Resolute Beach

Categories: australia, bushwalking-hiking

Date: 29 September 2007 09:14:36

Within the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park in the north of Sydney.

Perhaps the wrong place to go today: it was a very slow drive from my place out in the south-west to the north of Sydney as hundreds, thousands even, of people made their way north for the Labour Day long weekend. We had planned to go to the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, but a change of plans resulted in the choice being the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and the Resolute Track walk.

Foolishly, I left my camera at home. I say foolishly as it was quite a scenic walk, and Resolute Beach, which was reached by a rather steep descent [followed, after lunch, by the contrasting steep ascent back up!], was truly a hidden gem: this photo shows the beach -- and today was as gloriously sunny as it is in that photo. The water was crystal clear also. A truly beautiful spot for lunch. Along the track are also a number of sites of Aboriginal significance, including hand paintings and a midden -- this page, which also describes the Resolute Track walk, has some photos and information.

I'm considering heading up again on Monday for a solo walk -- simply for something to do [though I'll start early to beat the returning holiday traffic back if I do go -- I may decide to sit around the house doing nothing]. I may do the 11 kilometre Cowan to Brooklyn section of the 250km Great North Walk track: this is how the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service website describes it:

Jerusalem Bay Track (to Brooklyn)
11 km, 4.5 hours, difficult

This track covers a small section of the 250 kilometre Great North Walk, which goes all the way from Sydney to Newcastle. Starting at Cowan station, take the steep descent through thick scrub, across a creek, past the ruins of Rhodes boatshed and on to the beautiful Jerusalem Bay. From here you can grit your teeth and head towards Campbells Creek and Brooklyn (where you can catch the train home from Hawkesbury River station). Expect spectacular views.

Plant communities on this walk: Heathlands, Eucalypt forests, Saltmarshes/mangroves
Other features: Wildflowers