Applelgum Walk - Crows Nest Caravan Park

Apple Gum Walk

Who could resist going down a track called "Apple Gum Walk"? It certainly has something to please everyone. Yes, it is dog friendly if they want to tag along and lots of locals walk their canine friends in this delightful area. It is very easy to find. Take some fruit for breakfast and head towards town by heading left from the park and cross the road just after the small footbridge.

Turn right into Bullocky's Rest and walk to the end of the rest area and then over the small footbridge. Bear left at the next fork, (do NOT head towards the school) cross the creek and keep going until you reach the Pump Hole. Have a peek and continue following the creek until you reach Bartmann's Reserve. There are toilets, tables and water here. A great spot for brekkie! About a 5 kms return walk if you don't go off the track too much.

If you are feeling energetic you can continue on over the creek and do a circuit of the hill. There is a rough mud map on a pole in the park. Don't be put off by the myriad of tracks as they just crisscross each other, and all eventually end up on the circular outer track, so you would be dead unlucky to get lost. In any case your Telstra phone works OK if you do happen to get lost!

You can do a circuit walk which comes back to a smaller reserve just west of Bartmann's, but within sight of it. All the tracks are great and you travel through a lovely unspoilt forest with a profusion of Grass Boys. The walk is a wee bit hilly at the start and not suitable for mountain bikes or those with dickie hips. You can take your dog on this section as well, but horses aren't allowed.

You can return to Crows Nest Caravan Park by simply retracing your steps or you can return via the village and perhaps pick up a paper or do a bit of shopping. Just walk up the steps in Bartmann's Reserve and follow the bitumen road until you reach the shopping centre.

The Crows Nest Council has shown a lot of vision in proceeding with this project started way back in 1992. Even though this is in bush, you meet women and young children walking on their own. Most reassuring. Both parks are neatly maintained by the council. Land Care and others are doing a fantastic job of eliminating lantana and prickly pear from the walk area.

Wildlife and native plants abound - walkers can glimpse brush turkey, pale headed rosellas, red necked wallaby, king parrot and if you are really lucky echidna. The waterbird habitat has been developed by the Council with the construction of two low weirs.

The route passes the site of the first state school, which lasted from 1880 to 1959, and air raid trenches which were erected in the school grounds during World War II. The next point of interest is the pump hole, where water was pumped to supply the butter factory. The stand on which the pump was mounted and some pipe can be still seen from the lookout.

Piggy Brown's Crossing is where a farmer, Robert "Piggy" Brown once herded his pigs across the creek to the saleyards. A section of the track near the old showgrounds contains exotic weed species such as tree pear, camphor laurel, privet, celtis and pepperina and extensive culling of these is progressing. A lot of hard work but totally worth it!

Further along is Sandstone Bluff. Extensive weathering of sandstone along Bald Hills Creek has created unusual shapes in the cliffs, on which clumps of basket fern are found. Hartmann Park covers 8 ha with walking tracks among heath lands. This part was donated to the council in the 1970's by Mr Hubert Hartmann. It provides excellent displays of wildflowers such as banksias, tea trees and trigger plants.

No matter what sort of environment you like - Apple Gum Walk has it all - scrub - rocky - creek!! Enjoy it!!