Great North Walk: Bumble Hill Dray Track (Greta Rd, Forest Road and Yarramalong)

This section of the Great North Walk explores a section of the historic Bumble Hill Dray track. You will walk along the edge of a ridge mostly through open, dry eucalypt forests and occasionally through moist ferny gullies as well as alongside the base of a tall rock wall. Bumble Hill Dray track was cut during the mid 1800’s to allow teams of bullocks to haul felled cedar to Mangrove Creek, where a barge would take it to Sydney. The oxen are now long gone, but this is a great way to lead into the small Yarramalong township. Let us begin by acknowledging the Awabakal people, Traditional Custodians of the land on which we travel today, and pay our respects to their Elders past and present.

The Great North Walk signs at Greta Road. | Photo by admin, 2010.

GNW trackhead at Greta Rd. | Photo by admin, 2010.

Walking over the stile. | Photo by admin, 2010.

Following the high tension power lines near Greta Road. | Photo by admin, 2010.

Winding under powerlines. | Photo by admin, 2008.

GNW near Greta Rd. | Photo by admin, 2008.

GNW under the powerlines near Greta Rd. | Photo by admin, 2010.

Small bridge on the Bumble Hill Dray track. | Photo by admin, 2010.

Walking along the Bumble Hill Dray track. | Photo by admin, 2010.

Steep valley side along the Bumble Hill Dray track. | Photo by admin, 2010.

Shady section of the GNW on the Bumble Hill Dray track. | Photo by admin, 2010.

Walking along the narrow Bumble Hill Dray track south of Yarramalong. | Photo by admin, 2010.

Boardwalk south of Yarramalong. | Photo by admin, 2010.

Photo by admin, 2010.

Rock formation on the Bumble Hill Dray track. | Photo by admin, 2010.

Small creek on the Bumble Hill Dray track. | Photo by admin, 2010.

Valley views from the Bumble Hill Dray track. | Photo by admin, 2010.

A gate on the Bumble Hill Dray track south of Yarramalong. | Photo by admin, 2010.

Walking beside Bumble Hill Road. | Photo by admin, 2010.

Walking beside Bumble Hill Rd. | Photo by admin, 2010.

Steps near Bumble Hill Road. | Photo by admin, 2010.

The GNW west of Yarramalong. | Photo by admin, 2010.

Walking along Bumble Hill Rd. | Photo by admin, 2010.

Yarramalong Track Head. | Photo by admin, 2008.

Yarramalong Trackhead. | Photo by admin, 2010.

Yarramalong General Store. | Photo by admin, 2008.

Yarramalong Store. | Photo by admin, 2010.

David Neat Memorial 1947 ~ 1996 trough Yarramalong. | Photo by admin, 2010.

Yarramalong Manor. | Photo by admin, 2008.

Outside the Yarramalong Store. | Photo by admin, 2010.

Downloads GPX PDF

Safer Bushwalks
Before you start any bushwalk ensure you;
• Tell someone you trust where you are going and what to do if you are overdue
• Have adequate equipment, supplies, skills & knowledge for the whole journey
• Consider the impact of weather forecasts, park/track closures & fire dangers
• Can respond to emergencies & call for help at any point
• Are healthy and fit enough for this journey
If not, change plans and stay safe. It is okay to delay and ask people for help.

Getting There

Start	(-33.2401512,151.247872)
Mode	Bus Car (There is free parking available.) Special (A bus School service runs along Yarramalong Rd from Wyong. Since this is a school bus service it only heads into Yarramalong twice a day. Phone Busway on (02) 4392 6666 to organise a pick up (they are happy to take passengers. More info)
Directions	From Pacific Motorway, M1 Turn on to Wyong Road Offramp then drive for 400 m Continue onto Wyong Road Offramp and drive for another 255 m Turn slight left onto Old Maitland Road and drive for another 3.6 km Turn left onto Yarramalong Road and drive for another 15.6 km Turn left onto Bumble Hill Road and drive for another 4.3 km
Finish	(-33.2241465,151.2784048)
Mode (end)	Car Shuttle Car (There is free parking available.)

Track Notes

Getting started
From the intersection, this walk follows the 'Great North Walk' sign over the fence using the stile. Here the walk follows a wide trail around the large tower, then follows the narrower track straight down the hill. The track crosses a small gully then leads up to follow a trail around the next tall tower. Here a GNW arrow post leads left, away from the trail and steeply downhill across another valley. The track then leads up to, and follows, another trail up to the other side of a third tower, to find an intersection marked with another GNW track on the other side of the tower.....

Turn map	Directions & comments
	Start.
	After another 270 m continue straight.
	After another 40 m continue straight.
	After another 185 m continue straight.
	After another 120 m turn right.
	After another 4.1 km continue straight, to head along Bumble Hill Road. After another 540 m come to "Yarramalong Store". Yarramalong Store Yarramalong Store Yarramalong Store is good place to have lunch or pick up the basic food supplies. The store serves hot food including burgers, chips, pies etc as well as cold drinks. The store is open 7am to 7pm, 7 days a week. There is a pay phone outside and a tap to refill water, and the store has its own fuel pump. Phone on (02)4356 1222. The address is 1625 Yarramalong Rd, Yarramalong NSW 2259. I always encourage people to use local stores like this on track, but since it is a small store it is worth phoning ahead to see what they have what you want in stock. It is a small store so choice is limited. + - Yarramalong Store is good place to have lunch or pick up the basic food supplies. The store serves hot food including burgers, chips, pies etc as well as cold drinks. The store is open 7am to 7pm, 7 days a week. There is a pay phone outside and a tap to refill water, and the store has its own fuel pump. Phone on (02)4356 1222. The address is 1625 Yarramalong Rd, Yarramalong NSW 2259. I always encourage people to use local stores like this on track, but since it is a small store it is worth phoning ahead to see what they have what you want in stock. It is a small store so choice is limited.
	The end.

Terrain

Great North Walk: Bumble Hill Dray Track (Greta Rd, Forest Road and Yarramalong)

Grading

	Class 4/6 Hard track
Length	5.3 km
Time	2 h 30 min to 2 h 45 min

Quality of track	Formed track, with some branches and other obstacles (3/6)
Gradient	Very steep (4/6)
Signage	Directional signs along the way (3/6)
Infrastructure	Limited facilities, not all cliffs are fenced (3/6)
Experience Required	Some bushwalking experience recommended (3/6)
Weather	Storms may impact on navigation and safety (3/6)

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