Great North Walk: Bumble Hill Dray Track (Greta Rd, Forest Road and Yarramalong)

This section of the Great North Walk explores a section of the historic Bumble Hill Dray track. You will walk along the edge of a ridge mostly through open, dry eucalypt forests and occasionally through moist ferny gullies as well as alongside the base of a tall rock wall. Bumble Hill Dray track was cut during the mid 1800’s to allow teams of bullocks to haul felled cedar to Mangrove Creek, where a barge would take it to Sydney. The oxen are now long gone, but this is a great way to lead into the small Yarramalong township. Let us begin by acknowledging the Awabakal people, Traditional Custodians of the land on which we travel today, and pay our respects to their Elders past and present.

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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	From the Greta Road (-33.2401512,151.247872)
Mode	Bus Car (There is free parking available.) Special (A bus School service runs along Yarramalong Rd from Wyong. Since this is a school bus service it only heads into Yarramalong twice a day. Phone Busway on (02) 4392 6666 to organise a pick up (they are happy to take passengers. More info)
Directions	From Pacific Motorway, M1 Turn on to Wyong Road Offramp then drive for 400 m Continue onto Wyong Road Offramp and drive for another 255 m Turn slight left onto Old Maitland Road and drive for another 3.6 km Turn left onto Yarramalong Road and drive for another 15.6 km Turn left onto Bumble Hill Road and drive for another 4.3 km
Finish	(-33.2241465,151.2784048)
Mode (end)	Car Shuttle Car (There is free parking available.)

Track Notes Turn by turn instructions & maps

Getting started
From the intersection, this walk follows the 'Great North Walk' sign over the fence using the stile. Here the walk follows a wide trail around the large tower, then follows the narrower track straight down the hill. The track crosses a small gully then leads up to follow a trail around the next tall tower. Here a GNW arrow post leads left, away from the trail and steeply downhill across another valley. The track then leads up to, and follows, another trail up to the other side of a third tower, to find an intersection marked with another GNW track on the other side of the tower.....

Turn map	Directions & comments
	From the Greta Road Start (a vehicle track).
	After another 270 m continue straight.
	After another 40 m continue straight.
	After another 185 m continue straight.
	After another 120 m turn right.
	After another 4.1 km (from the Bumble Hill Road) continue straight, to head along Bumble Hill Road (a highway\|tertiary). After another 540 m come to "Yarramalong Store". Yarramalong Store Yarramalong Store is good place to have lunch or pick up the basic food supplies. The store serves hot food including burgers, chips, pies etc as well as cold drinks. The store is open 7am to 7pm, 7 days a week. There is a pay phone outside and a tap to refill water, and the store has its own fuel pump. Phone on (02)4356 1222. The address is 1625 Yarramalong Rd, Yarramalong NSW 2259. I always encourage people to use local stores like this on track, but since it is a small store it is worth phoning ahead to see what they have what you want in stock. It is a small store so choice is limited.
	The end.

Terrain Know the Hills, grading & facilities

Great North Walk: Bumble Hill Dray Track (Greta Rd, Forest Road and Yarramalong)

Grading

	Class 4/6 Hard track
Length	5.3 km
Time	2 h 30 min to 2 h 45 min

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, not all cliffs are fenced (3/6)
Experience Required	Some bushwalking experience recommended (3/6)
Weather	Storms may impact on navigation and safety (3/6)

Articles Discover more details to thrive on track

Yarramalong Store
Yarramalong Store is good place to have lunch or pick up the basic food supplies. The store serves hot food including burgers, chips, pies etc as well as cold drinks. The store is open 7am to 7pm, 7 days a week. There is a pay phone outside and a tap to refill water, and the store has its own fuel pump. Phone on (02)4356 1222. The address is 1625 Yarramalong Rd, Yarramalong NSW 2259. I always encourage people to use local stores like this on track, but since it is a small store it is worth phoning ahead to see what they have what you want in stock. It is a small store so choice is limited.

Yarramalong Manor
Yarramalong Manor offers accommodation and a restaurant in the picturesque Yarramalong Valley. The restaurant is open to the public for breakfast & lunch (10am weekdays and 9am weekends) daily, and dinner Friday and Saturday. Yarramalong Manor has 6 guest rooms, each with ensuite, TV, fridge and tea & coffee making facilities. Tariffs for bed and breakfast start at $95 - single, $75/person - twin share. ph:(02) 4356 1066.

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Wildwalks

Weather & Alerts Check forecasts & closures
Weather Forecast
- Wyong Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon
  
  Monday 30 December
  
  Clear.
  
  Clear. Winds northeast to southeasterly 15 to 25 km/h becoming light in the late evening.
  
  Tuesday 31 December
  
  18°C → 28°C
  Partly cloudy.
  10% chance of rain
  
  Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers about the Upper Hunter, slight chance elsewhere. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon. Light winds becoming east to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h in the early afternoon then becoming light in the evening. Overnight temperatures falling to between 15 and 18 with daytime temperatures reaching 27 to 33.
  
  UV Alert: Sun protection 8:40am to 5:00pm, UV Index predicted to reach 11 [Extreme]
  
  Wednesday 1 January
  
  19°C → 30°C
  Mostly sunny.
  20% chance of rain
  
  Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower, most likely in the afternoon and early evening. The chance of a thunderstorm. Light winds becoming northwest to northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h in the late afternoon then becoming light in the evening. Overnight temperatures falling to between 15 and 18 with daytime temperatures reaching 29 to 35.
  
  Thursday 2 January
  
  19°C → 24°C
  Shower or two.
  50% chance of rain
  0 → 3mm
  
  Cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. The chance of a thunderstorm. Winds south to southeasterly 20 to 30 km/h. Overnight temperatures falling to between 16 and 19 with daytime temperatures reaching the low to mid 20s.
  
  Friday 3 January
  
  18°C → 25°C
  Cloudy.
  20% chance of rain
  
  Cloudy. Slight chance of a shower in the morning and afternoon. Winds south to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h tending east to southeasterly during the morning then becoming light during the evening. Overnight temperatures falling to between 13 and 17 with daytime temperatures reaching 24 to 29.
  
  Saturday 4 January
  
  17°C → 29°C
  Sunny.
  5% chance of rain
  
  Sunny.
  
  Sunday 5 January
  
  19°C → 33°C
  Mostly sunny.
  20% chance of rain
  
  Mostly sunny.
  
  Monday 6 January
  
  21°C → 35°C
  Possible shower.
  40% chance of rain
  0 → 2mm
  
  Possible shower.
  
  Forecast data thanks to © Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
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