Supplement to "Discovering Gosford's Bushland on foot"

Last updated Feb 2016

Page 10: Local bushwalker and aboriginal sites enthusiast Warren Bluff informed me that the Guringgai people were the original inhabitants of the entire Gosford/Woy Woy area, with the Darkinjung only allowed access to the coast seasonally near Wyong. (However, any question of traditional tribal boundaries in this area is controversial and there are many different opinions). He also offered alternative meanings for some of the place names around the Central Coast: Kariong - "ear", Kincumber - "native cat or quoll", and Woy Woy - "Deep lagoon". The information related to this in my book originally came from page 19 of the Brisbane Water Nat Park Plan of Management, NPWS, 1992.
Page 50: Access to the Great North Walk at Somersby Falls is no longer available. A land owner has put up trespassing signs and barbed wire across the easement which is used to access the Great North Walk from Somersby Falls. A sign stating this route is closed is now located at the Somersby Falls carpark (click here to see a pic of it). (See also, these Central Coast Express Advocate articles: 28 July 2010 and 15 July 2010). Unfortunately, this is becoming all too common with bushwalkers losing access to public land due to private land holders.
Page 54: The western part of the track from the Rampart to the fire trail is shown incorrectly. It actually leaves the rock platform at the north-west corner (AGD66: GR 412900, or GDA94: GR 413902 *).

There is also some extra information which was left off the map. There should be an unofficial Great North Walk camp site marked at the following location: AGD66: GR 407896 or GDA94: GR 408898 *. This camp site is down a side track and is located near a small creek and waterhole which usually contains water.

There is also a track along the top of the rock platform from The Rampart north to The Citadel. The Citadel is accessed from Lone Pine Av, Umina.

A revised copy of this map is available here.

Also note that there is now a sign at the access road leading to the balloon shaped water tower that warns against trespass. I contacted Gosford Council about this and they told me the sign only pertains to the immediate area around the base of the water tower. Access to the national park via the part of this council land that is south of the water tower is still allowed.
Page 60: Check here for a revised map showing the new route to access the Old Railway Dams at Narara/Somersby.
Page 67: "Friends of Strickland" are currently finishing off a great new track from the bottom car park up to the road near the turnoff to the Banksia Picnic area. This track meanders through the bushland on the eastern side of the creek and passes over several scenic side creeks.
Page 72: The current recommended treatment for snake bite is to apply an elasticised pressure bandage, not a crepe bandage. The elasticised bandages are much more effective at reducing poison movement.
Bouddi NP: The NPWS has signposted a new walk to Strom's Lookout at the top of Wards Hill. This easy 900 metre trail follows a ridgetop to a viewing area with nice views towards Ettalong.
The Great North Walk: My book covers most of the GNW from the Hawkesbury through to Somersby Falls in various walks (pages 50 thru 55). However, the section of the track from Somersby Falls through to Kulnura also passes through some very nice country with lots of rainforest and creeks which are definitely worth visiting.

Email me