All posts by upleader

047 Blue Mountains NP: Portal Lookout, Glenbrook

by upleader Last Walk Report
Morning tea with 180 degree views
The walking crew
Nepean River from Portal Lookout
There was a male blue wren in this photo 2 seconds ago
Very lovely creekline next to the campground
View to Penrith from Portal Lookout

8 walkers headed out to Portals Lookout from Glenbrook, covering around 15 km in excellent winter conditions. It was a clear, mild day with great visibility, and the track delivered early with expansive views over the Glenbrook rail tunnels and surrounding valley. The lookout provided a good vantage point to reflect on the area’s railway heritage, including early tunnel works that allowed trains negotiate the steep eastern escarpment.

The walk continued with views out toward the Nepean River and plenty of open bush to enjoy along the way. Lunch was taken at Euroka Campground beside a shaded creek, which made for a relaxed and unhurried break. Birdlife added to the day, with blue wrens and rosellas spotted around the campsite and along the track.

The walk included tackling the Lapstone Monocline, a distinctive geological feature where rock layers have been steeply folded, shaping the local terrain and escarpment profile. It was a solid but manageable climb that was rewarded with some amazing views. The group wrapped up with smoothies and coffee at Glenbrook Park, rounding out a very enjoyable day that was appreciated by all. Many thanks Julie and Garry

034 Boudii NP: Daley’s Point Circuit

by upleader Last Walk Report

View over Killcare Beach

Rock art spot with a view

Boudii’s famous Angophoras

Fly like an eagle Justin!

Sea eagle on the breeze

Stretching out along the coastal walk

12 walkers stared down the weather forecast to have a mostly dry walk around Daley’s Point and Boudii NP. We saw some Aboriginal Art, many grass trees and angophoras, a huge sea eagle doing laps along the coast, some amazing views to Maitland Bay/ Killcare Beach and out to sea, nudi-branchs on the beach, singing honey-eaters, ringing bell birds, baby butcher birds… and yes leeches. Morning tea with a view inland over Brisbane Water was followed by Lunch at Hardy’s Bay. The day finished with a couple of big hills which tested Julie’s new heart rate monitor (174bpm) and every-one’s wet weather gear. We finished at Ettalong Diggers in good spirits and where the last stealthy hitchhikers were removed from legs, shoes and socks.

Glenbrook Zig Zag Railway Historical Walk

by upleader Last Walk Report

Yesterday, five of us set off on the Glenbrook Zig Zag Historical Railway walk. We started near Lennox Bridge, which is a really impressive old stone arch bridge at Mitchell’s Pass. This is the oldest stone-arch bridge on mainland Australia, built in 1833 by hand by convicts under the direction of David Lennox.
From there, we made our way up through the bush toward Marge’s Lookout, which sits high above Lapstone Hill. The views there are stunning, looking out over Penrith Lakes and beyond.
Next, we hit Elizabeth Lookout, which also overlooks the Cumberland Plain — it’s a nice vantage point for sweeping panoramas of Sydney and its outskirts. Apparently on a clear day you can spot the CBD — but not yesterday – although we did think we could make out Parramatta.
Then came Top Points Lookout, which is right along the old Zig Zag railway formation. The walk follows the historic route of the Lapstone Zig Zag, which was built in the 1860s to manage the steep climb up the mountain. The route includes the Knapsack Viaduct, a gorgeous sandstone bridge that once carried the trains across a deep gully and is now a well used local bike/walk path.
We paused at Top Points for morning tea, enjoying the misty views over the plain below. After that, we ventured along to the now-disused rail tunnel which the locals call the “Mushroom Tunnel.” It’s part of the old 1892 Glenbrook Tunnel, built to replace the zig zag when it became a bottleneck. It’s closed off now, but you get a feel for the engineering involved.
We did get a little surprise: as we walked along some rear fences, seven dogs barked at us, from seven adjacent yards. Like a local doggy neighbourhood watch team.
Along the way, we wandered through lovely bushland, soaking up the greenery, and surveyed even more brilliant views from the Lapstone side, looking back across the Cumberland Plain. We scrambled along a rough track next to the current main rail line from Sydney, which was a fun (and slightly challenging) stretch.
Another great lookout for lunch. By then, the skies had started to mist a little and it rained lightly, but that just added to the atmosphere and cooled us down a bit.
One of the real highlights was spotting blooming fringe lilies everywhere. These were totally new since our recce last week — they weren’t open then, but today they were out in force. Super delicate and beautiful.
After the walk, we had coffee and smoothies in the park at Glenbrook thanks to some excellent local delis.
Everyone was in good spirits, no injuries, just good company and heaps of history. A top walk all around

Walk 37 Glenbrook

Pippa’s Pass

by upleader Last Walk Report

15 walkers had a fabulous day walking out to the Lost World via Pippa’s Pass and return. An early steep descent on rough track was followed by a rock hop across Glenbrook Creek and then a steep up to the ridgeline on even rougher track. We enjoyed morning tea looking out across the wilderness and then returned to the main track and the ridgeline out to Lost World. The track was narrow and overgrown in places with many spring wildflowers, the tallest bearded orchids ever, an enormous native cockroach and a very shiny jewel beetle. Two lookouts over the wilderness were found and a lovely lunch was had next a cross commemorating the Reverand Brother G.E. Raymer who passed away on 25 July 1953 while trying to save a swimmer near Wollongong. The walk back was achieved with almost no geographical embarrassments by those that walked ahead, and we made good time getting back to the descent to the creek. This had to be done with care, and the afternoon sun and exertion made for some pink faces all round. Sunglasses were lost and found all without leaving the comfort of a backpack, and the walk was done by 2.45pm followed by a welcome drink at the Lapstone Hotel. Thanks all!

Daleys Creek Loop

by upleader Last Walk Report
View to Putty Beach

12 walkers enjoyed a new walk for the Club at Daley’s Point near Ettalong. The weather was perfect as we wandered along open angophora forest to the coast, ending up on the Bouddi coastal walk down to Putty Beach and return via Killcare and the forests and wetlands along the Brisbane Waters. We saw some amazing Aboriginal Art at the Daley’s Point Aboriginal Area, looked for whales at multiple lookouts along the coast, navigated some rough track, heard the bell birds calling and made short work of 2 reasonably steep ascents. We finished with drinks at the Ettalong Diggers. Thank you all for making it a great day and welcome back to the walkers we haven’t seen for a while.