An Easy Ride round Mt Annan Botanic Gardens (*option to extend)

An Easy Ride round Mt Annan Botanic Gardens (*option to extend)

* an optional extension to Leppington Station for those who want several hours more in the saddle. Heck, if you are keen, a separated bike path to Penrith!

We meet on the Western (UWS, TAFE) side of Macarthur Station, down the ramp at Goldsmith Ave to meet at 9:30AM.

We do an easy ride from Macarthur Station to Mt Annan Botanic Gardens, coffee at the visitor's centre, then a loop around the gardens, including vistas, wildlife such as Kangaroos, the Kurrajong Track, bird filled gulleys, Bottle trees.

The ride to and from Macarthur is a dedicated bike path, the road in Mt Annan is a shared 30km single direction road, very safe, but hilly! The Kurrajong Track is separate and again hilly!

https://www.botanicgardens.org.au/australian-botanic-garden-mount-annan

Swift Parrots, Kangaroos and bell birds have been seen and heard recently on the Kurrajong Track.

On the way to Mt Annan, for an extra bonus we can see the cuttings where the Camden Campbelltown railway ran (across the other side of Narellan Rd)

This is a great video about this line. (Under the video is a link to maps and other videos. See Sharath's other videos as well)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ot-hhV440U

After Mt Annan, for the easy ride, I will take the ride back to Macarthur Station.

The trains that arrive at 9:21 at Macarthur:

• T8: Central 8:21, Wolli Ck 8:35, Glenfield 9:01, Macarthur 9:21
• T2: Strathfield 7:59, change at Glenfield to take same T8 as above

Exit on the WESTERN (UWS, TAFE) side of Macarthur Station, go down the ramp to the road at Goldsmith Ave to meet at 9:30AM.

Toilets in Macarthur Station Concourse. Macarthur has a ramp from the platform to the concourse.

That is all the information you need for the Easy Ride!

However, for keen cyclists, the separated path along Camden Valley Way to Leppington might beckon. This is a fascinating ride past old farm houses, ponds and market gardens (development opportunities, as real estate agents would describe).

To do this extension ride, go further along Narellen Rd. Cross into Sharman Close at the lights, then at the end of Sharman, follow the Camden Valley separated path to either Heath, Ingleburn or Cow Pasture at the end. Heath or Ingleburn, I recommend right into Byron Road. Ingelburn I think gets narrow and busy. Cow Pasture is a bit longer but not as busy.

As an alternative, if you are a keen railway enthusiast, you can ride towards Camden to see more of the Camden line. It does go in front of some shops and it's a bit unclear where the bike path is going. You can go halfway to Camden to get a good view of this point https://maps.app.goo.gl/vFjkWcRZNBo8JXKZ9

To do this, go along the Narellan Road bike path and turn left at Camden Valley Way instead of right towards Leppington.