Description
This is a really good trek if you are just getting into 4WDing. The driving is easy but the region is beautiful and there are some great
camping, walking and swimming spots. Not far from
Sydney, this trek can be done over a weekend or even on one day! If it's been raining, the tracks can be slippery and can even become impassable if the falls have been consistently heavy.
There are some great campsites such as The Basin
Camping area which is 4.5km away and is a lovely spot for a weekend camp. You may see wombats, wallabies and various birds. The
camping is on both sides of the track and is well equipped with bbqs, tables, toilets, grassy campsites, walking trails and creek water. The Rock Lily and Lyrebird walking trails from the Basin wind through walls of moss in a rainforest habitat, you may even see the
Wollombi Creek.
After crossing the causeway at the Basin, keep to the right and continue along the main track passing the turnoffs to Murrays Forest Road, Glider Point Road, the Great North Walk and
Wollombi Forest Road. You are now approaching the
Pines Camping Area. There are a few other nice spots here too; the Water Tower and Old Mill Picnic areas and the Turpentines and Casuarina
camping areas - all have bbqs, toilets, tap water, walking trails and have wide open grassy sites. Make sure if you go off for the day that your tent is secured and foodstuffs locked away tightly. Cheeky possums in the area have been spotted raiding food left unattended! The Pines Track from the Pines Forest Reserve comes to a picturesque fern-lined creek. If you're lucky enough to be doing this trek in Spring, make sure you do the Wildflower Track for spectacular native blooms.
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Watagan Mountains
From: Sydney Newcastle Freeway (F3)
To: Wyong
Distance: 102.45 km
Direction: 189 °
Average Speed: 42.35 km/hr
Travel Time: 2 hours 25 mins
Using the Map
Our treks have a moving map facility, to take a virtual tour click on the Play button in the Moving map control (see Moving Map help)
Mouse Position:
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Speed (5 secs)
Live Tracking
Auto Refresh (1 min, next 60 secs)
Permits
No
permits are needed for this trek note.
Things to See & Do
Heaton Lookout - NSW
Heaton Lookout has spectacular views looking east over Lake Macquarie and Newcastle.
There are beautiful forest drives, lookouts, walking trails, as well as great bush
camping and picnic spots.
Preparation
Fuel Supplies & Usage
 | Wyong |
Diesel | 4cyl 14 litres |
ULP | 4cyl 10 litres * |
LPG | 4cyl 20 litres |
|---|
| 6cyl 16 litres | 6cyl 19 litres | 6cyl 18 litres |
| 8cyl 16 litres | 8cyl 17 litres | |
Usage is averaged from
TrekFuel (* specific to trek) submissions and calculated based on trek distance.
There is also fuel available at: Yarramalong and Laguna (not shown on this trek note).
Best Time To Visit
This trek can be travelled all year round, although it may be wise to avoid the area after heavy rains.
Closest Climatic Station
Norah Head Aws
Distance from Trek Mid Point 18.02km SE
| | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Mean Max. °C |
25.4 | 25.8 | 24.6 | 22.9 |
19.9 | 18.1 | 17.2 | 18.8 |
20.9 | 22.4 | 23.3 | 24.8 |
| Mean Min. °C |
19.4 | 19.9 | 18.7 | 15.8 |
13.2 | 10.8 | 9.8 | 10.6 |
12.8 | 14.7 | 16.5 | 18.4 |
| Mean Rain mm |
73.1 | 94.8 | 109.6 | 122.8 |
163.5 | 130.8 | 99.0 | 74.5 |
70.8 | 56.6 | 83.4 | 59.2 |
Best time to travel Ok time to travel Travel NOT recommended
Services & Supplies
The following locations have various services and supplies:
WyongThere are also supplies and facilities available at: Yarramalong, Laguna and
Wollombi (not shown on this trek note).
Camp Sites & Accommodation
Distance is GPS recorded driving distance (not straight line), Direction is straight line from start to end, Time is calculated from actual GPS driving data.
