Bushwalk 4 - Box Vale Tramway & Forty Foot Falls - Sydney Course

Escape to the great outdoors with our resident bushwalking guide, Greg Williams, who has been leading bushwalks around Sydney for over 33 years. You can book each bushwalk individually or book the 'Bushwalking - Sunday Adventure Bushwalks Package' which includes all four bushwalks at a discounted price.

During the late 1800s, a standard railway served a coal mine in the Nattai River Gorge. The mine, although successful, only operated for 10 years closing in 1896. 

This walk will trace sections of this disused historic railway through cuttings, embankments, through an 85-metre tunnel, then later scampers down a 160-metre cabled incline which was built to haul coal out of the Nattai Valley. The walk also visits a natural sandstone arch and the Forty Foot Falls which would have to be listed in the top 10 Southern Highlands list of waterfalls, especially after rain.

All bushwalks have morning tea provided with tea, coffee and delicious chocolate treats available.

A Course Information Guide regarding the bushwalk will be provided beforehand. Please consult the Course Information Guide prior to the walk for comprehensive information on meeting places, start times, travel directions and more.

Macquarie Community College operates from a range of venues across Northern and Western Sydney. We have campuses in Blacktown, Carlingford, Chatswood, Epping, Mt Druitt, Richmond, and Ryde. Enrol now!

Course Outline

• Rating: Moderately hard - challenging (includes some moderate rock scrambling with occasional steep sections).
• Distance: 12km

Course Outcome

By the end of the course, you would have:

• Discovered new trails around Sydney and Greater Sydney Basin
• More confidence and experience in bushwalking
• Inspiration to accept new challenges
• Gained an understanding of bushwalking preparedness and safety

What to Wear/Bring

On our bushwalks you will need:

• Sturdy comfortable shoes
• Clothes for all weather conditions
• Wet weather gear (if required)
• A hat
• A small backpack
• A torch
• Sunscreen, sunglasses
• Snacks, lunch
• Water bottles
• National Park fees apply - shared cost, approximate $4.00pp

Important Information

Participants are expected to arrange their own transport to arrive at each meeting place on time, so that the group can start on schedule.

• Meeting Place: Box Vale
• Driving Instructions: Allow minimum 1 hour 45 minutes travel time from Macquarie Park.

Event Amendments

• Bushwalks can sometimes be re-scheduled to an alternative location due to park closures, bushfires, flooding, and for other unforeseen circumstances
• Bushwalk amendments are usually sent out by email or by phone on the Friday/Saturday before the walk
• To ensure you are properly informed of any changes please enrol with your current email address and mobile phone number

Operational Conditions and Postponements

• Macquarie Community College reserves the right to alter or postpone the bushwalk/s or part thereof due to extreme weather or changes to operational conditions such as road closures, bushfires or conditions beyond our control. Every effort will be made to keep to the itinerary and advertised departure times, but no guarantee can be made and no compensation shall be made for failure to meet those times.
• Our bushwalks take place in all but exceptional weather conditions. Conditions such as mist, fog showers, rain and windy conditions do not usually affect the event operation. However, if the weather is deemed to be extreme, the event(s) will be postponed to another date. A credit will be issued for pre-paid event fees to use for the rescheduled or future event date.

Prerequisite

The College conducts a wide range of bushwalks appropriate for different competency levels, from people who have little or no bushwalking experience to experienced bushwalkers.

Our walks are generally staggered in such a way that it allows for you to gain experience as you progress through the term. Although no previous bushwalking experience is necessary for many of our bushwalks, some bushwalking experience along with a greater level of fitness is desirable for walks which are listed as challenging. Each walking trail is generally suitable for most fitness levels. If you have any questions, please contact us on 1300 845 888.

Delivery Mode

This course is delivered in the outdoors.

Macquarie Community College operates from a range of venues across Northern and Western Sydney. We have campuses in Blacktown, Carlingford, Chatswood, Epping, Mt Druitt, Richmond, and Ryde. Enrol now!