Sphinx War Memorial to Mt Kuring-gai Station
Download & Print Map and Notes4 hrs 30 mins
518 m
Hard track
(0km) Int of Bobbin Head and the Sphinx Roads → Int of Memorial Rd and Sphinx Track
280 m
5 mins
0m
-14m
Easy track
(0.28km) Int of Memorial Rd and Sphinx Track → Sphinx Memorial
90 m
2 mins
0m
-9m
Easy track
Sphinx Memorial
(0.37km) Sphinx Memorial → Int of Sphinx Memorial Track and Sphinx fire trail
60 m
1 mins
0m
-6m
Easy track
(0.43km) Int of Sphinx Memorial Track and Sphinx service trail → Int of Bobbin Head and Sphinx service tracks
370 m
9 mins
31m
-1m
Easy track
(0.8km) Int of Bobbin Head and Sphinx service tracks → Bobbin Head Track Aboriginal Engraving Site
1.5 km
25 mins
19m
-17m
Easy track
Bobbin Head Track Aboriginal Engraving Site
(2.28km) Bobbin Head Track Aboriginal Engraving Site → Water Tank
1.3 km
22 mins
21m
-28m
Easy track
(3.53km) Water Tank → int. near gate on Bobbin head trail
1.4 km
31 mins
28m
-140m
Moderate track
(4.94km) int. near gate on Bobbin Head trail → Empire Marina
380 m
11 mins
11m
-53m
Moderate track
Turn left: From the intersection, this walk follows the ‘Bobbin Head Picnic Area’ sign[53] along the mostly flat track following the foreshore, keeping the water and boats to your right. After about 30m this walk follows a fence and handrail[54] behind a dry dock[55] for 40m. Here the track narrows a bit to head between the rock face and buildings[56] for 100m to turn right at a ‘Warrimo Track’ sign[57] and a yellow painted walker (on the ground). Here the walk heads through the hallway, past the public toilets[58] to the water front of Empire Marina, beside the ‘Kiosk’[59] (on your right).
Empire Marina – Galley Foods cafe
(5.32km) Empire Marina → Bobbin Head Wharf carpark
240 m
4 mins
5m
-9m
Very easy
(5.55km) Bobbin Head Wharf carpark → Bobbin Inn
180 m
4 mins
8m
-1m
Very easy
Turn right: From the intersection, this walk follows the footpath beside the road over the wide bridge[78], crossing Cowan Creek[79]. On the far side of the bridge, this walk continues beside the road along side ‘Orchard Park’[80] to pass a side road (on the left)[81]. Just 60m later along the main road (Ku-ring-gai Chase Road) this walk comes to the end of a small set of car parks just beside the ‘Bobbin Inn’ building[82] (on your left), home to cafe and ‘information centre’.
Bobbin Head
Bobbin Inn Cafe
(5.74km) Bobbin Inn Cafe → Int of Birrawana and Cockle Creek Lookout tracks
450 m
11 mins
68m
-10m
Hard track
Veer left: From beside Ku-Ring-Gai Chase Road[111], this walk heads down a few steps to cross a small flat concrete bridge[112], to then follow the ‘Birrawanna Track’ sign[113] up the timber steps. This walk leads quite steeply up the track as it zig-zags up a series of timber and rock steps[114][115] for just over 300m to find the top of small rocky ridge[116]. Here the walk leads down a series of timber steps[117] for about 50m to cross a moist gully[118] that is home to a disused telegraph pole[119]. Now this walk follows the clear rocky track leads uphill[120] for just shy of 200m to come to a faint intersection at the top of the ridge[121] (where the lookout track is on your right).
(6.19km) Int of Birrawana and Cockle Creek Lookout tracks → Cockle Creek Lookout
110 m
3 mins
1m
-15m
Moderate track
Cockle Creek Lookout
(6.19km) Int of Birrawana and Cockle Creek Lookout tracks → National Parks Regional Office
420 m
10 mins
26m
-27m
Moderate track
Veer right: From the intersection, the walk head gently uphill across the grassy clearing[130], veering left a little to head across the car park and come the the driveway entrance[131] of the sandstone National Parks Regional Office building.
NPWS North Sydney Regional Office
(6.61km) National Parks Regional Office → Apple Tree Flat Picnic Area
40 m
1 mins
0m
-3m
Easy track
Apple Tree Flat Picnic Area
(6.65km) Apple Tree Flat Picnic Area → Apple Tree Flat Lookout
70 m
2 mins
0m
-12m
Easy track
Apple Tree Flat Lookout
(6.65km) Apple Tree Flat Picnic Area → Int of Apple Tree Bay Road and Apple Tree Flat bushtrack.
230 m
7 mins
1m
-60m
Moderate track
(6.88km) Int of Apple Tree Bay Road and Harbour to Hawkesbury Track → Apple Tree Bay Kiosk
170 m
3 mins
4m
-3m
Very easy
Apple Tree Bay
(7.05km) Apple Tree Bay → Int of Lookout and Mt Kuring-gai Tracks
2.9 km
1 hr 15 mins
272m
-79m
Hard track
Turn left : From the intersection, this walk follows the ‘MT Ku-ring-gai Track’ sign[166] up the rock and timber steps and past the small overhang[167]. The track leads fairly steeply up for 80m to then bend sharply right[168] and continue fairly steeply for another 200m to pass a natural rock wall[169] (on your left). Just 20m past this wall the track comes to a small flat area[170] with good views over Cowan Creek[171]. Here the walk continues more gently uphill along the rocky ridge line[172] for 300m where the track completely flattens out to pass along the side of a small hill[173] (on your left). Over the next 600m the track leads down across a saddle then up along the ridge to bend right onto[174] an exposed rock platform[175]. From there the sandy track soon bends left again to follow the ridge uphill for 100m to pass a small sandstone overhang[176] then continue up a long set of stone steps[177] where the sandy track mostly flattens out again[178]. Soon the track starts heading up more stone steps [179] for about 400m to pass between a large boulder (on your left) and along rock wall (on your right)[180]. At the end of this rock wall the track bends right and leads up the stone steps through the cleft in the rock[181] where the then mostly flat wide sandy track leads gently uphill for 250m to find a three-way intersection[182] marked with a NPWS arrow post[183].
(9.92km) Int of viewpoint and Mt Kuring-gai Tracks → Apple Tree Bay Viewpoint
110 m
2 mins
0m
-14m
Moderate track
Mt Ku-Ring-Gai Track Lookout
(9.92km) Int of Lookout and Mt Kuringai Tracks → Corner of Harwood Avenue and Young Street
650 m
11 mins
5m
-12m
Easy track
(10.57km) Corner of Harwood Avenue and Young Street → Mt Kuring-gai Railway Station
400 m
8 mins
19m
-1m
Easy track
Maps for the Sphinx War Memorial to Mt Kuring-gai Station 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 Sphinx War Memorial to Mt Kuring-gai Station bushwalking track
Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Sphinx War Memorial to Mt Kuring-gai Station
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 | 11 km | ||
Time | 4 hrs 30 mins | ||
. | |||
Grade 4/6 Hard track |
AS 2156.1 | Gradient | Very steep (4/6) |
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 | 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
6km of this walk has gentle hills with occasional steps and another 2.2km is very steep. Whilst another 1.8km has short steep hills and the remaining 1.2km is flat with no steps.
Quality of track
5km of this walk follows a clear and well formed track or trail and another 4km follows a formed track, with some branches and other obstacles. The remaining (1.8km) follows a smooth and hardened path.
Signs
Around 7km of this walk is clearly signposted, whilst the remaining 4.2km has directional signs at most intersection.
Experience Required
Around 7km of this walk requires no previous bushwalking experience, whilst the remaining 4.2km requires some bushwalking experience.
weather
This whole walk, 11km is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation).
Infrastructure
Around 7km of this walk is close to useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats), whilst the remaining 3.8km has limited facilities (such as not all cliffs fenced).
Similar walks
Other Nearby walks
Plan your trip to and from the walk here
The Sphinx War Memorial to Mt Kuring-gai Station walk starts 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. There is free parking available.
(get details)
Train. Mt Ku-ring-gai Train Station is located on the Newcastle Line running between Hornsby and Wyong. Trains run approximately every hour. (get details)
The Sphinx War Memorial to Mt Kuring-gai Station ends at the Mt Kuring-gai Railway Station (gps: -33.653814, 151.13674)
Your transport options to Mt Kuring-gai Railway Station 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/swmtmks
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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