It was nice to walk with two old bushwalking friends – Keith and Chris (who I did a lot of walking with in my early days in Sydney University Bushwalkers back in the mid 1970’s). Keith organised a walk in his local area from Toongabbie to Westmead mainly via Toongabbie Creek, which is a major tributary of the Parramatta River.
We met at Toongabbie Station and were soon underway. We walked along a road to arrive at Pendle Creek that leads to Girraween Creek which in turn flows into Toongabbie Creek.
As usual, for creeks here – they are concrete storm water channels.
Here is where Pendle Creek joins Girraween Creek.
And a little further downstream, this is where Girraween Creek joins Toongabbie Creek. Just upstream in Toongabbie Creek is a large floodwater retention basin.
Much of the route we followed downstream is the same as that used for the Great West Walk.
Downstream, Toongabbie Creek is a lot more natural.
Dusky Moorhen
Keith knew this country well and had researched its early history. At one point, we crossed over Toongabbie Creek and bit upstream to visit these old steps, the lower ones are thought to be hewn by convicts.
Here is a Rainbow Lorikeet in a hollow –
Maned Ducks
Satin Bowerbird
Here the track took us past an old quarry.
Willie Wagtail
Robin Hood Reserve
King Parrot
Brush Turkey and its mound.
This is Toongabbie Creek close to where we left it and walked to Westmead Staton with a lunch stop at a cafe alone the way.
Many thanks to Keith for organising the walk, and it was a good chance to get together once again.