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'Ku-ring-gai Chase' is a national park in New South Wales (Australia), 25 km north of Sydney located largely within the Ku-ring-gai, Hornsby, Warringah and Pittwater municipal areas. Ku-ring-gai Chase is also officially classed as a suburb by the Geographical Names Board of NSW.
The park is one of the most accessible in Australia, and this combined with its beautiful river and bushland setting make it one of the most popular. It has picnic, boating, fishing and walking possibilities, and is famous for its beautiful Aboriginal Rock Engravings. The park is located where the Hawkesbury River meets the Tasman Sea.
Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park was added to the list of the National Heritage in December, 2006.^[1]

Contents

Facilities

Bobbin Head

Appletree Bay

The Basin

West Head

Barrenjoey

The Sphinx

Cottage Point

Entry Points

By Road

On Foot Trail

By Boat

Entry Costs

Walks

References

See also

External links

Facilities

Bobbin Head

Bobbin Head is a scenic area that is a "near-urban" part of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. Bobbin Head is easily reached by taking Bobbin Head Road through North Turramurra, New South Wales or Kuringai Chase Road from near Hornsby, New South Wales.
Located on Cowan Creek, this is a large and popular family picnic area. It is good for fishing, and is the starting point for walks.
Facilities at Bobbin Head include a marina, picnic areas with gas (coin operated) barbecues, a small store / takeaway food shop at the marina, and a lunch-time restaurant in what used to be the Bobbin Head Inn, which also contains a National Parks information center. The area also contains many fire trails and a mangrove boardwalk. Aboriginal engravings can be observed along some of the hiking trails.

★ Extensive Parking

★ Shop

★ Kiosk


★ Flush toilets

★ Children's Play Equipment

★ Picnic tables including some under shelters

★ Jetty

★ Boat hire

Appletree Bay

★ Paved parking area, including trailer parking

★ Boat launch ramp & jetty

★ Flush Toilets

★ Picnic Tables

★ Barbecues

The Basin

A popular camping/picnic site with a small beach Pittwater. This is the only place in the entire National Park where camping is allowed.
Access is either via The Basin Track or on a ferry from Palm Beach Wharf. Camping is $10 per person per night for adults and $5 for children

★ Flush Toilets

★ Camp sites for 400 people

★ Public Phone

★ Drink vending machine

★ Cold showers

★ Picnic Tables

★ Electric/Gas/Wood Barbecues

West Head

West Head is a headland at the north eastern tip of the National Park. A lookout, with views of Barrenjoey, Palm Beach and Broken Bay, has been built on West Head^[2].

Barrenjoey

Barrenjoey is a locality of Palm Beach^[3]. It is a headland and unusual amongst the National Park features: It is not joint to the National Park by any land form but separated by 1 kilometer of water: The Pittwater.

★ Lighthouse

★ Museum

★ Flush Toilets

★ Park Ranger outpost
Barrenjoey was chosen in 1956 by the Government of Australia as a bordering side of the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park as thanks for the efforts of , the mayor during that time, towards the peaceful assimilation and integration of the native Australian Aborigines who originally inhabbited the Barrenjoey area.

The Sphinx

This is a walk going by a big sphinx statue commemorating the war.

Cottage Point

Entry Points

By Road

;Ku-ring-gai Chase Road : near F3 Freeway Mt Colah Exit.
;Bobbin Head Road : near Lady Davidson Hospital and Ku-ring-gai High School
;West Head Road : from McCarrs Creek Road off Mona Vale Road
;Barrenjoey Headland Track : from Station Beach Track off Barrenjoey Road

On Foot Trail

;Jerusalem Bay Track (The Great North Walk): Cross the F3 Freeway into the park on a footbridge next to Cowan Station
;Unnamed Track, Cowan: An unnamed track starts at the Old Pacific Highway, near the Cowan Works Depot, a tower and a nursery, just south of the 'Pie in the Sky' Cafe. Track goes to locked gate, then through an underpass for the F3 Freeway, then joins the Jerusalem Bay Track
;The Great North Walk, Brooklyn: Tracks from End of Bridge Street???? and Brooklyn Road on the south east side of the rail bridge

By Boat

Entry Costs

'Vehicle entry fees'
If you're driving into the park, you will need to purchase a vehicle day pass. This costs $11.
'The Basin campground'
Fees: $10.00 per adult per night, $5.00 per child per night. If you've booked a campsite, and will be arriving at The Basin by water, you won't need to pay a landing fee - it's covered in the cost of your campsite booking.
'Other fees'
If you're arriving at The Basin by water for a day visit, you'll also need to pay landing fees ($3 adults, $2 children. Annual pass holders must pay landing fees). However, if you've booked a campsite, you won't need to pay a landing fee - it's covered in the cost of your campsite booking.

Walks

References

1. Wild magazine, Jul-Sep 2007
2. Gregory's Street Directory, 59th Edition 1995, Map 109
3. UBD Street Directory, 40th Edition 2003, Map 78

There are many great walking tracks in Ku-ring-gai, especially through the Duffys Forest and Terrey Hills area. Meeting at Cowan creek, you can come from the other side at Turramurra.

See also

★ Church Point Ferry

★ Protected areas of New South Wales (Australia)

★ Pittwater Road

★ Sydney Rock Engravings.

External links

★ New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service

★ A comprehensive list of short bushwalks in Ku-Ring-Gai National Park

★ Sydney Rock Art