Nine walkers met bright and early at Blacktown station ready for the Blacktown- Rooty Hill section of the Great North Walk. 
The route took us at first past the bus terminal and then into a parkland area before entering a few suburban streets. These soon gave way to a paved path along Breakfast Creek, large parts of which were actually a canal. We walked alongside this for quite a way, through various bits of parkland. We had morning tea here next to a children’s playground, before crossing a major road into Western Sydney Parklands.
After negotiating a large puddle at the start of this section, we began walking through a more treed area, although there was still much evidence of industry or other infrastructure quite close by. This section had obviously once been largely farming. We saw horses and deer in paddocks off to our left as we walked past. At the end of this section was Nurragingy Reserve, also once a farming area. We saw a couple of broken-down sheds which had once been used by a blacksmith. They were fenced off, hopefully to be restored. These looked like the typical huts often found in Kosciuszko.
Nurragingy Reserve is a well-developed area with a function centre, lakes with fountains and some special garden areas. We visited the New Zealand garden and the Chinese garden, led by guest garden tour guide Wendy Cairns and eventually had lunch in the sun in one of the pavilions of the Chinese garden. It was then decided that we would have after-walk drinks at the garden café, as this was likely to be a much better environment than near Rooty Hill station.
A short walk past sports fields and along the side of the M7 soon brought us to the streets approaching Rooty Hill station. All walkers started off in the same train, but soon split to go to different destinations. There was a minor glitch for some when a train terminated at Epping, but this was soon sorted out using the metro. Thanks to all for an enjoyable day walking in the sunshine.
Walkers: Peter, Jenny, Wendy C, Wendy L, Nick, Polly, Alan, Denise, Carolyn
Leaders: Peter and Jenny
First aider: Wendy C
Tail end Charlie: Nick
Photography: Peter T