During the school holidays, you don’t get much better “value for money” than a good walk. A few of my favourites include:
Stanwell Park Reserve and its surrounds.
Toddlers through to six-year-olds will love a day here. There are open grass areas for games and crazy running. The creek is perfect for exploring under rocks, paddling through shallow water and general treasure hunting. The adventure play ground and kiosk provide delights for all ages. Behind the kiosk is a fabulous and exciting scrambling hill track studded with massive nests each housing a large decorative egg. Speculating if they are dinosaurs or something else is lots of fun. Looking up the “Dreamtime” story of how the Gymea Lily got its blood-red colour rounds out a very special day for little people.
The 6.5km Wodi Wodi Track.
Named after the original Custodians, this is a favourite for all ages. The track is a comfortable half-day trip, starting behind Stanwell Park Station and ending with options of joining the Grand Pacific Walk and looping back to Stanwell Park or heading south towards Coalcliff. Points of interest include the Bullock Track used by European settlers (1820). There are great picnic areas and lookouts on the way. Dogs are not permitted on this walk. This amazing track weaves through dense forest in the Illawarra Escarpment State Conservation Area. Along the way, walkers will come across creeks, unique flora, lyrebirds and great views. I don’t think going alone is a good or safe option in that there are lots of opportunities for misadventures.
The Grand Pacific Walk.
It is going to be a fabulous very long walk one day but it’s already a fantastic short walk. The 4.2km Stanwell Park to Clifton section is well marked, very safe, presents fabulous views at virtually every point and offers a walk across the Sea Cliff Bridge.
The Palm Jungle Loop Track.
This is an 8.2km favourite. This half-day loop is well maintained and great for both exercise and views. The Otford parking area on Lady Wakehurst Drive is a great start for a gentle stroll along a well-maintained track to Garrawarra Farm. For some adventure, head down to Burning Palms on the Garawarra Ridge Track. It’s a challenging yet spectacular steep walk taking in rainforest, cliff tops, historic huts, beaches and scenic coastal views. Figure 8 Pools is a short detour but this should only be done at low tide. The Coast Track returns to the Otford car park. Look out for migrating whales.
There are walks for everyone in this wonderful area. I hope these recommendations prove inspiring, useful and lead to joy for everyone. Remember to act responsibly, safely and only within your capacity because while bush walking is fun it can also be hazardous.