Flannel Flower Track

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Safer Bushwalks Tips on staying safe on track
Before you start any bushwalk ensure you;
• Tell someone you trust where you are going and what to do if you are overdue
• Have adequate equipment, supplies, skills & knowledge for the whole journey
• Consider the impact of weather forecasts, park/track closures & fire dangers
• Can respond to emergencies & call for help at any point
• Are healthy and fit enough for this journey
If not, change plans and stay safe. It is okay to delay and ask people for help.

Getting There Transport options and directions

Start	(-33.4253962,151.354647)
Mode	Car (There is free parking available.)
Directions	From York Street, A49 Turn on to Wells Street then drive for 360 m At roundabout, take exit 2 onto Wells Street and drive for another 700 m At roundabout, take exit 2 onto Wells Street and drive for another 810 m At roundabout, take exit 1 onto Springfield Road and drive for another 260 m Turn left onto Dolly Avenue and drive for another 345 m Continue onto Dolly Avenue and drive for another 1.4 km

Track Notes Turn by turn instructions & maps

Getting started
From the BBQs, this walk goes across the picnic area, keeping the road to the right. The walk passes the information board, to the left, and follows the paved path toward the nearby toilet block. The walk turns left just before the toilet block and follows the 'Nurrunga Picnic Area' arrow down the paved steps and along the bush track. The walk descends gently for a while with numerous sandstone steps, then meanders around the side of the hill, for some distance. Ignoring a bush track, to the left, and another soon after, to the right, the walk continues for some distance until reaching an intersection with a management trail, with a 'Flannel Flower Track' signpost pointing back to the 'Yaruga Picnic Area'.....

Turn map	Directions & comments
	Start. Yaruga Picnic Area (about 70 m back from the start). Yaruga Picnic Area This picnic area is right beside Dolly Ave, within the Rumbalara Reserve, Gosford. The facilities include free electric BBQs, picnic tables, toilets and garbage bins. There are information boards with details of the walking tracks and other features of the reserve. There are a couple of lookout points at the edge of the picnic area with great views out across Gosford and the surrounding areas. Yaruga Lookout (about 40 m back from the start). Rumbalara Reserve Flora and Fauna (about 20 m back from the start). Rumbalara Reserve Flora and Fauna The reserve is home to a wide range of flora and fauna. The vegetation types range from the relatively dry 'Coastal Narrabeen Ironbark Forest' to pockets of 'Coastal Warm Temperate Rainforest'. Commonly seen birds include Kookaburras, Eastern Rosellas and Magpies. Rarer birds such as the Glossy Black Cockatoo and Swift Parrot are sometimes sighted here as well. Sugar Gliders, Brush-tailed possums, Blue-tounged lizards and Tree snakes can be seen in the reserve if you are patient and lucky enough. After another 35 m pass the toilet (15 m on your right).
	After another 210 m (Very Steep Rocky path) continue straight, to head along Flannel Flower walk.
	After another 410 m turn left. After another 120 m find the "Flannel Flower" (10 m on your right). Flannel Flower Actinotus helianthi, popularly known as the Sydney flannel flower, is frequently spotted by spring-time bushwalkers in the Sydney region. Generally growing up to 50 cm, the stem, branches and leaves of the plant are a pale grey in colour, covered in downy hair (rather like flannel in texture).
	Turn right. After another 25 m pass the "Statue" (140 m on your left).
	After another 170 m turn right. After another 45 m pass the toilet (140 m on your left). Continue straight. After another 25 m find the "Rumbalara Reserve" (7 m on your right). Rumbalara Reserve Rumbalara Reserve lies just to the east of the Gosford CBD and is part of Gosford's Coastal Open Space System (COSS). There is an extensive set of well marked walking tracks within the reserve. Yaruga Picnic Area has free electric BBQs while both Yaruga and Nurrunga picnic areas have toilets, picnic tables, nearby lookouts and proximity to walking tracks. The picnic areas are accessed via Dolly Ave, Springfield, with the gate being locked at 8pm each evening. The Rumbalara Environmental Education Centre, at the end of Donnison St, Gosford, is one of several good access points to the walking tracks in the lower section of the reserve.
	After another 140 m veer right, to head along Fire Trail. After another 135 m continue straight, to head along Fire Trail.
	After another 240 m turn right.
	After another 40 m turn right, to head along Rumbalara Lookout Road.
	After another 85 m turn left.
	After another 30 m come to the end. About 10 m past the end is a car park.

Terrain Know the Hills, grading & facilities

Flannel Flower Track

Grading

	Class 3/6 Moderate track
Length	1.6 km
Time	40 min to 45 min

Quality of track	Formed track, with some branches and other obstacles (3/6)
Gradient	Short steep hills (3/6)
Signage	Directional signs along the way (3/6)
Infrastructure	Limited facilities, not all cliffs are fenced (3/6)
Experience Required	Some bushwalking experience recommended (3/6)
Weather	Weather generally has little impact on safety (1/6)

Some facilities on route

Toilet: There are 2 on route, on average they are 540 m apart with the largest gap of 880 m.

Order of key facilities on route

Item	From Start	Name & link to notes
Toilet	45 m	[toilet]
Toilet	930 m	[toilet]

Articles Discover more details to thrive on track

Rumbalara Reserve
Rumbalara Reserve lies just to the east of the Gosford CBD and is part of Gosford's Coastal Open Space System (COSS). There is an extensive set of well marked walking tracks within the reserve. Yaruga Picnic Area has free electric BBQs while both Yaruga and Nurrunga picnic areas have toilets, picnic tables, nearby lookouts and proximity to walking tracks. The picnic areas are accessed via Dolly Ave, Springfield, with the gate being locked at 8pm each evening. The Rumbalara Environmental Education Centre, at the end of Donnison St, Gosford, is one of several good access points to the walking tracks in the lower section of the reserve.

Yaruga Picnic Area
This picnic area is right beside Dolly Ave, within the Rumbalara Reserve, Gosford. The facilities include free electric BBQs, picnic tables, toilets and garbage bins. There are information boards with details of the walking tracks and other features of the reserve. There are a couple of lookout points at the edge of the picnic area with great views out across Gosford and the surrounding areas.

Flannel Flower
Actinotus helianthi, popularly known as the Sydney flannel flower, is frequently spotted by spring-time bushwalkers in the Sydney region. Generally growing up to 50 cm, the stem, branches and leaves of the plant are a pale grey in colour, covered in downy hair (rather like flannel in texture).

Rumbalara Reserve Flora and Fauna
The reserve is home to a wide range of flora and fauna. The vegetation types range from the relatively dry 'Coastal Narrabeen Ironbark Forest' to pockets of 'Coastal Warm Temperate Rainforest'. Commonly seen birds include Kookaburras, Eastern Rosellas and Magpies. Rarer birds such as the Glossy Black Cockatoo and Swift Parrot are sometimes sighted here as well. Sugar Gliders, Brush-tailed possums, Blue-tounged lizards and Tree snakes can be seen in the reserve if you are patient and lucky enough.

Get more information
Wildwalks

Weather & Alerts Check forecasts & closures
Weather Forecast
- Gosford Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
  
  Saturday 27 July
  
  19°C
  Showers.
  90% chance of rain
  
  Cloudy. High chance of showers, becoming less likely in the late afternoon and evening. The chance of a thunderstorm. Winds northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h becoming light in the late afternoon. Daytime maximum temperatures between 15 and 19.
  
  UV Alert: Sun protection 10:40am to 1:20pm, UV Index predicted to reach 3 [Moderate]
  
  Sunday 28 July
  
  7°C → 16°C
  Sunny.
  20% chance of rain
  
  Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower. Snow possible above 1000 metres. Winds westerly 20 to 30 km/h. Overnight temperatures falling to between 4 and 8 with daytime temperatures reaching between 11 and 16.
  
  Monday 29 July
  
  5°C → 16°C
  Partly cloudy.
  30% chance of rain
  0 → 1mm
  
  Partly cloudy. Areas of morning frost about the Upper Hunter. Medium chance of showers along the coastal fringe, most likely in the afternoon and evening. Near zero chance of rain elsewhere. Winds west to southwesterly 15 to 25 km/h tending south to southwesterly during the day then tending west to southwesterly 15 to 20 km/h during the evening. Overnight temperatures falling to between minus 1 and 5 above zero with daytime temperatures reaching between 12 and 16.
  
  Alert: Large and powerful surf conditions are expected to be hazardous for coastal activities such as rock fishing, swimming and surfing.
  
  Tuesday 30 July
  
  5°C → 16°C
  Partly cloudy.
  30% chance of rain
  0 → 1mm
  
  Partly cloudy. Areas of morning frost about the Upper Hunter. Medium chance of showers near the coast, near zero chance elsewhere. Winds west to southwesterly 15 to 25 km/h tending south to southwesterly during the morning. Overnight temperatures falling to between minus 1 and 5 above zero with daytime temperatures reaching between 12 and 16.
  
  Wednesday 31 July
  
  6°C → 16°C
  Possible shower.
  40% chance of rain
  0 → 1mm
  
  Possible shower.
  
  Thursday 1 August
  
  6°C → 16°C
  Shower or two.
  50% chance of rain
  0 → 2mm
  
  Shower or two.
  
  Friday 2 August
  
  7°C → 17°C
  Shower or two.
  50% chance of rain
  0 → 1mm
  
  Shower or two.
  
  Forecast data thanks to © Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
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