Marramarra National Park

Marramarra National Park is a great place to go canoeing, camping, bushwalking, picnicking or birdwatching. It's at the junction of Hawkesbury River and Berowra Creek, on the northern outskirts of Sydney, and features great wetlands, views of the Hawkesbury and the largest area of mangroves on the Central Coast. This park has been left in its natural and undeveloped state, and is mainly the preserve of experienced bushwalkers.

Marramarra National Park is located on the south-west section of the Hornsby Plateau, a major subdivision of the Sydney Basin, consisting almost entirely of horizontally bedded sedimentary rocks. A number of erosion cycles produced the distinctive, almost flat plateau surfaces. A final, vigorous period of erosion deeply entrenched the Hawkesbury River and its major tributaries, including Berowra Creek, into the existing land surface. The present spectacular foreshore landscape is a product of the sea drowning the river valleys about 6000 years ago, following the end of the last glacial period.

Canoelands Ridge Track

Walking tracks: This pristine park has a good selection of ridge walks terminating with water views. The best access to the ridges is from Coba Road, continuing along Bloodwood Road to either Marramarra Ridge or Coba Ridge. A favourite walk goes along Coba Ridge to Collingridge Point, which is a good lunch stop. Another walk follows Smugglers Ridge to Marramarra Creek and then returns via Marramarra Ridge. Duckponds Ridge Trail also goes to Marramarra Creek. There's also a walk along the Canoelands Ridge Track, from Canoelands Road to Gentlemans Halt, which is a about 10km.

Picnics and barbecues: The two most popular areas in the park are Marramarra Creek and Gentlemans Halt. Each has a pit toilet and barbecues making them suitable for picnicking. Both locations can be reached either by boat or on foot and there is no car access to these sites. Other attractions Go canoeing or fishing on little-known waterways such as Marramarra Creek and take a close look at the local wildlife. There are excellent examples of mangrove forests at Big Bay, Pumpkin Point and Gentlemans Halt.

Aboriginal heritage: Marramarra National Park is within lands of the Kuring-gai and Darug Aboriginal peoples. European settlement was devastating to the Ku-ring-gai and within 30 years of the arrival of the First Fleet their communities were destroyed. The surviving Aboriginal sites, which provide the only indications of traditional life in the area, are of special importance to local Aboriginal communities. Sites within the park are diverse, and include cave art, rock engravings, grinding grooves, middens, scarred trees, and other occupational deposits and stone arrangements.




The land and waterways, and the plants and animals that live in them, feature in all facets of Aboriginal culture - including recreational, ceremonial, spiritual and as a main source of food and medicine. They are associated with dreaming stories and cultural learning that is still passed on today.

Marramarra National Park is 40 kilometres north-west of Sydney, bounded by the Hawkesbury River, Berowra Creek, Old Northern Road and the villages of Arcadia and Berrilee. There are three main ways to get to the park:

from the Old Northern Road along Canoelands Road at Glenorie,
from Bloodwood Road, Arcadia, to Marramarra Ridge,
from Wisemans Ferry along Singleton Road.

Boat and canoe access to the park is along Marramarra Creek, Berowra Creek and the Hawkesbury River. Landing facilities are available at Gentlemans Halt.

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