Bushwalk Australia

I walked the Cowan to Brooklyn section of the Great North Walk the other day for the first time in about 5 year and wondered why I hadn't remembered the steep downhill concreted sections coming into Brooklyn before - until I looked at Google Street View and realised that the track seems to have been diverted at some stage.

The old path and new path are both marked on Google Maps - the old path ended on the main street into Brooklyn from where you had to walk down to the railway station, the new one is marked as "Hobo Hill Track" on Google Street View and comes into Brooklyn from the south:
https://www.google.com/maps/@-33.550228 ... a=!3m1!1e3

Can anyone tell me when (and why) this part of the GNW was diverted?

That's odd. Five months ago I walked what you describe as the "old" track and they were doing maintenance on it. There was no sign of any intention to downgrade the track, nor was the maintenance so extensive that it would need a long-term diversion.

From a walker's point of view, the "old track" is the better route.

Coincidentally I had been thinking of re-visiting this walk myself last Saturday but ended up doing Berowra to Cowan instead. When I competed in the Oxfam Trailwalker event in 2012, I know the diversion was there in the months leading up to it when I completed a training session from Brooklyn to Cowan. Having walked Cowan to Brooklyn a few years prior to that and finishing on the "old" route, I remember not being able to find the start of it at Brooklyn, and being confused by the information from the event organisers. I was quite surprised to eventually find that massive steep concrete path up the hill, which looked new-ish at the time, but I've no idea how long it had already been in existence. I agree that the old track is better.

jrg wrote:Can anyone tell me when (and why) this part of the GNW was diverted?

first time I walked Cowan to Brooklyn was on 9 July 2011. Here's a photo coming into Brooklyn on "the new track". geeeez its steep..............had to put the gears into reverse going down the boring concrete. Its a bug*er going the other way tho...............



Have gone up the "old track" near the last house on Brooklyn Rd near the rail bridge a number of times. MUCH prefer to start a hike at Brooklyn on the "old track". Half way up look back and there are great views back to Little Wobby.

the new concreted track was built before July 2011

The concrete is a really nasty hack in aid of getting the BFB tankers up the hill in a fire. Yeah, just a shade steep! But really it is very short.
Cheers
Roger

rcaffin wrote:The concrete is a really nasty hack in aid of getting the BFB tankers up the hill in a fire. Yeah, just a shade steep! But really it is very short.
Cheers
Roger

Ah! Thanks Roger, that at least makes some sense of why it's there. My first encounter left me scratching my head.

Rob Gosford wrote:MUCH prefer to start a hike at Brooklyn on the "old track". Half way up look back and there are great views back to Little Wobby.

going up the "old track".........

Rob Gosford wrote:

Rob Gosford wrote:MUCH prefer to start a hike at Brooklyn on the "old track". Half way up look back and there are great views back to Little Wobby.

going up the "old track".........

All this discussion prompted me to go and revisit this walk yesterday. I ended up descending the "Hobo Hill" boring concrete section into Brooklyn, but noted the trail heading downhill at the 1.3km to go sign. I assume this is the old route as it aligns with the google maps link earlier in this topic and looks like the photo above. I noticed that the very top section of the concrete bit has "2012" engraved on it. I'm guessing it was done in stages, with the top being the last one. And I'd forgotten how much the climb out of Jerusalem Bay gets the blood pumping.

johnw wrote:All this discussion prompted me to go and revisit this walk yesterday.

great weather for it John !

johnw wrote:And I'd forgotten how much the climb out of Jerusalem Bay gets the blood pumping.

its just hard going down as it is UP ! especially at my more "mature age"

Thanks for the explanations everyone - helpful to know. It's strange that there never seems to have been any signage diverting the route.

Rob Gosford wrote:great weather for it John !

It sure was Rob, I had a very enjoyable day .

jrg wrote:Thanks for the explanations everyone - helpful to know. It's strange that there never seems to have been any signage diverting the route.

The same thought crossed my mind last Saturday. I considered taking the unsignposted route, which I must have followed years ago, but needed to make the next train and decided not to risk it. Will definitely take it next time I do that walk again.

Yes the old route goes off exactly where the distance sign is.
I do this walk a lot and never use the blasted concrete section.
But as mentioned earlier, it was put in for Rural Fire Service purposes.



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Roger wrote:

"The concrete is a really nasty hack in aid of getting the BFB tankers up the hill in a fire. Yeah, just a shade steep! But really it is very short.
Cheers
Roger"

Prior to this new access any vehicle (RFS, railways, National Park, council etc) needed to cross the rail line downhill from Brooklyn dam, or at another point to the west, pretty dangerous and unacceptable. Hence the new road, which ironically would be pretty dangerous if you had brake problems. I haven't used the old track for years, but am often tempted because it would be a km shorter, and is not as steep. It also drops you straight into town, with the bakery, Pub, flushing toilets and marina all singing to the senses like Sirens.

On a similar note, does anyone know if the main camping area next to Brooklyn dam has re-opened, it was closed 6 months ago for branch lopping?

Skibug.