Walks in Muogamarra Nature Reserve

Do you know that there are a few places around the World that are precious? They are those places that need to be taken extra care of to protect and cherish. These are those places that are pure and have a tremendous amount of history. Muogamarra Nature Reserve (northern part of Sydney) is one such place. It is an extremely special place in New South Wales (NSW) and is famous for its dry forests and shrubs.

Lloyd Trig Walk (Muogamarra Nature Reserve)

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Where is Muogamara Nature Reserve

Open only for 6 weekends during spring (September to November), Muogamara Nature Reserve is located between Cowan and Hawkesbury River suburbs. It is the reserve in the north region of Sydney. The nature reserve was established in the year 1960 and spreads for more than 2000 hectares.

The reserve is closed to the public for most of the year.

View on Google Maps

Cost & Timings

Muogamarra Nature Reserve has an entrance fee of AUD 15 per person. It has to be paid by cash and no card payments are taken. The reserve is open only for 6 weekends from 7 AM to 5 PM.

There are no cafes or restaurants in the reserve. However, one can get coffee at the visitor centre for a minimal price. Ensure to take cash.
The reserve has toilet facilities.

How to get there?

Public transport: The nearest train station is Cowan station and the entrance is about 6 kilometres from the train station. More details and up-to-date information can be found on the NSW Transport website.
Driving: Muogamarra Nature Reserve is around 50 kilometres up north of Sydney Central Business District (CBD). By car, it takes approximately 1 hour 15/30 minutes.
- Even though the road to the car park is unsealed, 2WD can easily be driven on the road.
- There is a car park in the nature reserve close to the visitor centre.

Sydney to Muogamarra Nature Reserve – Open on Google Maps

Walks in Muogamarra Nature Reserve

There are plenty of walks in Muogamarra Nature Reserve. The first time my friends and I visited the Muogamarra Nature Reserve in the year 2017. We were so smitten by the park that we kept going back over and over again every year. I have done only three of the walks and all the walks that I did were absolutely stunning. Exploring and viewing the wildflowers and aboriginal art was extremely amazing. Also, look out for echidnas and eagles.

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I have walked the Lloyd Trig (4 kilometres), Point loop (2 kilometres) and Deerubbin lookover walk (6 kilometres). Other walks include J.D Tripper Loop (1 kilometre), Peats Crater (10 kilometres), and Bird Gully Swamp.

Volunteers provide guided walks at some sections of the reserve. Ensure to inquire at the visitor centre to check regarding the guided walks.
The maps to the walks can be obtained at the visitor centre.

Lloyd Trig Walk

The first walk that we did was the Lloyd Trig Walk. The walk provides spectacular views of the Hawkesbury River and Barrenjoey Lighthouse. Passing through the bushes, there are plenty of opportunities to view the wildflowers. The main highlight is the aboriginal art of a whale.

Logistics of Lloyd Trig Walk

Starting and ending point: Visitor centre.
Type of walk: Return.
Distance: 4 kilometres.
Time taken: 2 to 3 hours.
Grade: Easy.
Path: Visitor Centre – John Duncan (JD) Tipper lookout – Convict Road – The Whale – Peats Bright Road – Mystery – 1994 Bushfires – Lloyd Trip.

Point Loop Walk

The second walk that I did in the Muogamara Nature Reserve was the Point Loop Walk. This is a short and a quick walk to view the wild flowers such as boronias and pink wax flowers. The walk also provides great views of Bar Island and Peats Crater.

Logistics of Point Loop Walk

Starting and ending point: Visitor centre.
Type of walk: Return.
Distance: 2 kilometres.
Time taken: 1 hour.
Grade: Easy.

Deerubbin Lookover Walk

The third walk that I did was the Deerubbin Lookover Walk. Supposedly, the name ‘Deerubbin’ from Deerubbin Lookover is derived from an aboriginal word called ‘Djerubbin’, which means deep water and refers to the Hawkesbury River.

The Deerubbin Lookover Walk is a short and quick walk to view the wildflowers such as boronias and pink wax flowers. The walk also provides great views of Bar Island and Peats Crater.

Logistics of Deerubbin Lookover Walk

Starting and ending point: Visitor centre.
Type of walk: Return/Loop (I did the return walk as the loop was through the fire trails rather than the bushes).
Distance: 6 kilometres.
Time taken: 2 to 3 hours.
Grade: Easy.
Path: Extension of Lloyd Trig Walk to the lookout.

Things to look for

I have already repeated a few times in the post that the reserve is famous for its wildflowers. However, there are a few other additional things to look out for while walking in the reserve. So, here is a list of things one can expect while visiting Muogamarra Nature Reserve:

Wildflowers – This is a place where one can see unique wildflowers. An interesting fact is that there are around 900 species of plants in the reserve. Definitely look out for pink boronias and orchids!

Views of Hawkesbury River – The stunning views of the Hawkesbury River and the bridge is something to die for!

Aboriginal art/history – The reserve has an immense history of aboriginals. It is said that the aboriginal people lived in the area for around 20,000 years. There are engravings and shell middens along the walks.

Animals & Birds – The reserve is also home to some of the Australian animals. The echidnas and the possums are the common animals found. There are a lot of birds that are found in the area too. Watch out for the beautiful lyrebird!

Safety for Solo female travelers

Sydney is extremely safe for solo female travelers. I have never had any issues or concerns while traveling in and around Sydney. However, like any other city be cautious and know your surroundings, especially at nights.

Closing notes

As I mentioned earlier, Muogamarra Nature Reserve is one of those special places where one can connect with nature and history. It has dense forests and it is a delight to see the wildflowers during the spring season. And it is a mecca for photographers. I love visiting this reserve and I highly recommend it if you are in Sydney during the spring season.