Six walkers met at Adamstown station, Newcastle on a sunny warm Autumn morning for this walk. The Adamstown to Teralba section of the Great North Walk offers walkers a diverse journey through Newcastle's urban fringe into the natural beauty of the Lake Macquarie region. This segment combines suburban pathways, bushland trails, and scenic lake views.
The first 3.5 kms was along the paved Fernleigh Track (the former Belmont rail line) up the hill and through the tunnel to Burwood Road.
At this point, we turned right to join the Great North Walk (GNW) where the track continues through attractive bushland alongside Flaggy Creek. The track eventually emerges into the streets of Charlestown and crosses the Pacific Highway near Charlestown Square shopping centre. We decided to have our morning tea stop in the park here. Several walkers left the group briefly to purchase take away coffees from the Charlestown Club but rejoined the group soon after where we all enjoyed a rest in the shade.
We were soon heading back downhill through bushland, going under the link road, beside Charlestown Golf Course and into more bushland with many tracks going in all directions. Luckily however the GNW is now reasonably well marked with quite a lot of new signage which helped the leaders to navigate the track.
Entrance to old rail tunnelon Fernleigh Track
All 6 Plus Walkers on the Fernleigh Track(Just before we turned onto the Great North Walk after Kahibah)
On the track heading to Vermont Place Parkafter a water stop
Leaders Celia & Hazel beside a Paperbark Tree(as we left Vermont Place Park)
After leaving the bush in Warners Bay parkland there is a bit of street walking before reaching Lake Macquarie where we had lunch at some shady picnic tables beside the lake. It was agreed that this was a rather good spot to stop for a break & the only way it could be improved would to be by having an ice-cream shop closer to the picnic tables.
After lunch, the final 6 kms to reach Teralba Station followed the lake where we experienced a refreshing sea breeze and stopped to admire some of the sculptures placed at various spots alongside the path. We also saw plenty of birdlife here - Cormorants, Black Swans, an Osprey as well as a couple of Pelicans perched high up on street lamps.
'The Ascetic 2015' -Naidee Changmoh's sculpture
at Warners Bay
'Soloist 2012' by Alex Sexton,placed to look out over the lake,
but there is no face
Beautiful yellow fungi,found early in the walk
Osprey posing on Lake Macquarie shore
Pelican on a lamp post
The Great Northern Hotel - seen from station platformWe had about half an hour to wait for the next train home so everyone decided to join the leaders for some cold drinks in the air-conditioning at the Great Northern Hotel which is conveniently situated adjacent to the train station.
Thank you to everyone who came for making it an enjoyable day.
Route map
Elevation profile
Leaders: Hazel and Celia
Walkers: Leaders Hazel and Celia were joined by Nick S, Rick, Wendy C, William H
First Aid: Hazel and Nick S
Tail Ender: No-one assigned
Photos: Hazel (2 to 6, 10), Rick (1, 11, 12), Wendy C (7, 8, 9)
Words by: Celia