Mangrove Boardwalk to Schoolmasters House

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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 (-32.8447701,151.6973679)
Mode Car
Directions From , Hexham.

Track Notes Turn by turn instructions & maps

Turn map	Directions & comments
	Start. Then cross the bridge (about 530 m long) Then head through/around the gate. After another 185 m find the "Seat" (on your left). Seat A timber bench seat, 46cm high, 30cm deep and 1.97m wide with no arm or backrest. After another 70 m find the "Mangroves" (8 m on your left). Mangroves Mangroves are a type of resistant, salt tolerant and pretty cool tree. They are are a type of halophyte, a plant that grows in salty water. They are perfectly adapted for life in harsh coastal conditions and salt marshes like this one. The plants contain systems to manage the salt levels and root system to anchor in different areas from deep mud to rocky coastlines. The roots also have aerial shoots to help deal with the particular low oxygen levels of mud. The mangroves are great and environmentaly critical to the survival of many animals like crabs and birds.
	The starting point of an optional sidetrip. Follow the ‘Cobbans Creek’ arrow sign along the timber boardwalk, keeping the open area to the left. After about 40m, the boardwalk ends, and this walk heads along an asphalt path for about 10m to a seat and the ‘Sue’s Garden’ sign (both on the left). From here, this walk continues along the asphalt path for about 110m, passing two more seats and a picnic table (on the left) to cross a short timber bridge and come to the Cobbans Track T-intersection, marked by the ‘Cobbans Creek’ sign. At the end of this side trip, retrace your steps back to the main walk To start this optional side trip turn right here. On returning from this side trip turn right when you get back to this intersection. Details below. After another 175 m veer left. After another 25 m find the "Picnic Table" (on your left). Picnic Table A timber slat picnic table and bench seats. The table is 74cm high, 79cm deep and 1.9m wide. The seats are 43cm high, 19cm deep and 1.9m wide (no backrest). on a (4.2x4.2m) paved area, 5m from main track. After another 35 m come to "Schoolmasters House". Schoolmasters House The schoolmasterâ€™s house building is now used as the Kooragang Wetlands Information Centre. The building is open to the public (phone 02-4964 9308), with some interesting displays. Until 1955 there were over 50 families and this school in the area when the island was devastated by a massive flood then was taken under state control and was leased for grazing. The school opened in 1873 and closed in 1968. There are two main entrances. The back entrance has 3 14cm steps to get inside. "Kooragang Wetlands Information Centre". About 15 m past the end is a car park.
	Turn around here and retrace the main route for 590 m to get back to the start.

Follow the ‘Cobbans Creek’ arrow sign along the timber boardwalk, keeping the open area to the left. After about 40m, the boardwalk ends, and this walk heads along an asphalt path for about 10m to a seat and the ‘Sue’s Garden’ sign (both on the left). From here, this walk continues along the asphalt path for about 110m, passing two more seats and a picnic table (on the left) to cross a short timber bridge and come to the Cobbans Track T-intersection, marked by the ‘Cobbans Creek’ sign. At the end of this side trip, retrace your steps back to the main walk

Turn map	Directions & comments
	Start. Then cross the bridge (about 50 m long) Find the Picnic Table at the start. Picnic Table A timber slat picnic table and bench seats. The table is 74cm high, 79cm deep and 1.9m wide. The seats are 43cm high, 19cm deep and 1.9m wide (no backrest). on a (4.2x4.2m) paved area, 5m from main track. After 70 m find the "Seat" (8 m on your left). Seat A timber seat, 53cm high, 44cm deep and 1.9m wide with a 19cm high arm and 46cm backrest. The seat is 2m from the track over grass.
	After another 90 m come to the end. Turn around and retrace your steps back the 160 m to the main route.

Turn map

Directions & comments

Start.

Then cross the bridge (about 50 m long)

Find the Picnic Table at the start.

Picnic Table

A timber slat picnic table and bench seats. The table is 74cm high, 79cm deep and 1.9m wide. The seats are 43cm high, 19cm deep and 1.9m wide (no backrest). on a (4.2x4.2m) paved area, 5m from main track.

After 70 m find the "Seat" (8 m on your left).

Seat

A timber seat, 53cm high, 44cm deep and 1.9m wide with a 19cm high arm and 46cm backrest. The seat is 2m from the track over grass.

After another 90 m come to the end.

Turn around and retrace your steps back the 160 m to the main route.

Terrain Know the Hills, grading & facilities

Mangrove Boardwalk to Schoolmasters House

Grading

	Class 1/6 Smooth & flat
Length	1.2 km
Time	20 min to 30 min

Quality of track	Smooth and hardened path (1/6)
Gradient	Flat, no steps (1/6)
Signage	Clearly signposted (1/6)
Infrastructure	Generally useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats) (1/6)
Experience Required	No experience required (1/6)
Weather	Weather generally has little impact on safety (1/6)

Some facilities on route

Seat: There are 2 on route, on average they are 440 m apart with the largest gap of 720 m.

Order of key facilities on route

Item	From Start	Name & link to notes
Seat	285 m	Seat
Seat	530 m + 70 m	Seat

Weather & Alerts Check forecasts & closures
Weather Forecast
- Wallsend Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue
  
  Wednesday 30 April
  
  21°C
  Showers.
  80% chance of rain
  
  Cloudy. Very high chance of showers along the coastal fringe, high chance elsewhere. The chance of a thunderstorm. Winds southeast to southwesterly 15 to 25 km/h. Daytime maximum temperatures between 16 and 20.
  
  Alert: Large and powerful surf conditions are expected to be hazardous for coastal activities such as rock fishing, swimming and surfing.
  
  UV Alert: Sun protection 9:30am to 2:10pm, UV Index predicted to reach 5 [Moderate]
  
  Thursday 1 May
  
  11°C → 19°C
  Showers.
  90% chance of rain
  4 → 20mm
  
  Partly cloudy. Very high chance of showers near the coast, high chance elsewhere. The chance of a thunderstorm near the coast. Winds southeast to southwesterly 15 to 25 km/h. Overnight temperatures falling to between 8 and 12 with daytime temperatures reaching between 15 and 19.
  
  Alert: Large and powerful surf conditions are expected to be hazardous for coastal activities such as rock fishing, swimming and surfing.
  
  Friday 2 May
  
  11°C → 21°C
  Showers.
  80% chance of rain
  1 → 10mm
  
  Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm along the coastal fringe. Winds south to southeasterly 15 to 25 km/h becoming light during the evening. Overnight temperatures falling to between 8 and 12 with daytime temperatures reaching between 16 and 20.
  
  Saturday 3 May
  
  12°C → 23°C
  Shower or two.
  60% chance of rain
  0 → 3mm
  
  Partly cloudy. The chance of morning fog about the Upper Hunter. Medium chance of showers. Light winds becoming southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the evening. Overnight temperatures falling to between 7 and 12 with daytime temperatures reaching between 18 and 22.
  
  Sunday 4 May
  
  13°C → 24°C
  Shower or two.
  50% chance of rain
  0 → 2mm
  
  Shower or two.
  
  Monday 5 May
  
  13°C → 25°C
  Partly cloudy.
  20% chance of rain
  
  Partly cloudy.
  
  Tuesday 6 May
  
  12°C → 25°C
  Mostly sunny.
  20% chance of rain
  
  Mostly sunny.
  
  Forecast data thanks to © Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Alerts

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Start	(-32.8447701,151.6973679)
Mode	Car
Directions	From , Hexham.

Weather Forecast

Alerts