The Mooney Nature
Walk
Girrakool Picnic
Area, Brisbane Waters National Park
Getting
There:
A car is necessary for this one. From Kariong, follow the Pacific
Highway towards Sydney.
 Just past the turn off to
the Reptile Park, on the left, is the sign to Girrakool.
Description:
The Mooney Nature Trail begins near the southern end of the car park. This walk
has the advantage of taking walkers from a woodland, to a rainforest gully, to a heath
within about 300m.
Distance: The full circuit of 6.5km, follows the deep gorge
of Piles Creek.
Duration:
About 4 hours is recommended unless you walk the shorter section.
Degree of Difficulty:
Medium
The walk involves some medium-grade climbing.
However, it can be a very much easier, shorter about 2½-3km) walk which still provides a
wonderful display of local flora, if you turn back when the track across the heath begins
to drop sharply from a rock-shelf, down to Piles Creek. (See Map) This way you follow the
same track back to the car park (though there is an alternative, interesting loop to the
right, just after you re-cross the creek with the stepping posts).
Best Time:
June – October
Although this is a beautiful place to visit at any time of year e.g banksias begin
flowering in autumn and the beauty of this area has a lot to do with trees, rock
formations and stunning views.
Expect to see:
Woodland: Graceful Bush Pea
Pultenaea flexilis,
Boronia pinnata,
Broad-leaf Wedge Pea
Gompholobium
latifolium,
Broadleaf Grass Tree
Xanthorrhoea
arborea.
Rainforest Gully:
Black Wattle
Callicoma
serratifolia,
Water Gum
Tristaniopsis
laurina)
Heath: Sydney Boronia
Boronia
ledifolia,
Grey Grevillea
Grevillea
buxifolia,
Red Grevillea
Grevillea
speciosa,Coral
Heath
Epacris
microphylla,
Pink Wax Flower
Eriostemon
australasius,
Styphelia
tubiflora,
Zieria
laevigata
Mountain Devils
Lambertia
formosa
Rock Faces:
Dracophyllum
secundum,
Native Fuchsia
Epacris
longiflora,
Pouched Coral Fern
Gleichenia
dicarpa,
Skeleton Forked Fern
Psilotum
nudum
Boronia
ledifolia |
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