October 25 - 31, 2020: Issue 471
The Towlers Bay Loop + A Hike To Mount Murray Anderson
Photos By Kevin Murray And Joe Mills
The Towlers Bay Walking Track explores another ridge of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and heads down a steep hill to the Towler’s Bay community. You can explore the village and the ferry wharf before walking past the Youth Hostel on the walk back up. The Youth Hostel is available for an overnight stay, but book ahead. Please remember you are visiting a small community and respect the privacy of the local people.
If you walk the whole track, including the Birnie Lookout (Flagstaff Hill) this will be an 8 kilometre circuit. But you can also just head in from West Head road, enjoy the flowers currently out, grab a deep draught of Pittwater, and then out again.
Insights available on The Pittwater YHA: Some History
Mount Murray Anderson is located to the south of Smiths Creek, an arm of Cowan Creek. It was named in 1936 by the Trustees of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park in memory of Sir Murray Anderson who was Governor of New South Wales in 1936.
Sir David Murray Anderson entered the Royal Navy as a cadet and rose to the rank of Admiral in 1930, he retired in 1932. He was Governor of Newfoundland 1932-35 and was appointed Governor of New South Wales in November 1935 but because of ill-health he was not sworn in until August 6th 1936 and subsequently passed away on October 30, 1936.
Historical insights available in Pittwater's Lone Rangers - 120 Years Of Ku-Ring-Gai Chase And The Men Of Flowers Inspired By Eccleston Du Faur and Pittwater’s Parallel Estuary: The Cowan ‘Creek’
This is a fair hike of 10.5 kilometres, which shows how fit Kevin and Glenys Murray and Joe Mills are - definitely a credo of 'use it or lose it' being followed here - and sharing some wonderful views and details of these trails as part of that - thank you lady and gentlemen.
This track crosses a section of low shrubs and tall grass before it re-enters the dry sclerophyll forest. The track reaches the Arthur Trig (TS649) where the stone cairn can be seen. From the trig point the track heads downhill, and crosses a broad grassy saddle toward Mount Murray Anderson.
The track reaches a small sandstone platform, which has a faint Aboriginal carvings.
Closer to the base of Mount Murray Anderson is the first of several huge rock platforms, bearing deep “scars” where water has carved long and deep grooves into the rock.
There are a number of fairly clear engravings including on this rock, including two figures, a shield and a circle that may be a full moon (it looks very much like the engravings depicting the phases of the moon at the “Moon Rock” site in Garigal National Park).
To the west, on the other side of the valley, is the ridge that the Long Trail follows to the “Peach Trees” lookout at the end.
The track now climbs toward the summit of Mount Murray Anderson, before reaching another rock platform near the summit. From here there are spectacular views from the edge of the steep escarpment, looking over Smiths Creek.
“Wilkins” Trig Station is not far off the Perimeter Trail from this end.
Towlers Bay Stroll
By Joe Mills
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Mount Murray Anderson
photos by Kevin Murray
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Mount Murray Anderson
photos by Joe Mills
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