Berowra Valley Regional Park is managed by NSW Parks & Wildlife Service.
FBVRP inc. is an authorised community service group dedicated to assist the managers in the support of the Park

Location and facilities of Picnic Places

Location

Disabled Access

Tables

Tap Water

BBQs

Bins

WC

Camp

Other

Access

Rating

1

Bellamy Street, Pennant Hills

Y

N

Y

N

Y

N

N

C, Ft

n

2

Historic Quarry, Thornleigh

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

History

Ft

nn

3

The Jungo on Berowra Creek

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

Ft

n

4

Lakes Reserve, Cherrybrook

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

N

Playground, shops

C, Ft

nn

5

Rosemead Road, Hornsby

Y

Y

Y

E

Y

N

N

C, Ft

nnn

6

Top of Galston Gorge

Y

Y

N

N

N

N

N

Views

C

nn

7

Tunks Ridge

N

N

N

N

N

N

Y

Solitude

 Ft

nn

8

Crosslands Reserve

Y

Y

Y

E

Y

N

Y

Sports, space

C, Ft

nnnn

9

Barnetts Reserve, Berowra

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

N

N

Views, playground

C

nnn

10

Berowra Waters

Y

Y

Y

E

Y

Y

N

Tourist, shops

C, Ft

nnn

C = car, E =electric barbecue, Ft = on foot along tracks, N = no, Y = yes.

Hornsby is promoted as the ‘Bushland Shire’ and as such offers innumerable places for informal picnics on bushwalking tracks as well as in suburban parks. Within the Park, Council and National Parks and Wildlife Services have formally equipped a number of places with picnic facilities, which are described below. Open fires are discouraged at most times owing to bushfire risk, so visitors should carry lightweight walkers’ gas barbecue equipment. Camping facilities are restricted, for park management purposes, to the Council owned section of the riverside flats at Crossslands.

1. Bellamy Street, Pennant Hills

Conveniently situated at one of the original trackheads of the Benowie section of the Great North Walk (see Walk 1: Jungo) for picnics at the start or end of the walk, this grassy area is surrounded by bushland and has easy access from the nearby car park at the northern end of Bellamy Street. It is sunny at midday and is provided with a garbage bin and tap water. However, it is within sight of nearby houses.

2. Historic Quarry, Thornleigh

This is an atmospheric, shady picnic area surrounded by tall gum trees, set within the high rock walls of an old sandstone quarry. See Walks 1: The Jungo and 4: Elouera for access, which is on foot along rocky fire trails (about 250 m ) from Timbarra Road or De Saxe Close in Thornleigh or (about 500 m) from the Bellamy Street trackhead described above. Logs for seating are the only facilities.

The Historic Quarry is popular with local youth groups for evening barbecues. See Chapter 2.3 for a description of the historic quarry and the zigzag railway.

3. The Jungo on Berowra Creek

The Jungo is a sunny clearing with bush all round and with no evidence of houses on the ridge-tops. It is approached on foot, along bushwalking tracks from Bellamy Street or Boundary Road trackheads, or on rocky fire trails from Schofield Parade in Pennant Hills or part of the Callicoma walk from Cherrybrook as discussed in Walks 1, 2 or 4.

Nearby, hidden in thick bush, is the junction of Berowra and Zig Zag Creeks. This spot, now filled with sediment, was once known as the ‘junction swimming hole’, one explanation of the ‘jungo’ name of the area.

4.  Lakes Reserve, Cherrybrook

The suburban park Lakes Reserve, Cherrybrook, lies outside the Park, at the start of Walk 2: Callicoma. It is a convenient place to start walks into the Park. It has good picnic facilities and is close to shops and a garage. Ample parking is available nearby.

5. Rosemead Road, Hornsby

This pretty park in a tall blue gum setting is the starting point for the trackhead to Fishponds and the Great North Walk (see Walk 5: Blue Gum: Joes Mountain circuit). It is readily accessible by car at the northern end of Rosemead Road or can be approached on foot, down 230 bush steps from Quarry Road and Hornsby station. There is tap water, as well as an electric barbecue and roofed picnic tables.

6. Top of Galston Gorge

This small paved picnic area, easily reached from an adjacent parking area for three cars, has picnic tables. It catches the afternoon sun and has excellent views over the bush-lined Berowra Creek valley in Galston Gorge. It is situated next to Galston Road, near the first of the hairpin bends, about 700 m west of Montview Road in Hornsby Heights.

7. Tunks Ridge

This bush camp ground is situated on the Great North Walk on top of Tunks Ridge in a pleasant woodland setting. The area has small clearings for three or four small tents, and wooden seats. Drinking water is not available. The site is approached only on foot along fire trails about 5 km from Dural or Hornsby, as shown in Walk 7: Heritage Bridges, or up the very steep bush track about 700 m from the car park near the Galston Gorge bridge over Berowra Creek. The only evidence of civilisation at night is the faint noise of cars negotiating the hairpin bends in Galston Gorge.

8. Crosslands Reserve

Crosslands Reserve is a major recreation reserve and the best-equipped of the picnic places within the Park. The extensive open grassed areas, surrounded by tall gums, are popular with families for picnics and games on fine weekends throughout the year. The area is well maintained by Council, which provides children’s playground equipment, tap water, barbecues, picnic tables, bins, toilets and parking for many cars. It is a recognised camping ground on the Great North Walk. Group camping is possible but requires prior booking with Hornsby Council.

Access is by car down a partially sealed road, starting at a gate (locked at night) at the northern end of Somerville Road at Hornsby Heights. Alternatively, access is on foot along the Great North Walk, from Galston Gorge (6 km to the south) or from Berowra or Mt Kuring-gai Railway Stations (see Walk 8: Lyrebird Gully) about 6 km to the north and west.

Berowra Creek is broad and tidal at Crosslands. It is popular for fishing and provides excellent canoeing at high tide for many kilometres upstream to Rocky Fall Rapids and downstream over the sandflats to Berowra Waters. Visitors do swim at Crosslands, but should be aware of potential risk from algae or stormwater pollution at certain times. Council rangers display signs when significant risks occur. Across the Creek are a private Field Studies Centre and a Scout Camp.

9. Barnetts Reserve, Berowra

This site is high over Berowra Creek Valley and has superb views downstream to Berowra Waters and upstream to Crosslands. It is accessible from the western end of Barnetts Road in Berowra Heights. A short walk of about 150 m from the carpark through a quiet and pretty woodland reserve leads to the panoramic views. Wooden tables and water are provided for picnickers. plus disabled access pathway.

10.  Berowra Waters

Picnic tables, electric barbecues, tap water, bins and toilets are available near the boat-launching ramp on the western side of Berowra Waters. Access is by car along Galston Road from Galston or across the car ferry from the Hornsby side of Berowra Creek. Access on foot to the eastern side of the car ferry is along the Great North Walk. Restaurants, take-away food shops, scenic river cruises and boat hire are available here. This is a popular area, especially on summer weekends, when it can sometimes be difficult to find a car parking spot, and when the ferry queues may be long.