Matcham to Gosford
Download & Print Map and Notes3 hrs 45 mins
381 m
Hard track
(0km) Katandra Rd Gate → Katandra Rd picnic area
70 m
2 mins
5m
0m
Easy track
Katandra Rd Picnic Area
(0.07km) Katandra Rd picnic area → Behind the Rangers Residence
450 m
13 mins
54m
-8m
Moderate track
(0.52km) Behind the Rangers Residence → Int of Graves and Mouat Walks
790 m
22 mins
93m
-3m
Moderate track
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the walking track gently uphill, keeping the horse track on the left. The track soon bends right and heads between the timber posts, then zigzags up the hill. The track passes between more posts to a signposted intersection with the ‘Mouat Walk’ and a sign pointing back along ‘Graves Walk’.
(1.31km) Int of Graves and Mouat Walks → St Johns Lookout
320 m
6 mins
9m
-17m
Easy track
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk heads through the clearing towards the picnic area, soon coming to the car park and information sign.
Continue straight: From the car park (signposted as ‘Katandra’ on Toomeys Rd), this walk heads across the picnic area and past the BBQ shelters, keeping the road up the hill to the left. Soon the walk comes to a sandstone footpath in front of the toilet block.
Turn right: From the toilet block, this walk follows the footpath past the information sign to the fenced and signposted ‘St Johns Lookout’ At the end of this side trip, retrace your steps back to the main walk then Continue straight.
St Johns Lookout
St Johns Lookout picnic area
(1.31km) Int of Graves and Mouat Walks → Int of Mouat and Toomeys Rd Trails
1.1 km
23 mins
36m
-75m
Moderate track
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the track from behind the ‘Graves Walk’ sign, initially keeping the gate up the hill to the right. The track winds through the bush, crossing a small rock platform (and ignoring the side tracks), then heads down a series of timber steps. The trail winds past a few large rocks then winds up the hill to come into view of (and run parallel to) the Toomeys management trail. The track then passes over another rocky outcrop (beware of the cliff drop on the left), then down some steps to come to the wide Toomeys Management trail and an arrow pointing back up the steps.
(2.36km) Int of Mouat and Toomeys Rd Trails → Top of Clyde Rd trail
570 m
11 mins
16m
-12m
Moderate track
(2.93km) Top of Clyde Rd trail → Erina Trig
160 m
3 mins
8m
0m
Moderate track
Turn left: From the intersection, this walk follows the arrow up the steps away from the fence. The track gently winds up the hill to the Erina Trig station, surround by trees.
Erina Trig
(3.09km) Erina Trig → Int of trig track and Toomeys Rd trail
120 m
2 mins
0m
-11m
Moderate track
(3.21km) Int of trig track and Toomeys Rd trail → Mouat trail picnic table
480 m
10 mins
6m
-41m
Moderate track
Continue straight: From the gate, this walk follows the narrower track, keeping the fence to the right. The track soon turns right (at the corner fencepost) and continues alongside the fence, passing a bench seat and unfenced view on the left. The track continues to follow the fence and soon passes another locked gate (and passes close to the management trail). Following the fence, the track soon comes to a picnic table and an unfenced view across the valley.
Mouat trail picnic table
(3.69km) Mouat trail picnic table → Locked gate
90 m
2 mins
0m
-7m
Moderate track
(3.77km) Locked gate → Saddle intersection
180 m
3 mins
3m
-8m
Moderate track
(3.96km) Saddle intersection → 130 Picnic table
130 m
4 mins
15m
-1m
Moderate track
130 Picnic table
(4.09km) 130 Picnic table → Int west of 130
200 m
4 mins
0m
-21m
Hard track
(4.29km) Int west of 130 → Powerline intersection
360 m
8 mins
12m
-22m
Moderate track
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the management trail south-west up the hill, initially keeping Bradys Gully trail below to the right. The walk soon takes the left fork (ignoring another trail on the right) to another saddle, with power lines running through the middle.
(4.64km) Powerline intersection → Sculpture of Edward John Eyre
440 m
10 mins
38m
-1m
Moderate track
Edward John Eyre
(5.08km) Sculpture of Edward John Eyre → Int of Red Gum walk and Mouat Walk
150 m
2 mins
2m
-1m
Hard track
(5.22km) Int of Red Gum walk and Mouat Walk → Wannagan Lookout
290 m
6 mins
10m
-7m
Hard track
Wannagan Lookout
(5.51km) Wannagan Lookout → Int of Flannel Flower walk and Red Gum walk
420 m
12 mins
51m
-35m
Hard track
Veer left: From the intersection, this walk follows the level track, keeping the valley to the right. The track immediately passes a grasstree, to the right, and bends to the left. The track meanders for a while, with occasional steps, before winding steeply up the hill using numerous timber and stone steps. The track bends to the right at the top of a rock outcrop and continues a short distance to an intersection with a management trail.
(5.92km) Int of Flannel Flower walk and Red Gum walk → Junction of Ironbark, Casuarina and Flannel flower walks
560 m
12 mins
21m
-29m
Moderate track
Veer left: From the intersection, this walk follows the track, leaving the steep downhill section of the management trail to the right. The track follows under or near some power lines for a short distance, then climbs gently around the side of the hill for a while to an intersection with the road, with a ‘Flannel Flower Track’ signpost pointing back to ‘Loop to Yaruga Picnic Area’.
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the ‘Yaruga Picnic Area’ arrow across the road. The walk crosses the small car park, passing between some metal posts to a track junction with signposts for the ‘Ironbark Loop’, the ‘Casuarina Track’ and the ‘Flannel Flower Track’.
Rumbalara Reserve
(6.49km) Junction of Ironbark, Casuarina and Flannel flower walks → Sculpture of Charles Sturt
320 m
7 mins
3m
-24m
Moderate track
Veer right: From the intersection, this walk follows the management trail gently down the hill, keeping the views of Gosford to the right. After a while, the walk reaches a sculpture of Charles Sturt, to the left.
(6.81km) Sculpture of Charles Sturt → Int of Rainforest walk and Casuarina walk
30 m
1 mins
0m
-2m
Moderate track
Casuarina
(6.84km) Int of Rainforest walk and Casuarina walk → Ouraka Point
220 m
4 mins
1m
-13m
Moderate track
Ouraka Point
(7.06km) Ouraka Point → Int of Casuarina track and Casuarina link trail
200 m
5 mins
0m
-39m
Moderate track
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the management trail gently down the hill, leaving the steps behind on the right. After a short distance, the walk arrives at an intersection marked by an information board, and a ‘Casuarina Track’ signpost pointing back to the ‘Picnic Areas’.
(7.25km) Int of Casuarina track and Casuarina link trail → Int of Casuarina track and JWD link trail
60 m
2 mins
0m
-8m
Moderate track
(7.31km) Int of Casuarina track and JWD link trail → Rumbalara Environmental Education Centre trackhead
140 m
4 mins
1m
-18m
Moderate track
Turn left: From the intersection, this walk follows the track down the steps and immediately bends to the right. After descending a little, the track bends to the left and crosses a small bridge, then goes down some more steps to the trackhead at the back of the Rumbalara EEC buildings, with a ‘Walking Trail’ arrow pointing back the way you came.
Rumbalara Environmental Education Centre
(7.44km) Rumbalara Environmental Education Centre trackhead → Gosford Station
1 km
19 mins
6m
-38m
Easy track
Turn left: From the car park, this walk heads downhill along the driveway and along Donnison St footpath (keeping the road on the left). The walk crosses Albany St, then Henry Parry Dr, then heads diagonally through Kibble Park. On the other side of Kibble Park, the walk heads through William St Mall, then turns right to follow the footpath along the Pacific Hwy. Soon after crossing Erina St, this walk heads up the stairs under the glass-covered footbridge, then crosses the bridge and road to Gosford Train Station.
Maps for the Matcham to Gosford walk
You can download the PDF for this walk to print a map.These maps below cover the walk and the wider area around the walk, they are worth carrying for safety reasons.
Gosford | 1:25 000 Map Series | 91312S GOSFORD | NSW-91312S |
Gosford | 1:100 000 Map Series | 9131 GOSFORD | 9131 |
Cross sectional view of the Matcham to Gosford bushwalking track
Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Matcham to Gosford
Overview of this walks grade – based on the AS 2156.1 – 2001
Under this standard, a walk is graded based on the most difficult section of the walk.
Length | 8.5 km | ||
Time | 3 hrs 45 mins | ||
. | |||
Grade 4/6 Hard track |
AS 2156.1 | Gradient | Short steep hills (3/6) |
Quality of track | Formed track, with some branches and other obstacles (3/6) | ||
Signs | Minimal directional signs (4/6) | ||
Experience Required | Some bushwalking experience recommended (3/6) | ||
Weather | Weather generally has little impact on safety (1/6) | ||
Infrastructure | Limited facilities, not all cliffs are fenced (3/6) |
Some more details of this walks Grading
Here is a bit more details explaining grading looking at sections of the walk
Gradient
Around 5km of this walk has gentle hills with occasional steps, whilst the remaining 3.3km has short steep hills.
Quality of track
4.3km of this walk follows a clear and well formed track or trail and another 4km follows a formed track, with some branches and other obstacles. The remaining (110m) follows a smooth and hardened path.
Signs
4.7km of this walk has directional signs at most intersection and another 2.7km is clearly signposted. The remaining (1km) has minimal directional signs.
Experience Required
Around 5km of this walk requires no previous bushwalking experience, whilst the remaining 3.3km requires some bushwalking experience.
weather
This whole walk, 8km is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation).
Infrastructure
Around 6km of this walk is close to useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats), whilst the remaining 2.5km has limited facilities (such as not all cliffs fenced).
Similar walks
Other Nearby walks
Plan your trip to and from the walk here
The Matcham to Gosford walk starts at the Katandra Rd Gate (gps: -33.415032, 151.3965)Your transport options to Katandra Rd Gate are by;
Bus. (get details)
Car. There is free parking available.
(get details)
Train. (get details)
The Matcham to Gosford ends at the Gosford Station (gps: -33.42348, 151.34176)
Your transport options to Gosford Station are by;
Bus. (get details)
Car. There is free parking available.
(get details)
Fire Danger
Each park may have its own fire ban, this rating is only valid for today and is based on information from the RFS Please check the RFS Website for more information.Weather Forest
This walk starts in the Hunter weather district always check the formal BOM forecast or pdf before starting your walk.Forecast snapshot
Park Information & Alerts
Short URL = http://wild.tl/mtg
Gallery images
There are other downloads I am still working on.
You will probably need to login to access these — still all free.
* KML (google earth file)
* GPX (GPS file)
Special Maps/ brochures
* A3 topo maps
* PDF with Lands Topo map base
* PDF with arial image (and map overlay)
I wanted to get the main site live first, this extra stuff will come in time.
Happy walking
Matt 🙂
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