Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park

Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
IUCN Category II (National Park)
Map of Australia
Location	New South Wales
Nearest city	SydneyNearest city: Sydney
Coordinates	33°39′3.6″S 151°12′3.6″E / 33.651°S 151.201°E / -33.651; 151.201Coordinates: 33°39′3.6″S 151°12′3.6″E / 33.651°S 151.201°E / -33.651; 151.201
Area	154 km²
Established	October 1, 1967 Established: October 1, 1967
Visitors	2 Million (in 2001)
Governing body	NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service

Ku-ring-gai Chase is a national park in New South Wales (Australia), 25 km north of Sydney located largely within the Ku-ring-gai, Hornsby, Warringah and Pittwater municipal areas. Ku-ring-gai Chase is also officially classed as a suburb by the Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. The villages of Cottage Point, Appletree Bay, and Bobbin Head are located within park boundaries. An isolated portion of the park; Barrenjoey Headland, is located to the north of Palm Beach east of the primary park body and is home to Barrenjoey Lighthouse.

Ku-ring-gai is generally regarded as a popular tourist destination, known for its scenic setting on the edge of a southern branch of the Hawkesbury River as well as rock engravings and other art of Aboriginal origin. Picnic, boating, and fishing facilities can be found throughout the park.

Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park was added to the Australian National Heritage List in December 2006.^[1]

Facilities

Bobbin Head

Cowan Creek, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park

Bobbin Head is located on Cowan Creek and facilities include a marina, picnic areas, a small store, and a lunch-time restaurant in what used to be the Bobbin Head Inn, which also contains an information centre. The area contains many fire trails and a walk through mangroves. Aboriginal engravings can be seen in the area.

Appletree Bay

• Paved parking area, including trailer parking
• Boat launch ramp & jetty
• Flush Toilets
• Picnic Tables
• Barbecues

The Basin

A popular camping/picnic site with a small beach Pittwater. This is the only place in the entire National Park where camping is allowed. Access is either by West Head Rd via The Basin Track or on a ferry from Palm Beach Wharf.

West Head

West Head is a headland at the north eastern tip of the National Park. A lookout, with views of Barrenjoey, Palm Beach and Broken Bay, has been built on West Head^[2].

Barrenjoey

Barrenjoey is a locality of Palm Beach^[3]. It is a headland and unusual amongst the National Park's features as it is not joined to the rest of the Park by land but separated by 1 kilometer of water, the Pittwater.

• Lighthouse
• Museum
• Flush Toilets
• Park Ranger outpost

Barrenjoey was chosen in 1956 by the Government of Australia as a bordering side of the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park as thanks for the efforts of the mayor towards the peaceful assimilation and integration of the native Australian aborigines who were originally the sole inhabitants of the Barrenjoey area.

The Sphinx

This is a walk going by the Sphinx Memorial commemorating the fallen A.I.F comrades of Pte. W. T. Shirley during World War I.

Sphinx Memorial

Petroglyph

Cottage Point

Cottage Point Kiosk and Boat Hire, built around 1918, is situated at Cottage Point at the entrance to Coal and Candle Creek

This section requires expansion.

The view from West Head Lookout.

References

1. ^ Australian National Heritage listing for Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, Lion Island, Long Island and Spectacle Island Nature Reserves
2. ^ Gregory's Street Directory, 59th Edition 1995, Map 109
3. ^ UBD Street Directory, 40th Edition 2003, Map 78

There are many great walking tracks in Ku-ring-gai, especially through the Duffys Forest and Terrey Hills area. Meeting at Cowan creek, you can come from the other side at Turramurra.

See also

• Media related to Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park at Wikimedia Commons
• Church Point Ferry
• Protected areas of New South Wales (Australia)
• Pittwater Road
• Sydney Rock Engravings.

External links

• New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service
• A comprehensive list of short bushwalks in Ku-Ring-Gai National Park
• Sydney Rock Art