Balaka Falls - an attractive broad waterfall helped by the morning rain
Seventeen plus walkers assembled in the rain at Wyburn Ave Carlingford ready for a short car shuffle to Haines Ave Carlingford and the start of the walk. As we prepared to walk, the rain miraculously cleared, to not return for the entire day. The walk commenced with dropping down and under the M2 in a dark tunnel. Then 1.3km of fire trail (joining onto the Murri Yanna Track) changed to a walking track following the Darling Mills Creek downstream. Luckily the morning rain had not significantly impacted a creek crossing.
Murri Yanna Track which followed the Darling Mills Creek downstream
After 3km, there was an option of another creek crossing (plus one more soon after), or an uphill and downhill scramble assisted by some chains thoughtfully strung along the path. We opted for the scramble to avoid these two creek crossings.
After going beneath Renown Rd and the M2 (again), the morning tea spot was reached at the huge concrete wall forming the North Rocks Flood Retarding Basin. This 30m high wall built in 1995 mitigates downstream flooding by reducing flow to what can fit through a hole in the wall. We walked through this hole.
All seventeen walkers ready to head through the hole in the wall and the two photos below having exited through the hole in the wall
The walk continued along the Murri Yanna track with some scrambling at times, still following Darling Mills Creek. We then followed the Orange Pye loop to North Rocks Road at Whitbread Place. Orange Pye Loop was the site in the1800’s of James Pye’s citrus orchard. This was the end of Bidjigal Reserve before crossing North Rocks Road and entering Lake Parramatta Reserve. The route travels anticlockwise around Lake Parramatta and below the curved arch dam wall to reach the lunch spot in the Lake Parramatta picnic area. The dam wall was completed in 1856 and is reported to be the second engineered arch dam design built in the world. It originally supplied water to Parramatta.
Walkers taking in the view as we walked anticlockwise around Lake Parramatta
Heading up to the dam wall viewing platform and lunch
Our very welcome lunch spot overlooking Lake Parramatta..........only another 6km to the end of the walk!
After lunch, the walk continued north along the eastern side of Lake Parramatta to the Upper Hunts Creek Crossing. We then left Lake Parramatta and continued upstream along Hunts Creek. The track entered the lower grounds of The King’s School, for which permission to traverse had been granted.
Now on the eastern side we followed the Arrunga Bardoo Walk and Upper Lake Track to Upper Hunts Creek Crossing
After crossing Bettington Road and Northam Drive through Hunts Creek Reserve, a short walk and another creek crossing brought us to Balaka Falls – an attractive broad waterfall helped by the morning rain.
Pretty Balaka Falls Fungi The final stretch crossed over the top of Balaka Falls and on to the starting point at Wyburn Ave, Carlingford. After 17km in warm and muggy conditions, most proceeded to Clover Café at North Rocks Shopping Centre for a variety of well-earned refreshments. 
LEADERS: Rick and Deidre WALKERS: Alan, Carolyn, Celia, Hazel, Janet, Jenny C, Leah, Nick S, Peter T, Polly, Pragati, Sophie, Wendy C, William and first time visitor Abigail.
First Aid: Peter T and Sophie
Tail End: William
Words Rick
Photos: Peter T (1, 3, 6-13, 20, 22), Nick S (2, 4, 5) Rick (14, 21), Deidre (15, 19), Hazel (16-18)
Satellite map with track Route map - we followed the green ribbons within suburbia
............and we walked through the hole in the huge concrete wall forming the North Rock Retarding Basin 