Mt Kuring Gai to Berowra is a lovely walk in Ku Ring Gai Chase National Park. Unlike many of the walks in Ku Ring Gai Chase that often go fairly inland, the Mt Kuring Gai to Berowra walk meanders along the water’s edge of Cowan Creek for the majority of the walk. The views are incredibly stunning and it was hard to believe I was less than an hour away from Sydney – at times I felt like I was in Thailand! Plus this walk is super easy to get to and it is never crowded so you’ll often have the stunning views all to yourself! Read on for all the information you need about the Mt Kuring Gai to Berowra walk!
MT KURING GAI TO BEROWRA WALK
Distance: 8km
Approx walking time: 3 hours. Option to extend the walk by detouring to Apple Tree Bay.
Start and end points: Mt Kuring Gai train station to Berowra train station via Cowan Creek.
What’s great about the Mt Kuring Gai to Berowra walk is that the walk starts and finishes at railway stations (both which have free wifi by the way!). This makes it really easy to get to if you are coming by public transport. Plus as you are starting the walk at one railway station and finishing at another it means you don’t have to waste time going back on yourself when it’s time to go home!
How to get to Mt Kuring Gai railway station
Take the T1 North Shore Line train or T9 Northern Line train from Wynyard to Mt Kuring Gai train station. Trains are roughly every half hour and terminate at Berowra – click here for the timetable.
When you get off the train at Mt Kuring Gai station, head down the steps and turn left for Harwood Ave. You will then cross over a bridge that goes over the motorway. Continue following the road all the way down for about 200 metres and you will eventually see the sign for the Mt Kuring Gai Track at the start of the National Park.
Before you enter the National Park:
Like in any National Park here in Australia, please be aware of bushfires and bushfire safety. Be aware of the current Fire Danger Rating and any bushfire alerts in the area. If a total fire ban is in place this walk may be closed. To check conditions visit the RFS website and to check alerts visit the National Parks website.
As it is a National Park also it means no dogs are allowed. Also note no bicycles or camping is allowed here.
Mount Kuring Gai Track
The walk from Mt Kuring Gai to Berowra is roughly 8km and will take around 3 hours (despite the sign at the entrance saying 4 hours, I was strolling and it took me 3 hours). It starts on the Mount Kuring Gai Track and then leads on to the Berowra Track that goes all the way along Cowan Creek towards Berowra.
At the start of the walk the track goes mostly downhill for about 30 minutes to bring you to Cowan Creek. The path is easy to follow with steps for a part of the way.
Once you get to the bottom of the Mount Kuring Gai track by Cowan Creek you’ll join onto the Berowra track. Follow it to the left to continue to Berowra, however if you have the time and are up for a little detour or you want to stop off for some food and explore another area nearby before continuing to Berowra, take the right hand turning and follow the path to Apple Tree Bay. From this junction it should take around 20 minutes to reach Apple Tree Bay. In total the walk from Mt Kuring Gai entrance to Apple Tree Bay is 4km and should take less than an hour. The sign at the entrance says 2 hours, but I went at a reasonable rate and it took me just under one hour.
If you choose to skip Apple Tree Bay and just head straight to Berowra the whole walk from start to finish should take three hours.
Apple Tree Bay
Apple Tree Bay is a popular place for boaties to come at the weekends. You’ll see people lowering their boats into the water via the boat ramp and you’ll see plenty speedboats, yachts, jet skis and even some fishermen here. There is plenty parking at Apple Tree Bay (note it costs $12 per day to park here), it is closed from sunset to sunrise and no camping is allowed here.
There is a little cafe here at Apple Tree Bay that is open on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays. They sell a selection of snacks such as chips, ice cream, bacon sandwiches and of course – coffee if you need a little pick-me-up! There are picnic tables and gas BBQs here too if you are bringing your own food. There are also some toilets round the back of the cafe, so make sure to stop off if you need the toilet as there are no other toilets along the track from Berowra to Mt Kuring Gai.
Berowra Track
From Apple Tree Bay it is 7km to Berowra. Walk back along the path you came, and just continue walking straight – don’t go back up the Mount Kuring Gai track when you see that turning to your left.
The walk goes along Cowan Creek and is really peaceful. The scenery is great and you have waterside views for the majority of the walk. Especially at the weekends you’ll see several boats going down the creek and even some jet skis racing past. There are a few rocky bits of the path but mostly the walk is along a smooth dirt path so it is fairly easy. Plus you are walking in the shade for the majority of the walk which is great if it is a hot day! I did spot a giant goanna on the track so do watch out for wildlife!
You’ll go past several bays including Winson Bay and Lords Bay, before coming to the final bay of the walk – Waratah Bay. The Berowra Track then follows Waratah Creek and then starts to go uphill towards Berowra. Walking back uphill towards Berowra the track is quite rocky and there are several switchbacks as the path makes a zig zag shape. It takes a fair while to get up and this zig zag path is definitely the hardest part of the walk!
How to get back to Sydney from Berowra
When you reach the end of the Berowra Track, cross the footbridge that goes over the motorway to get to Berowra station (similar to at Mt Kuring Gai station). Go straight on past the gate and you’ll come out onto Berowra Parade. The station will be just on your left. There is free wifi here at Berowra station if you need, as well as toilets.
There are three train lines that stop at Berowra – the T1 North Shore line and T9 Northern line (both stop at Mt Kuring Gai too and terminate at Berowra) to Wynyard. In addition the Central Coast & Newcastle line (CCN) also stops at Berowra. The CCN train also stops at other spots in Ku Ring Gai Chase National Park such as Cowan and Hawkesbury River if you fancy doing some more local walks. Click on the link for more details.
Other Kuring Gai Chase Walks You Can Do
Ku Ring Gai Chase National Park is full of beautiful walks. The National Park is split up mainly into three parts: West Head (part nearest to Palm Beach where you will find Resolute Beach and The Basin), Bobbin Head and the area around Cowan Creek up to Brooklyn. If you are already in the area doing the Mt Kuring Gai to Berowra Walk, you should definitely try and fit in the Cowan to Brooklyn Walk that goes via the beautiful Jerusalem Bay. Click on the link to find out more about the walk!
Here you can find other walks you can do in Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park.