Main Ridge Circuit Walk

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	(-32.9379544,151.6981087)
Mode	Bus Car (There is free parking available.)
Directions	From Charlestown Road, A37 Turn on to Carnley Avenue then drive for 1.2 km Turn left and drive for another 50 m Turn slight left and drive for another 175 m

Track Notes

Getting started
From the intersection, this walk follows the sealed road gently uphill, while initially keeping the timber fenced boardwalk to the Wildlife Exhibits on your right. This walk continues through forest for about 140m until coming to a three-way intersection, with a 'Lookout Road Carpark 400m' sign (on the right).
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the 'Rainforest Walk' sign and sealed road gently downhill. This walk continues undulating for about 260m until coming to a three-way intersection, with a sealed road (on the right) and a 'Rainforest Walk to Lookout Rd Carpark' sign (on the left).....

Turn map	Directions & comments
	Start. After another 145 m continue straight.
	After another 200 m turn right. After another 55 m pass the water tap (8 m on your left). After another 20 m pass the BBQ (7 m on your right).
	After another 45 m continue straight. After another 190 m pass the BBQ (20 m on your right). After another 40 m pass the water tap (15 m on your right).
	Turn right.
	After another 430 m continue straight.
	After another 130 m veer right.
	After another 700 m turn right.
	After another 170 m continue straight. After another 130 m continue straight.
	After another 50 m veer right. After another 30 m pass the picnic table (20 m on your left). After another 6 m pass the playground (30 m on your left). Continue straight. After another 30 m pass the toilet (20 m on your right). After another 20 m pass the "Information and Canteen" (15 m on your left).
	Continue straight. After another 10 m find the "Blackbutt Wildlife Exhibits" (30 m on your right). Blackbutt Wildlife Exhibits Blackbutt Wildlife Exhibits This boardwalk in the Blackbutt Reserve offers wildlife exhibits on an elevated timber boardwalk which is wheelchair accessible. Some of the wildlife that you are likely to encounter are kangaroos, koalas, wombats, Lace monitors, Wonga Pigeons, Red-winged Parrots, Black-winged Stilt, Buff-banded Rail, Herons, Eastern long-necked Turtle, Kingfishers, Turquoise Parrot, Banded Plover, Peaceful Dove, Cockatoos, Lorikeets, True Parrots, Major Mitchell Cockatoo, Bush Stone Curlew, Long-tailed Finch and Barking Owls. Entry is free and the exhibit is open from 9.00am to 5.00pm every day (closed Christmas Day, Good Friday and until 1pm ANZAC Day). Personal koala encounters are available at 2pm daily and cost $3.50/person. For further information, phone: 02 4904 3344. + - This boardwalk in the Blackbutt Reserve offers wildlife exhibits on an elevated timber boardwalk which is wheelchair accessible. Some of the wildlife that you are likely to encounter are kangaroos, koalas, wombats, Lace monitors, Wonga Pigeons, Red-winged Parrots, Black-winged Stilt, Buff-banded Rail, Herons, Eastern long-necked Turtle, Kingfishers, Turquoise Parrot, Banded Plover, Peaceful Dove, Cockatoos, Lorikeets, True Parrots, Major Mitchell Cockatoo, Bush Stone Curlew, Long-tailed Finch and Barking Owls. Entry is free and the exhibit is open from 9.00am to 5.00pm every day (closed Christmas Day, Good Friday and until 1pm ANZAC Day). Personal koala encounters are available at 2pm daily and cost $3.50/person. For further information, phone: 02 4904 3344. After another 80 m pass the picnic table (10 m on your left). About 15 m past the end is a picnic table. About 15 m past the end is a picnic table.
	After another 5 m come to the end.

Terrain

Main Ridge Circuit Walk

Grading

	Class 3/6 Moderate track
Length	2.4 km
Time	1 h to 2 h

Quality of track	Clear and well formed track or trail (2/6)
Gradient	Gentle hills with occasional steps (2/6)
Signage	Directional signs along the way (3/6)
Infrastructure	Generally useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats) (1/6)
Experience Required	No experience required (1/6)
Weather	Weather generally has little impact on safety (1/6)

Some facilities on route

Toilet: There is one 2.3 km from the start.

Order of key facilities on route

Item	From Start	Name & link to notes
Toilet	2.3 km	[toilet]

Articles

Blackbutt Reserve
Blackbutt Reserve, near Newcastle, occupies over 182 hectares of land and provides visitors with the chance to enjoy nature trails, wildlife exhibits, children's playgrounds and recreational facilities. The reserve is the perfect place for a relaxing family picnic or to explore on a bushwalk. Native wildlife, such as the Powerful Owl and the Grey-headed flying fox can be seen within the park. There is an information cottage at Carnley Avenue, which is open 7am to 5pm, or 7am to 7pm during daylight savings. The reserve has car parking at Carnley Avenue, Richley Reserve, Lookout Road and Mahonoy Drive. For more information, phone 02 4904 3344.

Carnley Ave Reserve
The Carnley Avenue Reserve, within Blackbutt Reserve, is wheelchair accessible and has toilets, drinking fountains, gas/electric barbeques, sheltered picnic tables, a children's playground, fenced displays of kangaroos and emu, a large black duck pond and an information centre that is housed within a replica pioneering cottage. The information cottage has a range of souvenirs, focusing on quality and affordable products. A fee of $4 per vehicle can be paid from the automatic machines in the car park. The information centre is open 7am to 5pm, or 7am to 7pm during daylight savings. For further information phone: 02 4904 3344.

Blackbutt Wildlife Exhibits
This boardwalk in the Blackbutt Reserve offers wildlife exhibits on an elevated timber boardwalk which is wheelchair accessible. Some of the wildlife that you are likely to encounter are kangaroos, koalas, wombats, Lace monitors, Wonga Pigeons, Red-winged Parrots, Black-winged Stilt, Buff-banded Rail, Herons, Eastern long-necked Turtle, Kingfishers, Turquoise Parrot, Banded Plover, Peaceful Dove, Cockatoos, Lorikeets, True Parrots, Major Mitchell Cockatoo, Bush Stone Curlew, Long-tailed Finch and Barking Owls. Entry is free and the exhibit is open from 9.00am to 5.00pm every day (closed Christmas Day, Good Friday and until 1pm ANZAC Day). Personal koala encounters are available at 2pm daily and cost $3.50/person. For further information, phone: 02 4904 3344.

Get more information
Wildwalks

Reviews & Feedback

Weather & Alerts

Show Full Weather

Alerts and Closures

Show all alerts

Show all alerts

Show all alerts

Other Journeys

Some of the information and maps on this page was generated using data from the awesome © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Please see how you can embed some widgets, access data and other stuff to that might be helpful.

Weather Forecast for {{location.name}}

Alerts and Closures