Hunter Lookout and Great North Walk loop

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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	(-32.9623348,151.4138597)
Mode	Car (There is free parking available.)
Directions	From Pacific Motorway, M1 Turn on to Palmers Road Exit then drive for 570 m Turn right onto Palmers Road Exit and drive for another 290 m Turn slight left onto Palmers Road and drive for another 3.1 km At roundabout, take exit 2 onto Freemans Drive, B82 and drive for another 7.9 km Turn sharp left onto Sandy Creek Road and drive for another 9.6 km Turn left onto Heaton Road and drive for another 6.6 km Keep left onto Bakers Road and drive for another 175 m Turn left onto Bakers Road and drive for another 930 m Continue onto Bakers Road and drive for another 700 m

Track Notes Turn by turn instructions & maps

Getting started
From the picnic area, this walk heads north, past the metal gate to the intersection of Bakers Road.
Veer left: From the Hunter Lookout picnic area (on Bakers Road), this walk follows Bakers Road north and gently downhill, while keeping Hunter Lookout on your left. The walk continues for about 400m until coming to a Y-intersection (Bakers Road loop).
Continue straight: From the intersection (Bakers Road Loop), this walk follows the track gently uphill, while keeping the other end of Bakers Road Loop to your right, gently downhill. The walk follows the road for about 130m until coming to Macleans Lookout.....

Turn map	Directions & comments
	Start. Find the picnic table at the start. There is a car park (about 20 m back from the start). After another 35 m head through/around the gate.
	After another 15 m continue straight, to head along Bakers Road.
	After another 440 m continue straight, to head along Bakers Road. After another 285 m to find the car park.
	Continue straight, to head along Bakers Road. After another 20 m find the "Mcleans Lookout" (45 m on your left). Mcleans Lookout McLeans Lookout offers magnificent views of the valleys in Heaton State Forest. Located on Bakers Road, this fenced lookout also has picnic facilities including tables with seats and open grassy areas. Then pass the picnic table (10 m on your left).
	After another 40 m continue straight. After another 600 m come to the viewpoint (15 m on your left). At the intersection of Watagan Track & Glen Road continue straight, to head along Watagan Track.
	After another 780 m veer right.
	After another 320 m veer right, to head along Great North Walk.
	After another 410 m (at the intersection of Great North Walk & Hammonds Road) turn right, to head along Hammonds Road (a vehicle track).
	After another 400 m (at the intersection of Foresters Road & Hammonds Road) veer left, to head along Hammonds Road.
	After another 400 m (at the intersection of Hermitts Road & Hammonds Road) continue straight, to head along Hammonds Road.
	After another 195 m (at the intersection of Rockey Point Road & Hammonds Road) turn right, to head along Rockey Point Road.
	After another 430 m (at the intersection of Hermitts Road & Rockey Point Road) turn left, to head along Rockey Point Road. After another 105 m find the "Rocky Creek Campsite" (8 m on your left). Rocky Creek Campsite This campsite provides ample room for a few tents and a campfire, and there is a small creek a short distance away, which often provides opportunity to boil up some drinking water (may dry out at times).
	After another 430 m (at the intersection of Bakers Road & Rockey Point Road) turn right, to head along Bakers Road. After another 400 m (at the intersection of Glen Road & Bakers Road) continue straight, to head along Bakers Road.
	After another 180 m continue straight. After another 20 m head through/around the gate. After another 90 m pass the toilet (6 m on your right). About 10 m past the end is "Hunter Lookout". Hunter Lookout Hunter Lookout can be found on Bakers Road, along the Great North Walk. This fenced lookout has everything you will need snack-stop, including toilets, picnic tables, chairs and wood-fired barbecues. This lookout has fantastic views over much of the Hunter region. In 2010, a series of vandalism attacks occurred on the water tank, so water is no longer available at Hunter Lookout.
	The end.

Terrain Know the Hills, grading & facilities

Hunter Lookout and Great North Walk loop

Grading

	Class 4/6 Hard track
Length	5.4 km
Time	2 h 15 min to 3 h

Quality of track	Rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely (4/6)
Gradient	Very steep (4/6)
Signage	Minimal directional signs (4/6)
Infrastructure	Limited facilities (such as cliffs not fenced, significant creeks not bridged) (4/6)
Experience Required	Moderate level of bushwalking experience recommended (4/6)
Weather	Weather generally has little impact on safety (1/6)

Some facilities on route

Campsite: There is one 4.3 km from the start.

Toilet: There is one 5.4 km from the start.

Order of key facilities on route

Item	From Start	Name & link to notes
Campsite	4.3 km	Rocky Creek Campsite
Toilet	5.4 km	[toilet]

Articles Discover more details to thrive on track

Hunter Lookout
Hunter Lookout can be found on Bakers Road, along the Great North Walk. This fenced lookout has everything you will need snack-stop, including toilets, picnic tables, chairs and wood-fired barbecues. This lookout has fantastic views over much of the Hunter region. In 2010, a series of vandalism attacks occurred on the water tank, so water is no longer available at Hunter Lookout.

Mcleans Lookout
McLeans Lookout offers magnificent views of the valleys in Heaton State Forest. Located on Bakers Road, this fenced lookout also has picnic facilities including tables with seats and open grassy areas.

Rocky Creek Campsite
This campsite provides ample room for a few tents and a campfire, and there is a small creek a short distance away, which often provides opportunity to boil up some drinking water (may dry out at times).

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Weather & Alerts Check forecasts & closures
Weather Forecast
- Toronto Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue
  
  Tuesday 24 December
  
  Clear.
  
  Clear. Winds east to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h.
  
  Alert: Large and powerful surf conditions for the rest of the day are expected to be hazardous for coastal activities such as rock fishing, swimming and surfing.
  
  Wednesday 25 December
  
  15°C → 28°C
  Mostly sunny.
  5% chance of rain
  
  Sunny. Light winds becoming east to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h in the late afternoon then becoming light in the late evening. Overnight temperatures falling to between 10 and 15 with daytime temperatures reaching 28 to 34.
  
  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 8:40am to 5:00pm, UV Index predicted to reach 11 [Extreme]
  
  Thursday 26 December
  
  16°C → 32°C
  Sunny.
  5% chance of rain
  
  Sunny. Light winds becoming northwest to northeasterly 15 to 25 km/h in the middle of the day. Overnight temperatures falling to between 13 and 16 with daytime temperatures reaching 32 to 38.
  
  Friday 27 December
  
  20°C → 39°C
  Shower or two.
  50% chance of rain
  0 → 2mm
  
  Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon and evening. The chance of a thunderstorm. Winds northwest to northeasterly 15 to 25 km/h becoming northwesterly 30 to 45 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the evening. Overnight temperatures falling to the low 20s with daytime temperatures reaching 36 to 41.
  
  Saturday 28 December
  
  18°C → 27°C
  Possible shower.
  40% chance of rain
  0 → 1mm
  
  Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower in the morning. Winds southeast to southwesterly 15 to 20 km/h tending northwest to southwesterly during the afternoon then tending northeast to southeasterly during the evening. Overnight temperatures falling to between 15 and 19 with daytime temperatures reaching 27 to 35.
  
  Sunday 29 December
  
  17°C → 28°C
  Partly cloudy.
  20% chance of rain
  
  Partly cloudy.
  
  Monday 30 December
  
  18°C → 29°C
  Partly cloudy.
  30% chance of rain
  0 → 1mm
  
  Partly cloudy.
  
  Tuesday 31 December
  
  18°C → 32°C
  Possible shower.
  40% chance of rain
  0 → 3mm
  
  Possible shower.
  
  Forecast data thanks to © Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
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