The GNW

Friday 23/3/18 – Friday 6/4/18

“A life changing walk that was full of blisters, tears, milkshakes, high-fives and bad smells (that was just day one).”

Day 1: Friday 23 March 18

25 km: Sydney to Thornleigh

• We started in the dark at about 6:45 am
• Caught the 7:15 am ferry to Woolwich
• Water was over the weir at Lane Cove National Park so we had to “illegally” walk across it
• The first milkshake of the walk at the National park, I had a caramel and dad had a vanilla malt
• Dad was almost hit by a falling branch but I managed to save him in time
• We saw an eel swimming up a small waterfall
• Walked from Thornleigh oval to the IBIS Hotel at Thornleigh (1.2km from the station) and arrived at about 6:15pm.

It almost wasn’t light enough to take our starting photo at the obelisk.

Day 2: Saturday 24 March 18

14 km: Thornleigh to Galston Gorge

• Started the day with a great buffet breakfast at the IBIS, so we started walking at around 9:00 am
• ‘Stole’ two jam doughnuts from the buffet. I protected them in the top of my pack all day so that we could have them for dessert.
• Thought that we might make it to Crosslands but decided early on that Galston Gorge would be far enough after the pain of the first day
• Pitched our tent on the side of the creek, under the bridge and had a swim in the creek with the cars zooming past above us
• There was a bit of rain in the night but no problems, except a very sandy tent.

Day 3: Sunday 25 March 18

10.8 km: Galston Gorge to Crosslands to Berowra Heights

• Very tired and sore, reached Crosslands around 12:00 pm and filled water bottles (5 litres each!)
• Considered staying at Crosslands but decided to try and make it to Berowra Heights to exist the track and find a motel
• Exited the track at around 4 pm. Called and booked Mt Kurringai Motel and called a taxi (with a lovely driver, John) to take us there
• A big relief to arrive at the motel, got laundry done and bought pizza and pasta for dinner
• We did first aid on our sore and blistered feet
• There was a massive storm in the night (lucky to not be in the tent).

The much appreciated Mt Kuring Gai Motel

Day 4: Monday 26 March 18

11 km: Berowra Heights to Berowra Waters to Cowan

• Got a taxi (John again!) to drop us back to
  Berkeley Close around 9:15 am
• Walked down to Berowra Waters. The ‘Boatshed’ Cafe was closed but we found the ‘Fish Cafe‘ that was open across the river
• The ferry was leaving so we jumped up and ran (!!) with our packs, they saw us coming and waited. We had an early lunch (10:30 am) at the cafe, salmon, salad and chips with (of course) a milkshake!
• Walked to Cowan Station, we decided earlier in the day that because it would be hard to find a legal campsite (and we were pooped), that we would stay another night at the Mt Kuring Gai Motel. John (the taxi man) picked us up and took us via Coles so that we could stock up on first-aid supplies and some food for dinner.

Day 5: Tuesday 27 March 18

11 km: Cowan to Patonga (via Brooklyn)

• The taxi picked us up late (not John) so we didn’t get started until after 9:00 am
• Jerusalem Bay was beautiful (must go back!)
• Bought ice-creams and milkshakes at Brooklyn
• Got a campsite at Patonga campground
• Got a water taxi, at the cost of $100, from Brooklyn to Patgona
• Finished the day with a lovely dinner at the Patonga Hotel, we even got to play some table tennis while we waited for dinner.

Dad having a look out at the amazing Jerusalem Bay

Day 6: Wednesday 28 March 18

11 km: Patonga to Campsite near Mt Wondabyne

• I used the ‘Wildwalks‘ map that we had to find a great campsite
• We started using found water and the Lifestraw, but still carrying 5 litres each!
• We realised that we were behind time and that we will not make it at this pace
• Another hit to the heart, we found out that the Somersby store would be closed on the day that we would be passing through
• We rang Leonie (mum) who said that she could be ‘Somersby store’. The was to bring us the extra supplies that we had left at home, that we thought we wouldn’t need.

Day 7: Thursday 29 March 18

23 km: Mt Wondabyne to Mooney Mooney to Quarry Campsite

• A wild skinny dip in the morning at a nearby waterfall
• Used the lifestraw all throughout the day
• We had another swim in a waterhole past Mooney Mooney campsite
• A massive day that showed us that WE CAN MAKE IT!
• The Quarry campsite had lots of ants! But it was still a great spot.

The Quarry campsite

Skinny dip location!

Day 8: Good Friday

19 km: Quarry Campsite to Somersby store to Stringy Bark Pt.

• Got up early and had a porridge breakfast
• Met up with Leonie at the Somersby store for food and water (fruit, cheese, veg and chocolate treats for Easter!)
• We smashed out the day with a great pace
• Soaked our feet in a creek (big help) before a huge afternoon
• Two other girl walkers were hiking that day and we felt like we needed to stay ahead of them to be the first to make it to the campsite and set up
• We had our celebratory half-way freeze-dried ice-cream dessert!
• After this day we knew that we could make it by the next Friday.

Day 9: Easter Saturday

12 km: Stringy Bark Pt. to Yarramalong

• Ready to walk at 7:30 am. We called a B and B in Yarramalong, they had a room! The news gave us both such a boost and it made it a wonderful day
• We arrived at Yarramalong at 1:30 pm and got milkshakes at the general store, the checked into the amazing ‘Angel Sussurri‘
• We got to have the perfect, relaxed, lazy afternoon. We watched Wonder Woman in our own private lounge room and then had a great pasta dinner at the restaurant
• The owners let us use their washing machine which helped us a lot as our socks, in particular, were really taking a beating
• It really was the perfect half-way stop.

The most perfect stop, ‘Angel Sussurri’

Day 10: Easter Sunday

22 km: Yarramalong to Murry’s forest rd campsite (at Mt. Warrawolong)

• Huge day!
• Found water as required and used the lifestraw
• Had a quick swim in Wollombi Pool (just after the Basin turn off)
• I found an amazing campsite on top of the world with Mt. Warrawolong straight in front of us
• We also watched the most amazing sunset and easter moon rising.

Beautiful sunset

On the top of the world

Day 11: Monday 2 April 18

21 km: Mt.Warrawolong to Flat Rock to Congewai East

• Another huge day! We only expected to get to Congewai West trackhead. We weren’t sure where to camp so we called Trevor from the GNW who told us we could get drinking water and shelter at Crawford’s Hut, 900m beyond Congewai East
• This was another 6km beyond our goal for the day!
• We were just about out of the water and a storm was building. We had no other choice but to pump out the extra 6km
• We made it to the hut!

Near the Congewai Valley

Day 12: Tuesday 3 April 18

Crawford’s Hut to Forestry HQ

• The hut was amazing, it had a stump toilet and a water tank
• We had a second breakfast at Barraba campsite, freeze-dried Thai chicken curry!
• We gave all of our rubbish to a passing National Park truck
• Breathtaking views across the day
• Arrived at HQ at 2:00 pm and set up the tent to have a nap
• Rain in the night

Day 13: Wednesday 4 April 18

13 km: HQ to Heaton Gap Motel

• We made great time, got up really early (4:20 am) and packed up. We walked down to Hunter Lookout in the dark to have a great breakfast and a water refill
• Powered through the valley but got totally drenched in a massive downpour just before Heaton Lookout. We changed our clothes and rang out our socks before having lunch at the lookout
• We called the motel and found out that they had a laundry!
• We checked in at 12:45 pm.
  

  The Watagan Forest Motel

Day 14: Thursday 5 April 18

22.8 km: Heaton Gap Motel to Warners bay (via Teralba)

• We had booked the Teralba Caravan Park and intended to stop there. However, we arrived super early at around 11:30 am
• We first had milkshakes in a little cafe called, Flying Spanners. Then we checked out the caravan park
• Once we were actually in our on-site van, I started googling motels in Warners Bay and they were much nicer! Plus we felt like we were wasting walking hours by stopping so early
• Dad bravely fronted Lee (the manager of the park) and we were able to get our money back! Go Dad!
• We ended up at the perfect ‘Esplanade Motel‘, about 1.2km off the GNW track, in Warners Bay
• A great last nights stay!

Day 15: Friday 6 April 18

19 km: Warners Bay to Queens Wharf

• Started the day at 7:13 am, powered out and thought we would be there early. But we got lost in Glenrock and walked 2.5km off course (and 2.5km back!)
• Walking across the sand of Burwood beach was amazing but very, very tough
• The signage was lacking in the Merewether strip
• Signs lead to the station but due to construction there was no finishing post
• We ended up at the Ferry Wharf for our photo
• We drank our final celebratory milkshake and had a yummy cheesecake at ‘Six Degrees‘
• Leonie picked us up at about 3:40 pm.

The finishing photo at the wharf