Great North Walk: Heaton Gap to Teralba Station

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Safer Bushwalks Tips on staying safe on track
Before you start any bushwalk ensure you;
• Tell someone you trust where you are going and what to do if you are overdue
• Have adequate equipment, supplies, skills & knowledge for the whole journey
• Consider the impact of weather forecasts, park/track closures & fire dangers
• Can respond to emergencies & call for help at any point
• Are healthy and fit enough for this journey
If not, change plans and stay safe. It is okay to delay and ask people for help.

Getting There Transport options and directions

Start	(-32.9652215,151.4793692)
Mode	Car (There is free parking available.)
Directions	From Pacific Motorway, M1 Turn on to Freemans Drive Exit then drive for 510 m Keep left onto Freemans Drive Exit and drive for another 3.4 km At roundabout, take exit 1 onto Freemans Drive, B82 and drive for another 2.3 km
Finish	Teralba Station (-32.962395,151.6036812)
Mode (end)	Car Shuttle Bus Car (There is free parking available.) Train

Track Notes Turn by turn instructions & maps

Getting started
From the picnic area next to 'Watagan Forest Motel' (on Freemans Drive), this walk follows the 'Wakefield' sign gently up alongside Freemans Drive, away from the motel. The walk leads behind the safety barrier beside the road for about 400m, until coming to an intersection with an unsealed road marked with a 'Sugarloaf State Conservation Area' sign (on the left).
From the intersection, this walk follows the GNW arrow post, gently uphill along the dirt road, initially passing the 'Sugarloaf State Conservation Area' sign on your right. The walk continues for about 700m (with one steep uphill section), until leading down to an intersection with a track and GNW arrow marker, and a couple of timber fence posts (on the left).....

Turn map	Directions & comments
	Start heading along Leggetts Drive. Find the picnic table at the start. Find the Watagan Forest Motel at the start. Watagan Forest Motel Watagan Forest Motel is located on Branxton-Toronto Road. This retro-style motel is located right on the Great North Walk. The motel offers six rooms for around $99 per night - each with a double bed (four rooms also have twin singles), a television, bathroom with shower, air conditioning, and breakfast included. Room service is available. Adjoining the motel is a service station, which also offers dining room meals as well as a small grocery selection (bread, milk, bottled water, rice, pasta, etc), open until 8:30pm daily. A rest area is situated next to the motel, with covered picnic tables and garbage bins. For further information, phone (02)4938 0149.
	After another 325 m (at the intersection of Leggetts Drive & Gap Road) veer left, to head along Gap Road (a vehicle track).
	After another 790 m turn left.
	After another 2 km continue straight, to head along Brunkerville Trail.
	After another 1.2 km (at the intersection of Sugarloaf Range Road & Brunkerville Trail) continue straight, to head along Sugarloaf Range Road.
	After another 350 m (at the intersection of Wakefield Forest Road & Sugarloaf Range Road) continue straight, to head along Wakefield Forest Road. After another 620 m continue straight, to head along Wakefield Forest Road.
	After another 480 m (at the intersection of Aubs Ridge Road & Wakefield Forest Road) continue straight, to head along Wakefield Forest Road. After another 530 m continue straight, to head along Wakefield Forest Road. After another 630 m continue straight, to head along Wakefield Forest Road.
	After another 235 m continue straight, to head along Archery Road.
	After another 90 m continue straight, to head along Archery Road. After another 6 m (at the intersection of Aubs Pipeline Trail & Archery Road) continue straight, to head along Archery Road. After another 40 m head through the tunnel (about 90 m long) After another 20 m (at the intersection of Archery Road & Archery Road East) continue straight, to head along Archery Road. After another 285 m continue straight, to head along Archery Road.
	After another 9 m (at the intersection of Archery Road & Watagan Track) turn left, to head along Watagan Track (a vehicle track). After another 950 m continue straight, to head along Watagan Track. After another 145 m continue straight, to head along The Great North Walk.
	After another 165 m (at the intersection of Wakefield Road & The Great North Walk) turn left, to head along Wakefield Road (a road). After another 590 m find the "Eddie Peterson Memorial Park" (20 m on your left). Eddie Peterson Memorial Park The Eddie Peterson Memorial Park on Wakefield Road is a fabulous place for a rest and a snack. There is a grassy area, toilet, water and shelter, all next to a community tennis court. Eddie Patterson Memorial Park is managed by the Lake Macquarie City Council as a public reserve. Near the memorial park there is a fire station and a school.
	At the intersection of Miller Road & Wakefield Road continue straight, to head along Wakefield Road. After another 880 m (at the intersection of School Road & Wakefield Road) continue straight, to head along Wakefield Road.
	After another 1 km (at the intersection of Rhondda Road & Wakefield Road) turn right, to head along Rhondda Road (a highway\|tertiary). After another 340 m continue straight, to head along Rhondda Road. After another 260 m continue straight, to head along Rhondda Road. After another 205 m continue straight, to head along Rhondda Road.
	After another 2.4 km (at the intersection of Rhondda Road & Railway Street) turn left, to head along Railway Street (a highway\|tertiary_link).
	After another 250 m turn sharp right. After another 35 m head up the steps (about 15 m long) Then cross the bridge (about 15 m long)
	Turn right, to head along StreetToTransitConnection. Then head down the steps
	Continue another 15 m to find Teralba Station at the end.

Terrain Know the Hills, grading & facilities

Great North Walk: Heaton Gap to Teralba Station

Grading

	Class 4/6 Hard track
Length	14.8 km
Time	5 h to 6 h

Quality of track	Formed track, with some branches and other obstacles (3/6)
Gradient	Very steep (4/6)
Signage	Directional signs along the way (3/6)
Infrastructure	Limited facilities (such as cliffs not fenced, significant creeks not bridged) (4/6)
Experience Required	Some bushwalking experience recommended (3/6)
Weather	Weather generally has little impact on safety (1/6)

Some facilities on route

Entity|rest area: There is one 9.5 km from the start.

Order of key facilities on route

Item	From Start	Name & link to notes
Entity\|rest area	9.5 km	Eddie Peterson Memorial Park

Articles Discover more details to thrive on track

Watagan Forest Motel
Watagan Forest Motel is located on Branxton-Toronto Road. This retro-style motel is located right on the Great North Walk. The motel offers six rooms for around $99 per night - each with a double bed (four rooms also have twin singles), a television, bathroom with shower, air conditioning, and breakfast included. Room service is available. Adjoining the motel is a service station, which also offers dining room meals as well as a small grocery selection (bread, milk, bottled water, rice, pasta, etc), open until 8:30pm daily. A rest area is situated next to the motel, with covered picnic tables and garbage bins. For further information, phone (02)4938 0149.

Eddie Peterson Memorial Park
The Eddie Peterson Memorial Park on Wakefield Road is a fabulous place for a rest and a snack. There is a grassy area, toilet, water and shelter, all next to a community tennis court. Eddie Patterson Memorial Park is managed by the Lake Macquarie City Council as a public reserve. Near the memorial park there is a fire station and a school.

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Weather & Alerts Check forecasts & closures
Weather Forecast
- Toronto Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon
  
  Tuesday 22 Jul
  
  21°C
  Possible shower.
  40% chance of rain
  
  Mostly sunny day. Medium chance of showers, most likely later tonight. Light winds.
  Fire Danger: No Rating
  UV Alert: Sun protection 12:00pm to 1:00pm, UV Index predicted to reach 3 [Moderate]
  
  Wednesday 23 Jul
  
  9°C → 21°C
  Shower or two.
  70% chance of rain
  0 → 3mm
  
  Partly cloudy. High chance of showers, most likely in the early morning. Light winds.
  
  Thursday 24 Jul
  
  3°C → 18°C
  Sunny.
  10% chance of rain
  
  Sunny. The chance of morning frost. Light winds.
  
  Friday 25 Jul
  
  3°C → 19°C
  Partly cloudy.
  30% chance of rain
  0 → 1mm
  
  Partly cloudy. The chance of fog and frost in the morning. Slight chance of a shower in the evening. Light winds.
  
  Saturday 26 Jul
  
  8°C → 18°C
  Showers.
  90% chance of rain
  3 → 10mm
  
  Cloudy. Very high chance of showers. Light winds becoming north to northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h during the day.
  
  Sunday 27 Jul
  
  7°C → 17°C
  Partly cloudy.
  20% chance of rain
  
  Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower. Winds northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h.
  
  Monday 28 Jul
  
  6°C → 18°C
  Mostly sunny.
  10% chance of rain
  
  Partly cloudy. Winds west to northwesterly 25 to 35 km/h.
  
  Forecast data thanks to © Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Alerts
- Parts of Sugarloaf State Conservation Area closed
  
  Parts of Sugarloaf State Conservation Area are closed for approved underground mining operations. The affected areas (see map) have been closed to protect visitor safety, because they're subject to subsidence and remediation activities from the mining operations.
  
  Great North walk remains open. An update will be provided should this situation change.
  
  If you're visiting the park, please be aware of subsidence and pollution incidents that took place in 2013, which were greater than what was expected from normal mining operations. These included a cliff fall in the north, and a subsidence and grout leak incident in the central part of Sugarloaf State Conservation Area.
  
  If you're planning to visit the park during this time, please stay on formed tracks and trails and observe all barriers, warning signs and safety messages. Areas subject to possible cliff fall or subsidence in both areas of the park are clearly marked.
  
  For more information, call the NPWS Lower Hunter area office on 02 4946 4100. NSW National Parks safety page.
  
  Alert kindly provided by © NSW Nataional Parks and Wildlife Service
- Major roadworks in Sugarloaf State Conservation Area
  
  Major roadworks are ongoing in Sugarloaf State Conservation Area. Partial and intermittent road closures should be expected.
  
  Visitors are asked to avoid the area (if possible). Otherwise, please be aware of trucks and machinery working on roads within Sugarloaf SCA and to drive to the conditions.
  
  For more information, please contact the NPWS Lower Hunter Area Office on 02 4946 4100.
  
  Alert kindly provided by © NSW Nataional Parks and Wildlife Service

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