Sydney Outdoors Meetup Group

Mixed Up History

Balmain to Abbotsford: Wonderful History of Sydney!

14KM Easy/Medium

We catch the ferry from Circular Quay Wharf 5, Side A to Balmain East Ferry Wharf. We head into historic backstreet and commence our exploration of the Balmain/Birchgrove Peninsula with Mort Bay and Ballast Point, taking views rarely seen of the CBD.

Points of interest, including Dawn Fraser Swimming Baths, pass us by on our way through to Iron Cove Bay and Drummoyne where, 7KM in, we stop at the local shopping strip for a 40-minute lunch stop/bathroom break.

Following lunch, we cross Victoria Road into the backstreets of Drummoyne and strike out for Gladesville Bridge, perhaps the first ever computer designed bridge. Under the bridge we skip past Russell Lea and check out Chiswick, entering Abbotsford at a mansion linked to the poet/novelist Sir Walter Scott (d: 1832) and the biggest chocolate factory in the Southern Hemisphere. The chocolate is long gone, unfortunately.

We end our tour of these historic suburbs, spread around the southern harbour, at Sydney Rowing Club (has superb harbour views) for a refreshment, or two. Abbotsford Ferry Wharf is 50 meters away, with a delightful ferry trip back to Circular Quay departing every 30 minutes.

The 504 bus also departs for Burwood, from just outside the Club at regular intervals.

Distance: 14KM

Type of Walk: This Sunday Walk is filled with great variation: Heritage suburbs, great characters, famous houses and stuff like that!

Difficulty: Easy, peasy.

Walking Pace: We will average 4KM per hour and check all this stuff out.

Meeting Place and Transport: We meet at Wharf 5, Side A, Circular Quay at 10:30AM, with our Ferry departing at 10:42AM arriving Balmain East Ferry Wharf 10:54AM. Please, be on time and remember we are going to Balmain East Ferry Wharf, which is distinct from Balmain Ferry Wharf!

What to bring/wear: Trail runners/good walking shoes; 1.5 litres of water, refill along the way; hydrolytes; lunch; light rain jacket depending on conditions; sunscreen and a cap or hat with a wide brim.

Plenty of food options at our lunch stop.

Suggested Donation: $10

Pub: Sydney Rowing Club

By RSVPing to this event, you (and your guests) agree to and are bound by the terms and conditions of SOMG which you can view here:

Classic Sydney Walking: Seven Bridges - 28 km (Medium/Hard)

We take on the iconic 7 Bridges Walk. To get going we meet outside Hungry Jacks, near Wharf 4 Circular Quay, at 8:30 am. We head out of the City by crossing the historic Pyrmont Bridge, in Darling Harbour. (Bridge 1)

ANZAC Bridge (Bridge 2) takes us to Rozelle and backstreets which lead to the Iron Cove Bridge (Bridge 3). We power through to Drummoyne and stop at a local coffee shop for morning tea.

Gladesville Bridge (Bridge 4), offers spectacular views along the Parramatta River, east to the City and west to Rhodes.

Tarban Creek Bridge (Bridge 5) takes us to Hunters Hill. Just half a kilometre away is Fig Tree Bridge (Bridge 6), spanning the Lane Cove River and landing at Linley Point. We pass through Burns Bay Reserve, rejoin local roads through Riverview, Tambourine Bay Reserve and Hodgson Park. Its a short 20 minute bushwalk to our late lunchbreak at Central Park Longueville, where we stop for 30 minutes to eat and use the bathrooms.

After lunch, we head east through a rollcall of parks, bush trails and local roads provide a rich tour of the Lower North Shore, ending at Lavender Bay and Milson’s Point. Finally, we climb stairs to Bridge 7, the Sydney Harbour Bridge!

We cross back to Circular Quay and Paragon Hotel for a tasty beer!

We should arrive back at about 4.00PM.

Distance: 28 km

Type of Walk: Full day adventure. About one half is along local roads and one half through parks and harbour trails.

Difficulty: Medium/Hard. Plenty of get-out points.

Walking Pace: We will average 4.5KMH.

Meeting Place and Transport: Meet at Hungry Jacks, Circular Quay.

What to bring: Good walking shoes/trail runners; 1.5 litres of water, refill available; hydrolytes; two snacks and one lunch; light rain jacket depending on conditions; sunscreen and a cap or hat with a wide brim.

WE STOP AT FOOD VENUES FOR BOTH BREAKS, FOR MEMBERS WHO WISH TO PURCHASE FOOD.

Suggested Donation: $10

Pub: Paragon Hotel, Circular Quay.

By RSVPing to this event, you (and your guests) agree to and are bound by the terms and conditions of SOMG which you can view here:

Classic Sydney Harbour Walk - Watson’s Bay to Circular Quay – 16km

We catch the ferry from Circular Quay Wharf 2, Side B to Watson's Bay where we strike off for Parsley Bay, Vaucluse, Nielsen Park, Shark Bay and the Hermitage Walk through to Rose Bay where we stop for our lunch break.

We then knock off the suburbs of Point Piper (very posh, indeed!), Double Bay, Darling Point, Rushcutters Bay (quick bathroom break), Elizabeth Bay, Potts Point and Woolloomooloo before heading for the Domain where we access the Royal Botanic Garden and tramp on through to the Opera House, that Bridge and the heart of the World's most beautiful City!!!

Distance: 16 km

Type of Walk: This Sunday Walk is filled with great variation, from historical characters, famous houses, criminals and spivs, soaring CBD architecture to the Botanic Garden and the hustle and bustle of the World's greatest harbour looking like a JMW Turner painting.

Difficulty: Medium. We will maintain a moderate pace and stop here and there to check out what's happening.

There are many get out points.

Walking Pace: We will average about 4.5 km per hour.

Meeting Place and Transport: We meet at Wharf Two, Side B, Circular Quay at 9:40 am, with our Ferry departing at 9:45 am arriving at Watsons Bay at 10:08 am. Don't be late!

What to bring/wear: Trail runners/good walking shoes; 1.5 litres of water, refill along the way; hydrolytes; lunch; light rain jacket depending on conditions; sunscreen and a cap or hat with a wide brim. LUNCH CAN BE PURCHASED AT OUR LUNCH STOP, ROSE BAY!

Suggested Donation: $10

Pub: Paragon, Circular Quay

By RSVPing to this event, you (and your guests) agree to and are bound by the terms and conditions of SOMG which you can view here:

Spring Splendour!!! Gerringong - Kiama - Minnamurra: 22 km - (Medium)

We’ll travel two hours south of Sydney and be transported to some of Australia’s best coastal landscapes. Our trek starts at Gerringong Railway Station, from where we take local roads up to the town’s southern headland, before descending to Werri Beach. At the northern end of the beach, we cross Werri Lagoon. We may have to remove shoes and socks to cross the Lagoon and enter the Coastal Track which ends 5km later at Loves Bay.

From Loves Bay a further 5km of beaches, parks, stairs and local roads take us past the reliable Little Blowhole and into beautiful Kiama. Here, we have a generous 1-hour lunch.

Following lunch, we have 9 km to go. After an easy climb out of Kiama, to Pheasant Point, sweeping views of Bombo Beach open up. We skirt this big beach on local footpaths. At its end we enter trails through a complex of bays and inlets which harbour spectacular volcanic formations, such as The Boneyard and Cathedral Rocks.

With the long sweep of Jones Beach behind us, we ascend its northern headland. On the far side we look down on the Minnamurra River, curved around its Namesake Village and twisting again as it empties into the sea. It looks like the Garden of Eden! A short walk to Minnamurra Train Station completes the walk.

Distance: 22 km

Type of Walk: This walk is a full day adventure filled with great natural beauty, coastal tracks, a rich diversity of pristine eco-systems and idyllic coastal communities.

Difficulty: Medium, although we must maintain a good pace all day to ensure we arrive at Minnamurra no later than 5pm. A good level of fitness is required. The only real get out point is Kiama, from where you can train back to Sydney.

Walking Pace: We will maintain a steady pace all day and average 4.5KMH. We must be at Minnamurra by no later than 5:00 pm, to ensure we catch the 5.10 train to Sydney.

Meeting Place and Transport: The train departs Central Station Platform 25 at 7.29AM arriving Kiama Platform 2 at 9:47AM. At Kiama we change for the Gerringong Train, which leaves Kiama Platform 1, at 9:56AM. Please make sure you do not miss the connection to Gerringong. We return Sydney by train departing Minnamurra Station at 5.10PM, arriving Central Station at 7.20PM.

What to bring: Good walking shoes/trail runners; 2 litres of water, refill at Kiama; hydrolytes; snacks; light rain jacket depending on conditions; sunscreen and a cap or hat with a wide brim.

MEMBERS CAN PURCHASE LUNCH IN KIAMA. Think about snacks for the return train journey!

Suggested Donation: $10

Pub: Local bottle shop

By RSVPing to this event, you (and your guests) agree to and are bound by the terms and conditions of SOMG which you can view here: