Watagan Headquarters to Heaton Lookout
Download & Print Map and Notes4 hrs
571 m
Hard track
Watagan Headquarters
(0km) Forestry H.Q campsite → Hunter Lookout picnic area
1.6 km
27 mins
21m
-38m
Moderate track
Continue straight: From the intersection[11], this walk follows Bakers Road north and gently uphill, while keeping Rocky Creek Road (no signpost) on your right. The walk continues, undulating gently for about 400m until coming to a three-way intersection with Glen Road[12] (on the right).
Continue straight: From the intersection[13], this walk follows Bakers Road gently uphill[14], while keeping Glen Road on your right. The walk continues, undulating gently for about 250m until coming to Hunter Lookout picnic area[15] (on the left).
Veer left: From the intersection, this walk heads off the road and up the hill following the Hunter Lookout picnic area sign, past the wooden gate and the public toilet, to the picnic area area and the lookout.
Hunter Lookout
(1.62km) Hunter Lookout picnic area → Int of GNW track & Bakers Road
670 m
15 mins
39m
-35m
Moderate track
Veer left: From the Hunter Lookout picnic area[21] (on Bakers Road), this walk follows Bakers Road north and gently downhill[22], while keeping Hunter Lookout on your left. The walk continues for about 400m until coming to a Y-intersection[23] (Bakers Road loop).
Veer right: From the intersection[24] (Bakers Road loop),this walk follows the Bakers Road loop gently downhill, while keeping the gently uphill Bakers Road loop on your left. The walk continues through forest for about 210m until coming to a three-way intersection[25] with a wide track and ‘The Great North Walk/Maclean Lookout’ sign[26] on the right.
(2.29km) Int of GNW track & Bakers Road → Maclean Lookout
100 m
2 mins
3m
-5m
Moderate track
(2.29km) Int of GNW track & Bakers Road → Int of GNW track AND Glen Road
570 m
15 mins
21m
-83m
Hard track
Turn sharp right: From the intersection[35], this walk follows the track moderately steeply downhill[36], while keeping the GNW arrow marker on your left. The walk continues (descending moderately steeply into[37] and out[38] of a gully) for about 150m, until coming to a three-way intersection, Glen Road[39].
(2.85km) Int of GNW track & Glen Road → Int of GNW track & a narrow road
860 m
25 mins
87m
-67m
Hard track
Turn left : From the intersection[45], this walk follows the GNW arrow marker[46] moderately steeply down along the track[47]. The walk continues for about 100m, to find a forested mossy creek[48] where the track bend right and continues close to the creek[49] for about 70m to then bend left and crossing the creek. The walk now follows the track undulating gently for about 280m before finding a large rock overhang[50]. The walk then continues moderately steeply uphill[51] for about 200m until coming to a T-intersection[52] with a wide trail and GNW arrow marker[53].
(3.71km) Int of GNW track & a wide track → Int of GNW track and Hammonds Road
770 m
24 mins
89m
-85m
Hard track
Continue straight: From the intersection[59], this walk follows the wide track gently downhill, while keeping the ‘Macleans Lookout 2km’ sign[60] on your right. The walk continues for about 140m to a three-way intersection[61], with Fosters Road on your right and ‘Fosters Road’ sign[62] on your left.
Continue straight: From the intersection[63], this walk follows the GNW arrow post down along the wide old trail[64], passing the ‘Fosters Road’ sign[65] on your left. The walk continues for about 100m, where the wide track then leads moderately steeply downhill[66] for about 150m more. The walk then crosses a gully[67] and heads up[68] over another rise for about 70m to where the track narrows then bends left at a GNW arrow post. About 180m past the post, the walk crosses a gully[69] then heads up the other side, past a termite mound[70] to an unfenced cliff with distance valley views[71]. Here the track bends right and leads up a short distance to a dirt road[72]. The walk turns left and follows the road down for just a few metres to the ‘Hammonds Road’ sign, where the ‘MacLean Lookout’ arrow[73] points back along the road.
(4.48km) Int of GNW track and Hammonds Road → Int of GNW track and Wallis Creek
1.4 km
44 mins
113m
-214m
Hard track
Continue straight: This walk crosses the creek[81] and follows the track, while keeping the valley on your left. The walk follows the track steeply up for a short distance, then follows along the base of a cliff[82] for about 120m to pass through a long sandstone cave[83]. The rocky track leads steeply down through the dense rainforest for 700m, following a series of GNW arrow posts to the bottom of the gully beside Wallis Creek[84].
(5.93km) Int of GNW track and Wallis Creek → Int of GNW track and Barniers Road
1 km
30 mins
143m
0m
Hard track
(6.95km) Int of GNW track and Barniers Road → Int of GNW track and Heaton Lookout
1.2 km
29 mins
58m
-115m
Hard track
Heaton Lookout
Maps for the Watagan Headquarters to Heaton Lookout 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.
Quorrobolong | 1:25 000 Map Series | 91322S QUORROBOLONG | NSW-91322S |
Cessnock | 1:50 000 Map Series | 91322 CESSNOCK | CW-91322 |
Cessnock | 1:100 000 Map Series | 9132 CESSNOCK | 9132 |
Cross sectional view of the Watagan Headquarters to Heaton Lookout bushwalking track
Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Watagan Headquarters to Heaton Lookout
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 | 8.1 km | ||
Time | 4 hrs | ||
. | |||
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 | Minimal directional signs (4/6) | ||
Experience Required | Moderate level of bushwalking experience recommended (4/6) | ||
Weather | Storms may impact on navigation and safety (3/6) | ||
Infrastructure | Limited facilities (such as cliffs not fenced, significant creeks not bridged) (4/6) |
Some more details of this walks Grading
Here is a bit more details explaining grading looking at sections of the walk
Gradient
3.6km of this walk is very steep and another 2.7km has short steep hills. The remaining (1.8km) has gentle hills with occasional steps.
Quality of track
3.2km of this walk follows a rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely and another 2.8km follows a formed track, with some branches and other obstacles. The remaining (2.1km) follows a clear and well formed track or trail.
Signs
Around 4.4km of this walk has directional signs at most intersection, whilst the remaining 3.7km has minimal directional signs.
Experience Required
3km of this walk requires some bushwalking experience and another 2.6km requires a leader a with moderate level of bushwalking experience. The remaining (2.6km) 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 1.7km is affected by storms that may impact your navigation and safety.
Infrastructure
4km of this walk has limited facilities (such as not all cliffs fenced) and another 3.9km has limited facilities (such as cliffs not fenced, significant creeks not bridged). The remaining (270m) is close to useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats).
Similar walks
Other Nearby walks
Plan your trip to and from the walk here
The Watagan Headquarters to Heaton Lookout walk starts at the Forestry H.Q campsite (gps: -32.9756, 151.4117)Your main transport option to Forestry H.Q campsite is by;
Car. There is free parking available.
(get details)
The Watagan Headquarters to Heaton Lookout ends at the Int of GNW track and Heaton Lookout (gps: -32.983668, 151.45483)
Your main transport option to Int of GNW track and Heaton Lookout is by;
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 Hunter weather district always check the formal BOM forecast or pdf before starting your walk.Forecast snapshot
Park Information & Alerts
Short URL = http://wild.tl/whthl
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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