This walk takes you to a small but picturesque waterhole above Lovett Bay. You start with a short walk along a management trail, with an optional side track to an Aboriginal engraving site. Then continuing along the wide trail a little further, you'll turn left and following a couple of fainter tracks through the heath to the sandstone platform and creek. At the pool, there are a series of small cascades and a view over Lovett Bay, a lovely place for lunch before retracing your steps back to the car. Let us begin by acknowledging the Guringai people, Traditional Custodians of the land on which we travel today, and pay our respects to their Elders past and present.
Elvina Bay Track car park. | Photo by admin, 2010.Elvina Track trackhead gate. | Photo by admin, 2008.Elvina Track sign. | Photo by admin, 2010.Elvina Track near West Head Rd. | Photo by admin, 2008. Wild flower (Grevillea Speciosa) near West Head Rd . | Photo by admin, 2010.Coral Heath (Epacris microphylla) in early spring on Elvina Track. | Photo by admin, 2010.Intersection with Engraving track. | Photo by admin, 2010.Rock Engravings . | Photo by admin, 2008.Elvina Track near intersection with top of Fredricks track. | Photo by admin, 2010.Fredericks track intersection with management trail. | Photo by admin, 2010.Grey Spider Flower (Grevillea buxifolia) on Elvina Track. | Photo by admin, 2010.Wild Flowers on Elvina Track. | Photo by admin, 2010.Pink Spider Flwoer (Grevillea sericea) in spring on Elvina Track. | Photo by admin, 2010.Fredericks Track. | Photo by admin, 2010.Walking along Fredericks Track. | Photo by admin, 2010.Heath on Fredericks Track. | Photo by admin, 2010.Fredericks Track. | Photo by admin, 2010.Roots exposed on Fredericks Track. | Photo by admin, 2010.Banksia Forest along Lovetts Pool track. | Photo by admin, 2010.First Glimpse of Lovetts Pools. | Photo by admin, 2010.Wildflowers (Pink wax flower - Eriostemon australis) at Lovetts Pools. | Photo by admin, 2010.Lovetts Pools. | Photo by admin, 2010.Lovetts Pools looking towards the bay. | Photo by admin, 2010.Lovetts Pools. | Photo by admin, 2010.Smaller fall at Lovetts Pools. | Photo by admin, 2010.View over the Pittwater from Lovetts Pools. | Photo by admin, 2010.Small cascade at Lovetts Pools. | Photo by admin, 2010.
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.
Car (A park entry fee is required for driving into the park.)
Directions
From
Turn on to McCarrs Creek Road then drive for 25 m
At roundabout, take exit 2 onto McCarrs Creek Road and drive for another 5 km
Turn left onto West Head Road and drive for another 350 m
Turn slight left onto West Head Road and drive for another 2.4 km
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Track Notes
Turn by turn instructions & maps
Getting started From Elvina Track car park (on West Head Rd, 1.3km north of General San Martin Dr), this walk follows the management trail around the 'Elvina Track' locked gate, then past the 'Elvina Track' map sign (on the left). This walk continues along the management trail tending right through the scrubby bush. About 70m after leaving the locked gate, the walk comes to an intersection with a narrow track (on your right).....
Turn map
Directions & comments
At the intersection of Elvina Trail & West Head Road Start heading along Elvina Trail (a footpath).
After 65 m pass the car park (on your left).
The starting point of an optional sidetrip. An optional side trip to Rock Platform. To start this optional side trip veer right here. On returning from this side trip turn right when you get back to this intersection. Details below.
After another 120 m continue straight, to head along Elvina Trail.
After another 130 m (at the intersection of Elvina Trail & Fredricks Track) turn left, to head along Fredricks Track (a walking track).
After another 1.1 km turn left.
Continue another 165 m to find the end. Then turn around here and retrace the main route for 1.5 km to get back to the start.
"Lovett Pools".
Lovett Pools
Lovett Pools
Lovett Pools is the informal name for a lovely set of water holes and cascades at the top of a cliff, above Lovett Bay. The unnamed creek works its way along a sandstone platform forming a couple of larger pools and a series of cascades. There are also many smaller carved holes in the rock, adding interest for the budding geologists. The creek flows over a large cliff forming a tall waterfall just before the Pittwater. The rocks are slippery and there are many cliff edges, please take care.
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Lovett Pools is the informal name for a lovely set of water holes and cascades at the top of a cliff, above Lovett Bay. The unnamed creek works its way along a sandstone platform forming a couple of larger pools and a series of cascades. There are also many smaller carved holes in the rock, adding interest for the budding geologists. The creek flows over a large cliff forming a tall waterfall just before the Pittwater. The rocks are slippery and there are many cliff edges, please take care.
An optional side trip to Rock Platform.
Turn map
Directions & comments
Start.
After another 75 m come to the end.
About 15 m past the end is "Aboriginal Engraving Rock Platform".
Aboriginal Engraving Rock Platform
Aboriginal Engraving Rock Platform
On the northern end of the rock platform are rock carvings of an emu, large fish and a giant whale. Further to the south, the rock platform contains rock carvings of shields, wallabies, fish, eels, and other shapes that are not easily classified. The entire rock platform appears to have a rare erosional feature called tessellation. This occurs over many thousands of years, resulting in a rock surface that is eroding at different rates, creating divot holes and depressions.
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On the northern end of the rock platform are rock carvings of an emu, large fish and a giant whale. Further to the south, the rock platform contains rock carvings of shields, wallabies, fish, eels, and other shapes that are not easily classified. The entire rock platform appears to have a rare erosional feature called tessellation. This occurs over many thousands of years, resulting in a rock surface that is eroding at different rates, creating divot holes and depressions.
Turn around and retrace your steps back the 75 m to the main route.
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Terrain
Know the Hills, grading & facilities
Lovetts Pools
Grading
Class 4/6
Hard track
Length
3.1 km
Time
1 h 15 min to 2 h 30 min
Quality of track
Rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely (4/6)
Gradient
Gentle hills with occasional steps (2/6)
Signage
Minimal directional signs (4/6)
Infrastructure
Limited facilities (such as cliffs not fenced, significant creeks not bridged) (4/6)
