorial

60 m
1 mins
6m
0m

Easy track

Turn left: From the intersection this walk follows the asphalt footpath, gently uphill directly away from the face of the ‘Sphinx Fire Trail’[16] sign. The footpath leads for about 50m to head behind the picnic tables[17] and come to the sandstone ‘Sphinx Memorial’[18].

Sphinx Memorial

Private Shirley spent one and a half years carving this monument whilst a patient of the Lady Davidson Convalescent Hospital. William Shirley was in hospital, being treated after serving in WW1. Shirley died in 1929, leaving this memorial to fallen A.I.F. comrades. “To my glorious comrades of the A.I.F by the late W. Shirley No 5756 Pte. 13th Battalion Died 27th August 1928” More info.

(6.21km) Sphinx Memorial → Int of Bobbin Head and the Sphinx Roads

370 m
7 mins
23m
0m

Easy track

Veer right: From the picnic ground, this walk heads south-west, uphill along the footpath, until emerging onto the Sphinx Memorial Drive. At this point, there is a gate and a sign giving information on the local walks.
Veer right: From the intersection, this walk follows the road, heading up the long gentle hill. The road flattens out and passes through some metal gates, coming to the intersection with Bobbin Head Road. The NPWS toll booth is just to the left.

Maps for the Darri and Warrimoo to the Sphinx Memorial 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
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park Tourist Map	1:40 000 Map Series	CMA Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park Tourist Map	CMA Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park Tourist Map
Sydney	1:100 000 Map Series	9130 SYDNEY	9130

Cross sectional view of the Darri and Warrimoo to the Sphinx Memorial bushwalking track

Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Darri and Warrimoo to the Sphinx Memorial

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	6.6 km
		Time	2 hrs 45 mins
		.
Grade 3/6 Moderate track	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	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

3.3km of this walk has short steep hills and another 3.2km has gentle hills with occasional steps. The remaining (95m) is flat with no steps.

Quality of track

4.1km of this walk follows a formed track, with some branches and other obstacles and another 2.1km follows a clear and well formed track or trail. The remaining (430m) follows a smooth and hardened path.

Signs

Around 4.6km of this walk is clearly signposted, whilst the remaining 2km has directional signs at most intersection.

Experience Required

Around 3.9km of this walk requires some bushwalking experience, whilst the remaining 2.7km requires no previous bushwalking experience.

weather

Around 6km of this walk is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation), whilst the remaining 1.1km is affected by storms that may impact your navigation and safety.

Infrastructure

Around 4km of this walk is close to useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats), whilst the remaining 2.5km has limited facilities (such as not all cliffs fenced).

Plan your trip to and from the walk here

The Darri and Warrimoo to the Sphinx Memorial walk starts at the Bedford Ave, Turramurra (gps: -33.719333, 151.15008)
Your transport options to Bedford Ave, Turramurra are by;

Bus. (get details)

Car. There is free parking available.
(get details)

The Darri and Warrimoo to the Sphinx Memorial ends at the Int of Bobbin Head and the Sphinx Roads (gps: -33.688744, 151.15235)
Your transport options to Int of Bobbin Head and the Sphinx Roads are by;

Bus. (get details)

Car. A park entry fee is required for driving into the park.
(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

Download Pdf

Open iPhone app

Short URL = http://wild.tl/dawttsm

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 🙂

Darri and Warrimoo to the Sphinx Memorial

(0km) Bedford Ave, Turramurra → Int. Darri Track and Malborough Rd Servicetrail

Easy track

(0.49km) Int. of Darri Track and Malborough Rd Servicetrail → Cowan Creek and Darri track Int.

Moderate track

(1.52km) Cowan Creek and Darri track Int. → Tokanue Place Track Intersection

Moderate track

(1.75km) Tokanue Place Track Intersection → Waipori Street Track Intersection

Easy track

(2.07km) Waipori Street Track Intersection → Gould Avenue Creek crossing

Moderate track

(2.47km) Gould Avenue Creek crossing → Int of Darri and Timbarra Road tracks

Moderate track

(3.19km) Int of Darri and Timbarra Road tracks → Int of Darri and Warrimoo Tracks

Moderate track

(3.72km) Int of Darri and Warrimoo Tracks → Sonja Huddles Chair

Moderate track

(4.57km) Sonja Huddles Chair → Int of Sphinx walking and Warrimoo Tracks

Moderate track

(5.09km) Int of Sphinx walking and Warrimoo Tracks → Int of Sphinx walking Track and management trail

Moderate track

(6.14km) Int of Sphinx walking Track and Service trail → Int of Sphinx Memorial Track and Sphinx service trail

Easy track

(6.15km) Int of Sphinx Memorial Track and Sphinx fire trail → Sphinx Memorial

Easy track

Sphinx Memorial

(6.21km) Sphinx Memorial → Int of Bobbin Head and the Sphinx Roads

Easy track

Maps for the Darri and Warrimoo to the Sphinx Memorial walk

Cross sectional view of the Darri and Warrimoo to the Sphinx Memorial bushwalking track

Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Darri and Warrimoo to the Sphinx Memorial

Overview of this walks grade – based on the AS 2156.1 – 2001

Some more details of this walks Grading

Gradient

Quality of track

Signs

Experience Required

weather

Infrastructure

Similar walks

Other Nearby walks

Plan your trip to and from the walk here

Fire Danger

Weather Forest

Park Information & Alerts

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