To get to the Lower Grose Valley area of Blue Mountains National Park:

From Sydney:

• Take the M2 and Windsor Road to Richmond, then Bells Line of Road.
• Or head west on the M4 and Great Western Highway towards Lithgow.
• The Great Western Highway and Bells Line of Road are connected between Springwood and Richmond via Hawkesbury, Springwood and Castlereagh Roads.

From Lithgow:

• Follow the Great Western Highway east toward Sydney
• Or follow Chifley Road from Lithgow which becomes the Bells Line of Road.

Parking

• Vale of Avoca lookout See on map

Road quality

• Mixture of sealed and unsealed roads

Parking

• Parking is limited at trail heads.

By bike

• Visit Transport for NSW for cycling and bike transport information.

By public transport

• Regular daily trains run from Sydney Central Station to Faulconbridge and Woodford. The trip takes around 1.5hrs. Visit Transport for NSW to plan your trip.
• You’ll need to walk or ride between 2.5km and 5.5km to the national park tracks and trails.

The Lower Grose Valley area is a great place to visit at any time of year. Here are some of the highlights.

Autumn

Dry weather and clear skies make this a great time to pack up the 4WD and enjoy a night by the campfire at Burralow Creek campground. After a day exploring, gaze up at the starry skies and try to spot the nocturnal wildlife. During the day, keep an eye out for spotted quail-thrush at Blue Gum Swamp, near Winmalee. You may see male lyrebirds put on a vocal display to attract females.

Spring

From late September, iconic red waratahs bloom in the lower Blue Mountains, making this the perfect time to 4WD to Burralow Creek or visit Bowen Mountain. Springtime is a feast for the senses along Faulconbridge Ridge trail, which is lined with yellow pea flowers, pink boronias, and the creamy flowers of bloodwood and tea tree. Add a few birds to your twitch list at Blue Gum Swamp, such as the red-browed treecreeper or scarlet honeyeater. Why not try your luck fishing for bass in the lower Grose River between spring and early summer (licence required).

Summer

On a hot summer’s day, escape to the dappled shade of Blue Gum Swamp or the cool rainforest gullies along Transit of Venus walk. After summer rain, the trickling waterfalls turn to flowing cascades with refreshing sprays over the rock overhangs. If water levels are high (and safe), it’s possible to kayak from the Hawkesbury River around 5km upstream along the Grose River. You can also walk down the steep, unmarked track from Vale of Avoca lookout to reach the Grose River, where you can go liloing.

Winter

Breathe in the fresh mountain air and soak in the solitude on a winter walk. Breeze along mountain bike ride along trails lined with yellow wattle. Afterwards, warm up at one of the nearby mountain village cafes. Winter-flowering heath banksia and hair-pin banksia are important food sources for animals and birds when little else is flowering.

Toilets

• Burralow Creek campground and picnic area

Barbecue facilities

• Burralow Creek campground and picnic area

• Lower Grose Valley area factsheet
• Lower Grose Valley area map (4MB pdf)

Animals

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  Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)

  One of the most renowned Australian animals, the tree-dwelling marsupial koala can be found in gum tree forests and woodlands across eastern NSW, Victoria and Queensland, as well as in isolated regions in South Australia. With a vice-like grip, this perhaps most iconic but endangered Australian animal lives in tall eucalypts within a home range of several hectares.

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  Yellow-tailed black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus funereus)

  The yellow-tailed black cockatoo is one of the largest species of parrot. With dusty-black plumage, they have a yellow tail and cheek patch. They’re easily spotted while bird watching, as they feed on seeds in native forests and pine plantations.

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  Common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula)

  One of the most widespread of Australian tree-dwelling marsupials, the common brushtail possum is found across most of NSW in woodlands, rainforests and urban areas. With strong claws, a prehensile tail and opposable digits, these native Australian animals are well-adapted for life amongst the trees.

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  Common ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus)

  Commonly found in forests, woodlands and leafy gardens across eastern NSW, the Australian ringtail possum is a tree-dwelling marsupial. With a powerful tail perfectly adapted to grasp objects, it forages in trees for eucalypt leaves, flowers and fruit.

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  Wedge-tailed eagle (Aquila audax)

  With a wingspan of up to 2.5m, the wedge-tailed eagle is Australia’s largest bird of prey. These Australian animals are found in woodlands across NSW, and have the ability to soar to heights of over 2km. If you’re bird watching, look out for the distinctive diamond-shaped tail of the eagle.

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  Swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor)

  The swamp wallaby, also known as the black wallaby or black pademelon, lives in the dense understorey of rainforests, woodlands and dry sclerophyll forest along eastern Australia. This unique Australian macropod has a dark black-grey coat with a distinctive light-coloured cheek stripe.

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  Sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps)

  The sugar glider is a tree-dwelling Australian native marsupial, found in tall eucalypt forests and woodlands along eastern NSW. The nocturnal sugar glider feeds on insects and birds, and satisfies its sweet tooth with nectar and pollens.

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  Superb lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae)

  With a complex mimicking call and an elaborate courtship dance to match, the superb lyrebird is one of the most spectacular Australian animals. A bird watching must-see, the superb lyrebird can be found in rainforests and wet woodlands across eastern NSW and Victoria.

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  Eastern bentwing-bat (Miniopterus schreibersii oceanensis)

  Eastern bentwing-bats congregate in caves across the east and north-west coasts of Australia, in colonies of up to 150,000. These small Australian animals weigh around 13-17g and can reach speeds of up to 50km per hour. Eastern bentwing-bats use both sight and echolocation to catch small insects mid-air.

Plants

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  Flannel flower (Actinotus helianthi)

  The delicate flannel flower is so named because of the soft woolly feel of the plant. Growing in the NSW south coast region, extending to Narrabri in the Central West and up to south-east Queensland, its white or pink flowers bloom all year long, with an extra burst of colour in the spring.

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  Scribbly gum (Eucalyptus haemastoma)

  Easily identifiable Australian native plants, scribbly gum trees are found throughout NSW coastal plains and hills in the Sydney region. The most distinctive features of this eucalypt are the ‘scribbles’ made by moth larva as it tunnels between the layers of bark.

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  Grass tree (Xanthorrea spp.)

  An iconic part of the Australian landscape, the grass tree is widespread across eastern NSW. These Australian native plants have a thick fire-blackened trunk and long spiked leaves. They are found in heath and open forests across eastern NSW. The grass tree grows 1-5m in height and produces striking white-flowered spikes which grow up to 1m long.

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  Old man banksia (Banksia serrata)

  Hardy Australian native plants, old man banksias can be found along the coast, and in the dry sclerophyll forests and sandstone mountain ranges of NSW. With roughened bark and gnarled limbs, they produce a distinctive cylindrical yellow-green banksia flower which blossoms from summer to early autumn.

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  Waratah (Telopea speciosissima)

  The beautiful waratah is not only the NSW floral emblem, it's also one of the best-known Australian native plants. This iconic Australian bush flower can be found on sandstone ridges around Sydney, in nearby mountain ranges and on the NSW South Coast. The waratah has a vibrant crimson flowerhead, measuring up to 15cm across, and blossoms in spring.

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  Wonga wonga vine (Pandorea pandorana)

  The wonga wonga vine is a widespread vigorous climber usually found along eastern Australia. A variation of the plant occurs in the central desert, where it resembles a sprawling shrub. One of the more common Australian native plants, the wonga wonga vine produces bell-shaped white or yellow flowers in the spring, followed by a large oblong-shaped seed pod.