Flat Rock Gully Walking Track
Located in the Sydney council of Willoughby, Flat Rock Gully Walking Track is a 4km return trip through bushland bordering a small creek. Utilised for the disposal of domestic and industrial waste until 1985, the area became overgrown with weeds. Following the closing of the tip and associated incinerator, the area has been landscaped and bush land regenerated. The result is a beautiful walk, through trees and ferns in the centre of Sydney.
Parking
Parking is available near the start of the track at Small Street where a gated entrance leads to parking spots. Additional parking at the netball courts, near the old incinerator is a five-minute walk away.
Flat Rock Gully Walking Track
Starting off with bitumen and a section of boardwalk, the track appears an easy hike. However, this soon gives way to rougher sections of rock and dirt track. Sections have steppingstones added to aid walking in wet conditions and in going up and down the slopes. In wet and rainy weather, these areas become very slippery, so good hiking boots are needed, as well as being careful.
Council Bush Regenerators, contractors and volunteers have done an amazing job reducing the weeds present along the track. As a result, you can now walk through remnant Australian bush while in the centre of Sydney.
Flat Rock Creek
The creek crossing is a series of steppingstones, which will be slippery when wet and during high rainfall may be submerged. At the crossing, a stone embankment prevents erosion of the creek banks and has become overgrown in moss. This makes the area look old and overgrown, but also extremely slippery.
Long Gully Bridge
Crossing the gully at the end of the walk is Long Gully Bridge. Built to access a housing development at Northbridge in the 1890s, the false crenellated turreted towers make it look very medieval. Under the bridge, a large, landscaped area was once the council tip. The 30 metres of fill has been rehabilitated into playing fields, where we saw a game of cricket being played.
Flat Rock Drive Pedestrian Underpass Indigenous Art Work
Pedestrian access from the track to the baseball diamond and netball courts is via an underpass under Flat Rock Drive. If you park at the netball courts, this is the best way to get to the track.
Decorated with large indigenous murals unlike many underpasses left in dull concrete. Not far from here is the Henry Lawson Cave, where the poet would sleep off a drinking session at the local tavern.
What Did We Think?
This was a really fun track to walk. Moderately difficult and a little slippery in the wet, the walk through remnant forest and along a creek was fun. Looking at the underside of the bridge and the decorated underpass were added bonuses.
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To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
