Date 15 March 2025,Brisbane Waters NP Patonga to Mt Ettalong
Description Great views and forest walking. Elephant Rock, Tony Doyle lookout, Pearl Beach, waterfall. Some fairly basic overgrown track in parts.
Grade Medium, 13-15km
Ascents and descents Initial ascent from Patonga about 200m and quite steep. Several more ascents and descents about 100m but more gradual
Meeting Time: 8.30am
Meeting point Mount Ettalong Reservoir, left off Patonga Rd just after climbing up from Umina Beach. If you come to Pearl Beach Rd you have gone too far!
Leaders Val and David
Walkers David, Val, Mathew, Karina(V),Christine Y, Pragati, Wendy LR, Jas, Belinda

8 March 2025: What a day for a new walk for the club. Cyclone Alfred was busily crossing the coast and wreaking havoc in SE Queensland whilst eleven members and a visitor, Liz, ventured north to Newcastle to try a new walk, “The Fernleigh Track”.
We assembled at the Belmont end of the track and caught the bus to Adamstown Railway Station where we started to walk. The track follows an old disused railway line. We started a gentle climb for the first few kilometres before converting to a long slow decline to some paperbark wetlands for the last several kilometres. We saw remnants of the old railway along the way, including old station sites, junction box foundations and a disused station platform at “Redhead”. For the first ten kilometres we were accompanied by the sounds of bellbirds and whipbirds. Then walking through the wetland, we could hear the frogs croaking between the sounds of the rain.
At morning tea, we caught up with Pam Forbes who was a club member before moving to Newcastle several years ago. It great to say hello to Pam and her pooch “Floyd”.
After a day of donning and doffing our raincoats between rain showers, we adjourned for a pleasant beverage and chat at the Swansea RSL. In all, an enjoyable day out in the rain.

Please find attached our walks program for the next 6 months. See you on the track soon!