Get driving directions

Brisbane Water National Park is located on the central coast near Gosford. Take the Central Coast Highway exit off the F3, followed by Wisemans Ferry Road for Somersby Falls and Girrakool, or Woy Woy Road for Patonga. Look for more information at the attraction you'd like to visit.

Parking

• Bulgandry Art Site Aboriginal Place See on map
• Girrakool picnic area See on map
• Staples lookout See on map

Road quality

• Sealed roads

Vehicle access

• 2WD vehicles

By bike

Check out the Bicycle information for NSW website for more information.

By public transport

For information about public transport options, visit the NSW transport info website or the Palm Beach and Hawkesbury River Cruises website.

There are lots of great things waiting for you in Brisbane Water National Park. Here are some of the highlights.

Autumn

The cooler weather makes it a perfect time to find a waterfall walking track, and keep an eye out for ancient Aboriginal engravings along the way.

Spring

Pack a picnic lunch and soak up the delightful sights and sounds of spring. Relax among the wildflowers and wildlife as the Hawkesbury River flows by.

Summer

Take advantage of the warmer summer weather and paddle down Patonga Creek or Mooney Mooney Creek in a canoe.

Toilets

• Girrakool picnic area
• Somersby Falls picnic area

Picnic tables

• Girrakool picnic area
• Somersby Falls picnic area
• Staples lookout

Barbecue facilities

• Girrakool picnic area

Drinking water

• Girrakool picnic area
• Wondabyne to Patonga walking track

• Brisbane Water National Park factsheet
• Brisbane Water National Park map (4.6MB pdf)

Park entry fees:

$8 per vehicle per day. The park has pay machines that accept both card and coins, or you can pay via the Park'nPay app.

Other fees:

You will need a permit to hold a wedding or undertake commercial photography within the park.

• All Parks Pass - For all parks in NSW (including Kosciuszko NP) $190 (1 year) / $335 (2 years)
• Multi Parks Pass - For all parks in NSW (except Kosciuszko) $65 (1 year) / $115 (2 years)
• Country Parks Pass - For all parks in Country NSW (except Kosciuszko) $45 (1 year) / $75 (2 years)
• Single Country Park Pass - For entry to a single park in country NSW (except Kosciuszko). $22 (1 year) / $40 (2 years)

• Girrakool picnic area A great spot for a family picnic, Girrakool picnic area has barbecues, lots of green space to run around and a scenic walking track that features Aboriginal engravings.
• Great North walk - Brisbane Water National Park You’ll find the Wondabyne to Patonga and Patonga to Pearl Beach parts of the iconic Great North walk in Brisbane Water National Park. Take a short walk or overnight hike.

• Aboriginal culture Bring your students to this unique excursion in Brisbane Water National Park, near Gosford. They’ll experience the park through the eyes of an Aboriginal person on this Stage 2 (Years 3-4) Aboriginal culture Geography excursion.
• Girrakool loop track A lovely way to finish a barbecue, the Girrakool loop track is a short and easy walk through bushland, featuring an Aboriginal rock engraving site and scenic waterfalls.
• The Earth’s environment Join The Earth's environment Geography excursion for Stage 2 (Years 3-4) at Brisbane Water National Park, near Gosford. Students will discover how NSW National Parks safeguards over 10 per cent of land in NSW.

• Great North walk stage 10: Brisbane Water dreaming Complete the Great North walk challenge with the tenth and final leg of the series. You’ll walk 18km from Kariong to Somersby, exploring the serene waterways of Brisbane Water National Park.
• Great North walk stage 8: Waratah spectacular Panoramic views of Sydney’s northern coastline await you on stage 8 of the Great North walk. The 20km guided tour through Brisbane Water National Park starts at Patonga and ends at Wondabyne Station.
• Great North walk stage 9: Rainforest walk Stage 9 of the Great North walk takes you into the temperate rainforest of Brisbane Water National Park. The 16km guided tour starts at Wondabyne Station and ends at Kariong.
• Somersby Falls picnic area A great place to picnic on the Central Coast, Somersby Falls offers barbecues and picnic tables in a lush rainforest complete with waterfalls and a walking track.
• Warrah lookout Warrah lookout, offering scenic views of Broken Bay and the Hawkesbury River, is just a short walk from the carpark. It’s a great place to see Waratahs in season.

• Girrakool loop track A lovely way to finish a barbecue, the Girrakool loop track is a short and easy walk through bushland, featuring an Aboriginal rock engraving site and scenic waterfalls.
• Great North walk stage 8: Waratah spectacular Panoramic views of Sydney’s northern coastline await you on stage 8 of the Great North walk. The 20km guided tour through Brisbane Water National Park starts at Patonga and ends at Wondabyne Station.
• Great North walk stage 9: Rainforest walk Stage 9 of the Great North walk takes you into the temperate rainforest of Brisbane Water National Park. The 16km guided tour starts at Wondabyne Station and ends at Kariong.
• The Earth’s environment Join The Earth's environment Geography excursion for Stage 2 (Years 3-4) at Brisbane Water National Park, near Gosford. Students will discover how NSW National Parks safeguards over 10 per cent of land in NSW.
• Tommos loop and Rocky Ponds cycling loop Mountain biking enthusiasts will enjoy the challenging Tommos loop and Rocky Ponds cycling loop, a 20km bushland ride taking in scenic Central Coast views.

Animals

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  Australian pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus)

  The curious pelican is Australia’s largest flying bird and has the longest bill of any bird in the world. These Australian birds are found throughout Australian waterways and the pelican uses its throat pouch to trawl for fish. Pelicans breed all year round, congregating in large colonies on secluded beaches and islands.

• 

  Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)

  One of the most renowned Australian animals, the tree-dwelling marsupial koala can be found in gum tree forests and woodlands across eastern NSW, Victoria and Queensland, as well as in isolated regions in South Australia. With a vice-like grip, this perhaps most iconic but endangered Australian animal lives in tall eucalypts within a home range of several hectares.

• 

  Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus)

  One of the most fascinating and unusual Australian animals, the duck-billed platypus, along with the echidna, are the only known monotremes, or egg-laying mammals, in existence. The platypus is generally found in permanent river systems and lakes in southern and eastern NSW and east and west of the Great Dividing Range.

Plants

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  Scribbly gum (Eucalyptus haemastoma)

  Easily identifiable Australian native plants, scribbly gum trees are found throughout NSW coastal plains and hills in the Sydney region. The most distinctive features of this eucalypt are the ‘scribbles’ made by moth larva as it tunnels between the layers of bark.

• 

  Waratah (Telopea speciosissima)

  The beautiful waratah is not only the NSW floral emblem, it's also one of the best-known Australian native plants. This iconic Australian bush flower can be found on sandstone ridges around Sydney, in nearby mountain ranges and on the NSW South Coast. The waratah has a vibrant crimson flowerhead, measuring up to 15cm across, and blossoms in spring.