Nearby campsites Gap Creek campground. The Basin Campsite provides more than enough space for large groups to camp, as well as a picnic shelter, fire place and a toilet. Watagan Forest HQ See on map; Watagan Forest road access See on map; Parking Bangalow campground See on map; Gap Creek campground See on map; Monkey Face lookout See on map; Road quality. The walk takes about 6 hrs (13 km One way), and heads though the delightful Olney State Forest. Total climbing: 329m, This short walk takes you into the moist forest around Dora Creek and is recommended. Visiting these communities and spending tourism dollars is a great way to help. Free download maps and tracknotes for the Basin Campsite to Watagan Creek Road walk. Free. Turpentine Camping Area. From the tower, you follow a bush track and wind down into the valley, through some farmland and along to the Congewai west track head. I don't have the deep pockets of big business so any support you can offer is appreciated. The walk passes through to the Watagan State Forest and into the Congewai Valley, continuing east into the Watagan National Park and all the way through to Heaton Gap. The Basin Campsite to Heaton Gap (60.5km), Cedar Brush track head to the Basin Campsite (9.7km), Watagan Creek Road to Congewai Valley Track Head (West) (12.6km), Watagan Creek Road to Congewai Valley East Track Head (17.8km), Flat Rock to Congewai Valley East Track Head (13.8km), Congewai Track Head (East) to Watagan Headquarters (17.2km), Congewai East Track Head to Watagan Forest Motel via Forestry HQ Campsite (29.7km), Yarramalong to Watagan Creek via Basin Campsite (33.7km), Greta road to Cedar Brush track head (17km), Bumble Hill Dray track (Greta Rd to Forest Road to Yarramalong) (5.6km), StateSelect StateACTNew South WalesNorthern TerritoryQueenslandSouth AustraliaTasmaniaVictoriaWestern Australia, lengthSelect Length000-5km006-10km011-15km016-25km026-50km051-100km100km +, DurationSelect DurationEpic WalksFull DayHalf DayLong DistanceMulti DayOvernightShort Walk, GradeSelect GradeGrade 1 (Accessible)Grade 2 (Easy)Grade 3 (Moderate)Grade 4 (Hard)Grade 5 (Difficult). Leaving the Basin campsite behind, the walk traverses the Wollombi Brook via the Lyrebird trail. Set alongside Watagan Forest Road, the Old Mill Picnic Area is a great place for family sport, with a wide and flat grassed area surrounded by forest. Total climbing: 547m, This section of the Great North Walk starts from the Congewai Valley east track head and heads north up into the Watagan National Park, climbing up to the ridgeline and following the management trails and bush tracks heading east all the way to the Forestry HQ campsite. Nearby campsites Olney Headquarters. State Forest, New South Wales. Olney State Forest is a popular visitor area and part of the beautiful State Forests of the Watagan Mountains. A quiet sit and picnic within the rainforest would be lovely. This walk travels through open forest with wild flowers (in season) to descend into a moist rainforest environment near Abbotts Falls. On day two, the walk continues north, through the State Forest, to Mt Warrawolong, where there is a side trip to the peak. This walk returns the same way you have come. From here, the walk follows the road winding south through rural farmland, past the school, to the Congewai east track head. Please note that this site is for day use only, with no camping allowed. 4WDs should be used at all other times. The Basin campsite to Watagan Valley walk starts at the Basin Campsite (gps: -33.104008, 151.23088) Your main transport option to Basin Campsite is by; Car. Safety alerts: Watagan Forest Road - Roadworks. There is, however, a bench and room for a fire. no water, toilets or tables. Day 18: Watagan HQ Campsite to Heaton Gap Posted on July 7, 2018 July 8, 2018 by Jeff Pages With a cool sunny day in the offing and Allan Savins available for the usual roadie duties, we headed north along the M1 through the multiplying roadwork zones, leaving my car at Heaton Gap before continuing up to the starting point in Allan’s car. There is free parking available. Olney State Forest, New South Wales. (get details) The Basin campsite to Watagan Valley ends at the Int of GNW track & Watagan Creek Road(southside) (gps: -33.028602, 151.27391) Basin Campsite to Watagan Creek Road is a 13km, grade 4 one way hike located in the Olney and Watagan State Forest, New South Wales. The Wollombi Brook Pool is a great spot to stop (and take a swim) on a hot day. Once most of your height is gained, this walk follows unsealed road before dropping down into the Wollombi Brook gully. Basin Campsite to Watagan Creek Road (Great North Walk) monroe3004. Watagan Headquarters Watagan Headsquarters campsite (aka Forestry HQ) is located in the Heaton State Forest, beside Bakers Rd, near Heaton Rd. Gap Creek campsite is located on Monkey Mountain in the National Park and the best access to this campsite is via Mount Faulk Rd which runs off Freemans Drive a 4.6km drive from the F3 exit towards Cooranbong. Flat Rock Lookout is a natural rock platform that offers magnificent views across the Congewai Valley to the east and north. Located west of Lake Macquarie, Olney is bordered by Wyong State Forest, Watagan State Forest and Watagan National Park. The large, flat, cleared area allows plenty of room to pitch a tent. The section of this walk near Dora Creek is particularly pleasant on a hot day. On day two, the walk continues Download maps and tracknotes for Basin Campsite to Watagan Creek Road hiking track from wildwalks.com. Gap Creek campground Total climbing: 1702m, This full day walk starts from the Congewai valley trackhead (east) and follows the Great North Walk up into the Watagan National Park. From here you follow a series of tracks that wind down, steeply in places, through the tall open forest with a scattering of grass trees to the bottom of the range. Yarramalong is worth exploring, and the historic church is worth a look. 12km of this walk requires some bushwalking experience and another 930m requires no previous bushwalking experience. This walk finishes by descending into the beautiful Watagan Valley. Olney State Forest, New South Wales. Total climbing: 241m, This large campsite sits by Wollombi Brook on the Great North Walk, Continue straight: From the intersection at the edge of the saddle. The Yarramalong general store is a great place to stop for lunch. We regret any inconvenience. From the pool, the walk climbs into the Warrawolong Flora Reserve using a combination of bush tracks and dirt roads. This section of the Great North Walk starts from the Basin campsite in the Olney State Forest and winds north into the Watagans via the Warrawolong Flora Reserve. On the first section of this walk, you will explore a little used dirt road to the Congewai Communication Tower. However you choose to undertake this section of the walk I encourage you to enjoy the valley views and soak up the vibe on the semi secluded rural valley community. 12.91 | Signposted Rest Area (100 m 3 mins) Turn right: From the rest area, this walk follows 'Newcastle' The hike should take approximately 6 hrs to complete. Watagan Creek Campsite This is a Great North Walk signposted campsite, with plenty of room for a few tents but providing minimal facilities ie. Total climbing: 130m, This circuit takes you through both dry and moist forest, using a combination of walking trails and wider tracks. The 2019-20 camping season has been tough for many communities in Australia. Some people see this is a road slog and either grab a lift or power walk it, others see it as an opportunity to stroll through the country side. You can also expect extraordinary views down toward rainforest gullies at Monkey Face and Gap Creek … Total climbing: 590m, This varied walk travels north through the Watagans. The walk visits a small waterfall and dammed pool then travels through forest, visiting the large open Pines picnic area before returning to the starting point. Total climbing: 973m, Starting at the quaint Yarramalong township, this walk follows a couple of rural roads to the Cedar Brush Trackhead. Now the walk guides you through open farmland before following Congewai Road along main valley to the trackhead near Brown Muir Farm. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Membership Refund Policy | Disclaimer. The walk continues north, out of the Conservation Area, to Yarramalong for the second night, and further north into the Olney State Forest, finishing at the Basin Campsite. The remaining (280m) requires a leader a with moderate level of bushwalking experience. From here, the walk follows bush tracks along Lyrebird Trail and to the Basin Campsite. Around 13km of this walk has directional signs at most intersection, whilst the remaining 280m is clearly signposted. A bus School service runs along Yarramalong Rd from Wyong. The three campsites can be found along the ridgeline before dropping down into the Congewai Valley, at the Barraba campsite, and at the Watagan Forestry H.Q campsite on the corner of Watagan and Bakers Roads in the Watagan National Park. Select your stateACTNew South WalesNorthern TerritoryQueenslandSouth AustraliaTasmaniaVictoriaWestern Australia, Length000-5km006-10km011-15km016-25km026-50km051-100km100km +, DurationEpic WalksFull DayHalf DayLong DistanceMulti DayOvernightShort Walk, GradeGrade 1 (Accessible)Grade 2 (Easy)Grade 3 (Moderate)Grade 4 (Hard)Grade 5 (Difficult), Location: Olney and Watagan State Forests. 12.91 | Watagan Creek Campsite This is a Great North Walk signposted campsite, with plenty of room for a few tents but providing minimal facilities ie. Free. 11km of this walk has limited facilities (such as not all cliffs fenced) and another 1.4km has limited facilities (such as cliffs not fenced, significant creeks not bridged). The headquarters is on the route of the Great North Walk, a … Check for current closures and notices before setting out. The most numerous and the most vocally dominant are Perron’s tree frogs (Litoria peronii). If you'd like to support the communities directly you can also donate via the Red Cross or search for country fire departments across Australia and make donations directly. The side trip to the dammed pool is recommended, to see the deep Aboriginal carved grooves by the pool. no water, toilets or tables. While most of this walk is on the road, it does provide a good, mostly level bushwalk and a great stroll along a quiet country road, through a pleasant rural community. The Watagan, Olney, Heaton State Forests and Watagan National Park offer a huge area of recreational opportunities for the camper, 4wder or nature lover within a stones throw of Newcastle. The hike should take approximately 6 hrs to complete. This walk also offers a side trip from Turners Road up to the top of Mt Warrawolong which is the highest point along the Great North Walk. This website has been built as a community service by one guy who is passionate about the outdoors. This section of the Great North Walk starts from the Basin campsite in the Olney State Forest and winds north into the Watagans, via the Warrawolong Flora Reserve. This walk descends into rainforest on a narrow track, with the track becoming indistinct midway through the walk.