The Great North Walk 2006: Day 6 - Staples Lookout to Reservoir Rd Somersby (Warwick)

We retraced the walk of the previous week from Staples Lookout back to the Great North Walk. This was about one and a half to two kilometres and was an easy slight downhill warm up for everyone on what was a rather cool and cloudy day. For the first couple of hours of the walk the track headed close to due west.

Shortly after joining the GNW the grade increased down to the Kariong Brook. This creek, pool and more abundant vegetation and foliage was quite a contrast to the sand stone plateau we were on only a few minutes earlier.

After a few hundred meters which included a short climb and decent we crossed another waterway, Myron Brook. Still heading west we began a sometimes steep and always steady climb which led to a junction in the track and nearby to extensive views. At this junction a turn to the left (south) will in 2 km or so have you at the Wondabine Station. The GNW track heads right and close to due north towards the not too prominent Scopas Peak. To the left, or to the west, there are extensive and memorable views of Mooney Mooney Creek and valley – this is a place to return to at some future hike.

The track follows the ridge north and is not difficult. This takes us over Scopas Peak which is a 50m bump, then continues past Leochares Peak to beginning of the descent into Piles Creek.

The initial descent is uneventful however the second half of the descent into Piles Creek is spectacular. The descent has sections where there are towering cliffs above with some surviving tall timbers that are outstanding. To appreciate what is around you it is necessary to stop and look almost vertically up. On the down side of the track treetops are at track level or below with the trunk firmly set a couple of hundred feet below. This is another place to return to.

The track for this descent is in some places easy to misplace as false tracks have been created by previous walkers. On several occasions these false tracks were followed and our walkers found no where to go and had to retrace their path. Two of our group sped off ahead on this descent and chose a track which in their particular case was not a false track, however, it was the wrong track and headed for Girrakool!!. When walking north and approaching the Girrakool track junction the path to Girrakool is clear and straight on while the GNW is hard left and can be easy to overlook.

Most of the group continued down to Piles Creek, over the suspension bridge, unaware of the wayward walkers who were some way ahead.

The ‘head count’ at the suspension bridge was found to be a little lower than expected. Whilst the group rested Peter and Doug were serious about the leader role and successfully gathered in the lost soles. Doug walked a few extra kilometres by going back and accompanied the wanderers on their return to the group. Congratulations to both leaders on their efforts!!

The track is level for the next couple of hours and follows Piles Creek and Mooney Mooney Creek. The walk is pleasant, with the water always close on the left, it passes through fields of fern, under steep sections of the valley wall and always through lush vegetation. A boardwalk protects the sensitive and swampy section of the walk.

We reached the old Pacific Highway at the original Mooney Mooney bridge (built in the early 1930s) and crossed to the south side of the river to continue the walk upstream. We passed under the F3 freeway at the new Mooney Mooney bridge and soon after stopped for lunch by the river.

A quick comparison of the two Mooney Mooney bridges is worthwhile and revealing as it demonstrates the advances in technical design, engineering methods and the economic strength of the society that have taken place over the relatively short 55 years, the time between their construction.

The walk continued to follow the creek through a scenic, heavily wooded and steep sided valley. At the end of the valley walk is a waterfall, which for this walk had only a trickle of water. This is the downstream end of an extensive rock shelf. This rock bar is generously carved by water and is well over one hundred meters in length. We crossed the creek at this point and the track started the long climb to the Somersby Plateau.

The walk out is a challenge as it is over 4km of continuous steady climbing. A short way up the climb is a dam which was part of Gosford’s water supply. It is no longer in use due to pollution from the catchment area. The walk out from the dam follows the original service road which has not been maintained and is severely eroded. The last section of this day is an easy walk on level sandy tracks to the reservoirs on Reservoir Road, Somersby.

Warwick