Great North Walk - Palm Grove Nature Reserve

Palm Grove Nature Reserve offers a captivating snapshot of the Great North Walk, a renowned 250km track stretching between Sydney and Newcastle. Located in the Ourimbah Creek valley, a few kilometers northwest of Gosford, this 240-hectare reserve is easily accessible and teems with natural beauty. The walk immerses you in diverse landscapes, from open forests of Sydney blue gums and ironbarks to a lush rainforest environment. Towering cabbage tree palms, corkwood, sassafras and giant strangler figs flourish alongside ferns, vines and orchids. The calls of native frogs, including the red-eyed green tree frog and stuttering frog, resonate throughout the reserve, especially after rainfall. Birdwatchers can spot over 80 species, including threatened birds such as masked and powerful owls. Historically, the Ourimbah Creek area was a hub for early European settlers in the 1820s, with red cedar and turpentine harvested for construction. The reserve also holds evidence of early Aboriginal occupation, including axe-grinding grooves in sandstone outcrops. Today, Palm Grove Nature Reserve is recognized as a significant conservation area, protecting unique plants and wildlife. Interpretative signs along the track enhance the experience, offering insights into the local flora and fauna.