Cawleys Road trail
Garawarra State Conservation Area
Overview
Cawleys Road trail is a wide, well-formed track popular for bushwalking, mountain biking and horse riding in Garawarra State Conservation Area, near Helensburgh.
- Distance
- 2.4km one-way
- Time suggested
- 45min - 1hr 15min
- Grade
- Grade 5
- What to
bring - Drinking water, hat, sunscreen
- Please note
- Mountain bikers and horse riders share this path with bushwalkers. Please be considerate to other trail users.
- Remember to take your binoculars if you want to go birdwatching
Need a place to head out hiking or go mountain biking? Cawleys Road trail starts just off the old highway near Helensburgh and heads through low, open forest filled with scribbly gums, banksias and waratahs. It’s a wide track, surfaced with bitumen and gravel, generally flat, and suitable for all walking, mountain biking, cycling or horse riding levels.
Stop for a breather and lunch beside a beautiful series of waterfalls cascading into a rainforest gully. Those who are mountain biking can also explore some of the other trails connecting to Cawleys Road trail.
Among the scribbly gums and waratahs, you’re likely to see swamp wallabies or echidnas. Honeyeaters and wattlebirds are also attracted by many of the wildflowers, including Gymea lilies, grevilleas and banksias.
Map
Map legend
Local alerts
For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/walking-tracks/cawleys-road-trail/local-alerts
General enquiries
- National Parks Contact Centre
- 7am to 7pm daily
- 1300 072 757 (13000 PARKS) for the cost of a local call within Australia excluding mobiles
- parks.info@environment.nsw.gov.au
Park info
- in Garawarra State Conservation Area in the Sydney and surrounds and South Coast regions
Garawarra is open sunrise to sunset but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
Visitor info
All the practical information you need to know about Cawleys Road trail.
Track grading
Features of this track
Distance
2.4km one-way
Time
45min - 1hr 15min
Quality of markings
No directional signage
Experience required
No experience required
Gradient
Gentle hills
Steps
No steps
Quality of path
Formed track
Getting there and parking
Get driving directions
Cawleys Road trail is in the western precinct of Garawarra State Conservation Area. To get there:
- From the F6, take the Helensburgh exit and continue along Parkes Street until you reach the roundabout in the middle of the shopping centre. Continue east along Parkes Street down to Helensburgh Station.
- Drive past the station and to the end of Wilson’s Creek Road to a bridge over the railway line
- Park your car on the roadside, then walk over the bridge into the reserve and the trail on the western side of this bridge is Cawleys Road.
Parking
Parking is available on Wilsons Creek Road or along the Old Princes Highway between Waterfall and Garawarra Hospital.
Best times to visit
There are lots of great things waiting for you in Garawarra State Conservation Area. Here are some of the highlights.
Spring
Blooming wildflowers bring large numbers of birds, making it a perfect time for birdwatching.
Summer
Beautiful weather for bushwalking and cycling, particularly early in the day.
Winter
Clear days, cool weather and low rainfall are perfect for bushwalking.
Weather, temperature and rainfall
Summer temperature
Average
17°C and 27°C
Highest recorded
42°C
Winter temperature
Average
7°C and 18°C
Lowest recorded
-0.6°C
Rainfall
Wettest month
March
Driest month
September
The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day
254.5mm
Maps and downloads
Prohibited
Camp fires and solid fuel burners
No fires are allowed in this reserve
Pets
Pets and domestic animals (other than certified assistance animals) are not permitted. Find out which regional parks allow dog walking and see the pets in parks policy for more information.
Smoking
NSW national parks are no smoking areas.
Learn more
Cawleys Road trail is in Garawarra State Conservation Area. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:
Activity central
Trails weave through 900ha of Garawarra bushland, down into Hacking River gullies and up to scenic lookouts. These trails connect with other bushwalking trails in neighbouring Royal and Heathcote national parks. If cycling or bushwalking are on the agenda for your retreat into nature, then be sure to take your bicycle and hiking boots with you. Feeling more adventurous? Check out the scenic bridle trails for some horse riding in the reserve, west of Helensburgh.
- Cawleys Road trail Cawleys Road trail is a wide, well-formed track popular for bushwalking, mountain biking and horse riding in Garawarra State Conservation Area, near Helensburgh.
- Kellys Falls picnic area Kellys Falls picnic area is a network of walking trails, cascading waterfalls and scenic lookouts within Garawarra State Conservation Area between Sydney and Wollongong, near Helensburgh.
The sights and sounds of nature
Wildflowers are a huge attraction for the area's birds and birdwatchers alike. Wattlebirds, known for the 'wattles' hanging from their cheeks or throats, are abundant. Listen out for unusual noises while bird watching; they could be coming from the lyrebird - the NPWS emblem. Common in the reserve, these ground-dwellers mimic sounds, both natural and artificial.
- Cawleys Road trail Cawleys Road trail is a wide, well-formed track popular for bushwalking, mountain biking and horse riding in Garawarra State Conservation Area, near Helensburgh.
- Kellys Falls picnic area Kellys Falls picnic area is a network of walking trails, cascading waterfalls and scenic lookouts within Garawarra State Conservation Area between Sydney and Wollongong, near Helensburgh.
Wilderness zone
Garawarra State Conservation Area borders Royal National Park and, along with the Nasho, was added to the National Heritage list in 2006. With its close proximity to the ocean and temperate climate, a number of environments flourish in this park, including open heath, eucalypt forests and subtropical forests. In late winter and early spring, the area comes alive with colour as banksias, Christmas bells and wattles bloom.