Today I went to Ball's Head Reserve in Waverton, not far from Crows nest. I had no idea that Crow's Nest was so close to the harbour, it always seemed so much further inland.
Balls Head Reserve in the Sydney lower north shore is a true
bushland oasis overlooking the beautiful Harbour. The reserve is home to a
number of different bush walking tracks that combine natural beauty with great
views across Sydney Harbour, taking in the CBD skyline, the Harbour Bridge,
Goat Island and surrounding peninsulas.
Balls Head Reserve was named after Henry Lidgbird Ball, a
Royal Naval officer and commander of one of the ships that was part of the First Fleet
that arrived in Botany Bay in 1788. Before the arrival of white settlement, the
Cammeraygal people lived in this area of New South Wales.
Middens, art sites and rock engravings are still present in
Balls Head Reserve and in the wider area. Yerroulbine is the Aboriginal name
for Balls Head.
In 1926, Balls Head Reserve was declared a public parkland
area. During the depression years of the 1930’s that followed, the area was
heavily used for shelter and a lot of the original vegetation was lost. A
beautification scheme was introduced to restore the natural beauty of this
sandstone headland. Now managed by North Sydney Council, the Reserve is a truly
beautiful place to wander around.
Balls Head
Reserve has several short bush walking tracks that are all interconnected. One
of the tracks, the Habour View Walk, offers amazing views of the Sydney Harbour
and the CBD.
Hiking on
Balls Head Reserve is a unique experience in the sense that it’s true bush
walking, while still being very close to the city. The tracks are easy to
follow but there are quite a few steep climbs. Appropriate shoe wear is
therefore definitely recommended. Even
though the different tracks are well sign-posted, things can get a bit
confusing, especially when you don’t know where to start.
It is
advisable to follow the path north from the car park (Midden Walk) and follow
the shoreline of the reserve clockwise.When you get to the most eastern point
(a grass area) of Balls Head Reserve, choose the Ballasters track going west. This
eventually connects with the Harbour View Walk at the picnic area.
You’ll
find some interesting rest areas, benches and caves along the way where you can
sit, rest up and enjoy the views. It took a while to walk around but it was possible
to get right down to the waters edge, From here there were spectacular views of
the harbour showing familiar landmarks in a new light.
It was
almost like walking where no one else had walked with the feeling of remoteness
until I looked out and saw the bustling harbor in all its glory.
There was plenty
of wildlife here including these bush turkeys who were not timid at all, coming
out to feed when they thought there was a feast to be had.
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