Illawarra Range, Lunch Rock Walk. Be active, healthy and happy!😎

Illawarra Range, Lunch Rock Walk
Start: Scarborough Station
Finish: Stanwell Park Station
Distance: 17km

• I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land on which i walk, the Wodi Wodi people of the Dharawal nation & pay respect to the Elders past, present & emerging.
• Meeting place & time: Scarborough Station @ 7:42am.
• About: This walk has picturesque sea views, rock & cliff formations and beautiful biodiverse bushland.
• Route: From Scarborough we walk north along Lawrence Hargrave Drive crossing the Seacliff Bridge to the village of Coalcliff.
  There's a talking public toilet at Coalcliff. ☺️
  From Coalcliff we keep heading north, cross under the rail line and start up the Wodi Wodi Walking Track.
  Turning right at the Forest Walk Track we have a moderately steep ascent to the first lookout. It doesn't take long but it is steep.
  The view from the lookouts on the shoulder of Mt Mitchell make it all worthwhile!
  From there it's a gentle undulating track & a couple more panoramic lookouts with 90% shady tree canopy to Lunch Rock with beautiful views of the coast and Wollongong in the distance. There we'll have a well earned break.
  Then we double back & turn right at Wodi Wodi track through verdant rainforest heading to Stanwell Park.
  There's a challenging creek crossing at Stanwell Creek with steep banks on either side. You need shoes with a good grip. Trainers won't hack it.
  Finish at Stanwell Park Station for the train home.
• Type of walk: Bushwalking. Steep climb near the start, easy on top of the range & challenging at the finish.
• Difficulty: ⚠️Hard, because of the steep start and finish sections. The distance is 17km. A good level of fitness is required.

𝙉𝙊 𝙀𝙓𝙄𝙏 𝙋𝙊𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙎! If you start this walk you have to go the full distance.
𝙉𝙊 𝙒𝘼𝙏𝙀𝙍 𝙍𝙀𝙁𝙄𝙇𝙇𝙎 𝘼𝙇𝙊𝙉𝙂 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙒𝘼𝙔! Bring your own.

• Walking pace: At start & end sections we will take our time to be safe.
  At top of the Range we should average 4 to 4.5 km per hour.
• What to bring:
• Trailwalker shoes with good grip.
• 2 litres of water. Hydralytes or Berroca may come in handy.
• Carbohydrate (starchy) snacks and lunch.
• Light rain jacket depending on conditions.
• Sunscreen and a cap or hat with a wide brim.
• Eagerness to explore
• Public transport:
  Start:
  Depart- 6:29am Platform 25 Central Station.
  Arrive- 7:42am Platform 2 Scarborough Station.

Finish:
Depart- 1:11pm Stanwell Park Station.
Arrive- 2.16pm Central Station

• Driving:
  Drive to our finish point Stanwell Park Station & catch the 7:36am train for 2 stops to our start point Scarborough Station.
  Alternatively drive-park at either Sutherland, Waterfall or Helensburgh stations & hop on the train to Scarborough. Sutherland 7:02am; Waterfall 7.16am or Helensburg 7.25am. The train home stops at these 3 stations.
• Gratuity: There will be a $10 cash gratuity for this walk. Pay ID alternatively.

Safety Warning: Please stay away from cliff edges and be very careful when walking on wet and slippery rocks and surfaces. Please stay within sight of the group at all times and do not walk in front of the leader.
By RSVP this meetup you agree to and are bound by the terms and conditions of Aussie Explorers which can be found here: https://www.meetup.com/Aussie-Explorers/
If you have any questions, please leave a comment below or message me. I look forward to seeing you on this walk. I will post my mobile number closer to the day.

𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐅.😎