248 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	At the intersection of Ironbark Road & Pipeline Trail (-33.3715915,151.1953003)
Mode	Car (There is free parking available.)
Directions	From Pacific Motorway, M1 Turn on to Peats Ridge Road Offramp then drive for 8.6 km Keep left onto Wisemans Ferry Road Exit and drive for another 235 m Keep right onto Wisemans Ferry Road Exit and drive for another 35 m Turn right onto Wisemans Ferry Road and drive for another 3 km Turn right onto George Downes Drive, 33 and drive for another 40 m Turn left onto Wisemans Ferry Road and drive for another 8.2 km Turn left onto Ironbark Road and drive for another 6.9 km

Track Notes Turn by turn instructions & maps

Getting started
Starting from the car park at the end of the 'Pipeline Trail', the walk follows the gravel Ironbark Rd south, initially keeping the 'Pipeline Trail' gate to your left (not following the 'Pipeline Trail'). The gravel road passes between some houses with prominent 'private property' signs so stick to the road along here. The walk eventually comes to the car park and picnic area at the end of the road. Vehicles with reasonable ground clearance could be driven along this section, to the car park at the end of the road.....

An optional side trip to Top of Mt Olive.

Turn map	Directions & comments
	At the intersection of Ironbark Road & Pipeline Trail Start heading along Ironbark Road (a vehicle track). After 970 m pass the car park (7 m on your left).
	After another 720 m continue straight, to head along Ironbark Road. Then pass the toilet (10 m on your left). After another 7 m pass a seat (5 m on your left). Then head through/around the gate. Then find the "Ironbark Rd Picnic area" (6 m on your left). Ironbark Rd Picnic area This picnic area is located at the end of Ironbark Rd, on the edge of Popran National Park. While this is not a special spot for a picnic, there are good facilities if you are doing a walk in the area. There is a picnic table, pit toilet (with a small rainwater tank for handwashing), information signs and track arrows at this point. Some of the tracks starting from this point are also horse trails. A section of Ironbark Rd may not be suitable for 2WD vehicles so you may have to walk the last section of road. Then pass the sign (10 m on your left).
	After another 3 m continue straight, to head along Mount Olive Trail.
	The starting point of an optional sidetrip. An optional side trip to Top of Mt Olive. To start this optional side trip turn left here. On returning from this side trip veer left when you get back to this intersection. Details below. After another 305 m (at the intersection of 248 Trail & Mount Olive Trail) turn right, to head along 248 Trail. After another 350 m (at the intersection of Mailman Walking Track (western) & 248 Trail) continue straight, to head along 248 Trail.
	After another 1.2 km (at the intersection of 248 Trail & Hominy Creek Trail) veer right, to head along 248 Trail (a walking track).
	Continue another 610 m to find the end. Then turn around here and retrace the main route for 4.1 km to get back to the start. "End of 248 Trail lookout". End of 248 Trail lookout This informal lookout is located at the end of the 248 trail in Popran National Park. The lookout offers some nice views into the surrounding valleys. The rocky outcrops in the area have some nice shapes and textures. Be careful to avoid damaging some faint Aboriginal carvings on these rocks.
	At the intersection of 248 Trail & Mount Olive Trail Start heading along Mount Olive Trail (a vehicle track).
	After another 25 m veer left.
	After another 120 m turn left.
	After another 60 m turn around. Then pass the "Mount Olive" (15 m on your left). "Mt Olive". Mt Olive Mt Olive is a low-rising hill in Popran National Park. The views from the top, across the surrounding national park, in all directions, are very nice. The nice cliffs around the base of Mt Olive also add to the scenery. There are remnants of a couple of old trig points at the top.
	The end. Turn around and retrace your steps back the 205 m to the main route.

Terrain Know the Hills, grading & facilities

248 Track

Grading

	Class 3/6 Moderate track
Length	8.3 km
Time	2 h 45 min to 3 h 15 min

Quality of track	Formed track, with some branches and other obstacles (3/6)
Gradient	Gentle hills with occasional steps (2/6)
Signage	Directional signs along the way (3/6)
Infrastructure	Limited facilities, not all cliffs are fenced (3/6)
Experience Required	No experience required (1/6)
Weather	Weather generally has little impact on safety (1/6)

Some facilities on route

Toilet: There is one 1.7 km from the start.

Seat: There is one 1.7 km from the start.

Order of key facilities on route

Item	From Start	Name & link to notes
Toilet	1.7 km	[toilet]
Seat	1.7 km	[seat]

Articles Discover more details to thrive on track

Ironbark Rd Picnic area
This picnic area is located at the end of Ironbark Rd, on the edge of Popran National Park. While this is not a special spot for a picnic, there are good facilities if you are doing a walk in the area. There is a picnic table, pit toilet (with a small rainwater tank for handwashing), information signs and track arrows at this point. Some of the tracks starting from this point are also horse trails. A section of Ironbark Rd may not be suitable for 2WD vehicles so you may have to walk the last section of road.

Mt Olive
Mt Olive is a low-rising hill in Popran National Park. The views from the top, across the surrounding national park, in all directions, are very nice. The nice cliffs around the base of Mt Olive also add to the scenery. There are remnants of a couple of old trig points at the top.

End of 248 Trail lookout
This informal lookout is located at the end of the 248 trail in Popran National Park. The lookout offers some nice views into the surrounding valleys. The rocky outcrops in the area have some nice shapes and textures. Be careful to avoid damaging some faint Aboriginal carvings on these rocks.

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
Alerts
- Popran National Park alerts
  Safety alerts: Ironbark Road access to picnic area - last 850m 4WD only
  The last 850m of Ironbark Road (Crown Road) to access Ironbark picnic area is currently limited to 4WD vehicles only.
  This section is not suitable for conventional 2WD vehicles due to a severely eroded hill along the Crown Road.
  Visitors to this section of the park travelling by conventional 2WD vehicles will need to walk the last 850 metres to access the park and Ironbark picnic area.
  
  Alert kindly provided by © NSW Nataional Parks and Wildlife Service

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