Girrakool picnic area is located in the northern section of Brisbane Water National Park.

To get there from the F3 Highway:

• Exit Central Coast Highway towards Gosford
• Take the first left onto Wisemans Ferry Road
• Take the first left onto Old Pacific Highway
• Take the first left onto Quarry Road
• The picnic area is through the tunnel and straight ahead

The picnic area is not suitable for large coaches due to limited parking and turning areas. Large coaches can drop passengers off at the intersection of Quarry Road and Girrakool Road, just before the park entry sign.

Road quality

• Sealed roads

Vehicle access

• 2WD vehicles

Weather restrictions

• All weather

Parking

• Parking is available at Girrakool picnic area, including 1 accessible parking space.
• There's a wooden beam that runs along the length of the carpark; people with reduced mobility may need assistance to get across this beam.
• Please be aware of the carpark opening hours – gates are locked at closing.

Toilets

There are 2 accessible flush toilets at the picnic area (1 male and 1 female). You can reach the toilets along a paved pathway.

• Flush toilets

Picnic tables

The picnic tables and barbecue shelter are set on concrete slabs. There is a pathway to some of the picnic tables in the lower section of the picnic area.

Barbecue facilities

• Gas/electric barbecues (free)

Carpark

Drinking water

Step-free access

There's step-free access around the picnic area, which is mostly flat:

• There are no formal pathways in the upper part of the picnic area. You'll need to cross over a flat grassy area to reach the facilities.
• In the lower part of the picnic area, there's a sealed pathway leading to the amenities block, picnic tables and barbecue area.
• There's a paved path to the accessible toilets.

• Step-free outdoor pathways

• Girrakool picnic area factsheet
• Girrakool picnic area map (2.1MB pdf)

Disability access level - medium

The picnic area is mostly flat with step-free access:

• There are no formal pathways in the upper section of the picnic area. You'll need to cross over a flat, grassy surface to reach the picnic area facilities.
• In the lower section of the picnic area, there's a sealed pathway leading to the picnic area facilities.
• There are accessible toilets and a paved path to reach them.

People with reduced mobility may need assistance to cross over the wooden beam that runs along the length of the carpark.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

Animals

• 

  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

• 

  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.