Cycling and walking
Gloucester Region:
The Babbler Walk
Download the Babbler Walk(PDF, 451KB)
Grey-crowned Babblers are medium sized birds that spend much of their time foraging on the ground or on the trunks of rough barked gum trees. They have distinctive curved black beaks with a black line from the beak through the eye, prominent white eyebrows, a central grey headstripe and white ends to their tail feathers. They are poor flyers and can generally be seen hopping on the ground in groups of two to twenty individuals. They are very gregarious they keep up a constant chatter when foraging and a loud and repeated “Yahoo” call when separated. Each group has a matriarch who is the sole breeder of the group, whilst all the family members help to feed the chicks.
The Babbler Habitat Area
The Babbler Habitat Area has been created and fenced to protect our locally threatened bird, the Grey-crowned Babbler (Pomatostomus temporalis). Although these Babblers have a wide distribution throughout NSW, their continued presence is in danger east of the Divide, and particularly in the Gloucester Shire. Numbers have declined recently and are disappeared from large parts of their range as a result of land-clearing practices that leave habitats fragmented. When groups become isolated, numbers decline to a level where they can no longer breed successfully. We are fortunate to have a number of family groups of this bird living within the Gloucester township area. Located off Cemetery Road, the Babbler Habitat Area has been fenced to protect these threatened species from animals that live in urban areas such as foxes, cats and dogs, and to maintain the habitat in which the birds live and breed. The Babbler Walk has also been constructed adjacent to the Babbler Habitat Area with information signs and seats to relax and view the Babblers. Early morning is the best time!
Babbler Habitat Fence
Located off Cemetery Road, the Babbler Habitat Area has been fenced to protect these threatened species from animals that live in urban areas such as foxes, cats and dogs, and to maintain the habitat in which the birds live and breed. The Babbler Walk has also been constructed adjacent to the Babbler Habitat Area with information signs and seats to relax and view the Babblers. Early morning is the best time!
Did you know?
Grey-crowned Babblers constantly build round stick nests and the whole family roosts in one every night. Old nests are often used by other birds:
Boomerang Discovery Walk
The Gloucester Boomerang Discovery Walk is an easy self-guided stroll through Gloucester District Park; a fabulous collection of sporting fields, display gardens, riverside picnic areas and playgrounds.
Information along the way highlights many interesting features of this relaxing walk.
The Boomerang Discovery Walk acknowledges the Worimi people, the original inhabitants of this land.
Walking at a leisurely pace, an hour is all you need to enjoy the Gloucester District Park along the Boomerang Discovery Walk — have fun!
Bucketts Walk
The Bucketts Scenic Walk begins about 1km west of Gloucester just off the Bucketts Road.
The walk tales about 1.5 hours to complete, giving good views of the Gloucester township and surrounding area.
The ascent is hard, but well worth the effort. Ferns and Orchids can be seen during the climb, as well as Wedgetailed Eagles.
It is possible to continue the walk beyond the end of the official walk, however, extreme care should be taken as there are some steep drops and loose material underfoot.
Wildlife in the area includes the Wallaroo, Red-necked Wallaby, Burtons Lizard and Peregrine Falcons.
A good 30km drive can be had by continuing along the Bucketts Road. Continue along the road and then turn right onto Faulkland Road, just after crossing the Gloucester River.
The Gloucester River is crossed a further two times before Faulkland House is reached. Here turn right and cross the river once more, before turning right onto the road leading back to Barrington and Gloucester.
Great Lakes Region
Forster Tuncurry Transport Access Guides
These guides combine walking, cycling and public transport routes for certain areas in Forster Tuncurry onto one easy take-along map. These guides can be viewed, printed or downloaded by clicking on the links below.
Cycling Map of Forster/Tuncurry
We have created special cycling routes in and around Forster.
Walking Map of Forster/Tuncurry
For those who prefer a slightly slower pace, take a look at the walking map. It contains various walks which make the most of our wonderful waterways and coastline.
Tea Gardens
The beautiful township of Tea Gardens is another brilliant place to go for a bike ride. The map below also includes some very picturesque walking routes.
Manning Valley Region
Old Bar Cycleway
A continuous cycle track from the Pacific Highway at Purfleet to Old Bar Beach.
The cycleway will is accessible from footpaths in Medowie Road, Berber Road and Harrogate Lane. At Follies Road, the path joins a series of existing trails through Khappinghat National Park and Kiwarrak State Forest. The track provides both local and visiting cycling enthusiasts the opportunity to enjoy social rides between Taree and Old Bar Beach, as well as access from Old Bar to the Kiwarrak Mountain Bike Park.
Maps:
Fotheringham Park to Andrews Reserve Bike Route
This route is family oriented easy ride section of Taree. The ride follows the bike path signs and road stencils from Fotheringham Park to the Edinburgh Drive turn off, where the road then continues via a quiet residential area and on through flat green dairying and turf farms irrigated by the Manning River.
A short stop can be made at the early Taree pioneers memorial located in a park off Edinburgh Drive, as marked on the map.
Andrews Reserve is a park built and maintained by the Lions Club of Taree on the banks of the beautiful Manning River with views across to the historic town of Tinonee, and is the site of the old ferry crossing. It has a good beach for swimming, a boat ramp and a number of well-maintained picnic tables and toilets.
Brimbin Reserve Bike Route
Download the route(PDF, 221KB)
This ride is approximately 15kms. A basically flat ride through quiet back roads of Taree then through the rural hinterland between Wingham and Taree.
Some slight grades encountered once on Cedar Party but nothing long or steep. Once in the Brimbin National Park the road is dirt, 4 kms, but all the rest is sealed.
No shops available en route, so plenty of drinks should be taken along with lunch. A visit can be made to the Woola Road Pioneer Cemetery which is situated approximately half way along Woola Road.
Plenty undercover areas and picnic tables with BBQ facilities are available in the park, also toilets.