CENTRAL COAST - BRISBANE WATER NP - PINDAR CAVE - HIKE - 20 may 2014 - 'a rocky, sandy undulating hike'

I caught a train from Gosford to Wondabyne station. When boarding the train you need to sit in the rear carriage , inform the guard to stop at Wondabyne and exit by the very rear door.


The station is small and quaint. There is a small wharf on Mullet Creek.

The hike starts up steep steps. After awhile, you reached a service road. I followed the service road until I reached a  campsite on the left which had another service road at the western end. I followed the service road a short distance and then it converted into a track that continued to the pool and cave.





The walk was pleasant along a narrow track with dense vegetation. Along the way, there were song birds, rocky outcrops, tessellating sandstone, some rock scrambles and false tracks. The false tracks ended after a short distance. Some lead to views but most to nowhere.






Eventually, I reached a lookout with views of the distant Mooney Mooney Creek.

Next, was the pool and it was half full. Not very tempting for a swim, as it wasn't that hot.






Not far after the pool was Pindar Cave. It is really a massive and impressive overhang. There is plenty of  space and headroom under the overhang. A nice place to sit, watch and listen to the birds via a rock framed vista.



The walk back was heaps faster though I did take one more false trail where the track seemed to veer left at a rock outcrop. The actual way is straight up the rock outcrop until the track starts again.

At Wondabyne Station, you must hail the train to get it to stop.

A fun, long hike!



distance - 11.9 km
time - 4:15
elevation range - 190 m

CENTRAL COAST - BRISBANE WATER NP - WONDABYNE TO GIRRAKOOL TURNOFF - HIKE - 8 april 2014

I had been meaning to go to Pindar Caves for a long time. This was my goal on this trip but a misreading of the map took me way off course. Still it was a great walk!

I parked near Gosford Station and caught  train to Wondabyne. Wondabyne is a small station so I had to sit in the last carriage at the last door and tell the guard my intentions to disembark at Wondabyne.


The train faded out of sight around the bend and there I was at Wondabyne station and solitude. I walked down to the small wharf on Mullet Creek and gazed over the water, hills, greenery and scattered houses by the water's edge.

The start of the track is very clearly signposted and easy to follow. Straight way it was a very steep in two sections to the ridgeline. The track then became a service road. I am not very excited walking along service roads. Eventually, I came to a rock clearing which had a turn off to the left. there were no posts but an arrow scratched on the rock. Being unsure if this was the turn off, I decided to wander on further. Unfortunately, a series of descriptions led me to believe that I was on the right track. Anyway, the service road ended and I was walking on a rough track. I passed over large expanses of sandstone rock escapements with views over Mooney Mooney Creek and nearby mountains.

The track lead up and down and around and about over a well eroded and wet track. I passed two creeks, which were reasonably pretty. Eventually, I reached the turnoff for the Girrakool Loop track and reversed my direction.

The odd thing about this walk was the amount of ants that were on the move which made it difficult to find a spot to sit and rest. Later, I sat near one of the creeks but had to abandon this idea due to the high number of leeches.

By the time I reached Wondabyne Station, I was pretty tired. At the station wharf, a boat pulled in and a guy disembarked and came to the station. We struck up a conversation. he had lived in the area a long time telling me a bit of local history - houses were on leash from national park to the owners and their direct descendants, there use to be a large town there with a pub and brothel due to the construction of the Woy Woy tunnel and the quarry and oyster leashes. The town now has been reduced to a few houses with most being demolished by the national parks.


All in all a great hike, train station, train ride and conversation.

distance - 13.81 km
time - 4 hrs 37 mins
elevation range - 208m