Located in the northern outskirts of Sydney, the Muogamarra Nature Reserve is an extraordinary place for bushwalkers, bird watchers and nature lovers. The reserve is open to the public around spring time for just six weekends each year in order to preserve its fragile ecosystems and Aboriginal heritage.
The reserve is also set up high and has sweeping views over Berowra Creek and the Hawkesbury River, across to Brooklyn. On clear days, you can see as far as the Blue Mountains. The six open weekends, usually in August and September, fall at the beginning of Spring and the park transforms into a brilliant display of colour with spring wildflowers coming into bloom. The park comes alive with colour as boronia, pink wax flowers and wattle comes into bloom.
Visiting Muogamarra, you’ll see majestic angophoras, old-man banksias, pink boronias and delicate native orchids. Birdwatchers in particular are drawn to the reserve to catch a glimpse of the 140 native bird resident species including the soaring wedge-tail eagle and lyrebird.
Muogamarra is home to many native animals like the iconic echidna, and for birdwatchers there is plenty of birdlife to see. Look up to catch a glimpse of a soaring wedge-tail eagle or keep an eye ahead for a lyrebird.
The reserve lies in bushland between the outer Sydney suburb of Cowan to the south, and the Hawkesbury River to the north.
This year, the reserve was open on weekends from 16 August to 21 September. The reserve came alive with nature walkers, especially from around 10 am through to 2 pm. Depending on the time you decide to visit, parking can be an issue and you may have to park outside and walk 3-4 km along the road into the reserve.
To visit Muogamarra Nature Reserve outside of the “open” weekends in August and September, you need to book with a National Park Ranger. The park may be opened to groups of 10 or more and may be accompanied by volunteer guides. Make enquiries at the Kalkari Discovery Centre (phone: 02 9472 9300 or 02 9472 9301).
There are a number of walks to do in the reserve.
- J D Tipper Walk: A short loop through a riot of pea flowers, boronias, woody pears and waratahs. From the lookout there are panoramic views over Brooklyn.
- Lloyd Trig Walk: An old convict road and bush track to the Lloyd Trig cairn, to a 360 degree panoramic view over the Hawkesbury River and bushland.
- Point Loop: An easy ridge-top walk which gives stunning outlooks over Peats Crater and beyond to Bar Island, Berowra Creek and the Hawkesbury River. Wildflowers complete the experience with displays of pink wax flowers, boronias, angophoras, old-man banksias, mountain devils, woody pears and waratahs.
- Deerubbin Lookover: This track winds down the old convict-built Peats Ferry Road and the Powerline Road down to a rock shelter which forms a natural viewing platform giving sweeping views from almost 180m above the Hawkesbury River.
- Peats Crater Walk: This walk winds down Peats Bight Trail over historic road works into Peats Crater, a volcanic diatreme and the site of early farm settlements.
