Brokers Nose

So yesterday I went for a bushwalk to Brokers Nose. Now, I've lived in the Illawarra my whole life, and while I had heard of it, I had no idea where it was. So after some googling, Dad and I set off to Wollongong, driving up Mount Ousley we took the Picton exit and took the first right to turn around and pull into the stopping bay just on your left, right at the top of Mount Ousley on the Princess Motorway.

Right off the side of the road

We began walking along the dirt track, curious as to how the walk would be.

We soon came to a split in the track, where the track either continued straight or turned off to our right. We decided to continue straight, assuming that would lead us to Brokers Nose and saying we would explore the other path on our way back.

We continued along the path which had slight inclines, and enjoyed the scenery.

After a while of walking you enter a clearing for powerlines, with a view over the city to your right.

You continue straight, following the dirt path, entering the bush again, and continue walking through here until you once again enter another clearing. We noticed to our left, a small little cross, which made us feel like we were in a Western Frontier.

And to our right, heading down the hill we noticed a track too, however we didn't take it knowing that the way to Brokers Nose was straight ahead.

After entering the bush and walking again, we soon came to another split in the road, one heading up to our right, the other staying flat on our left. Dad said he believed they would both lead to Brokers Nose, but the one on the right probably had some spots for sightseeing over the city, so we turned right, walking up the path, trying our best not to slip due to the incredibly loose top soil.

Soon even this path split again, we took the right path (that does lead you up to some spots where there are some views over the city), so it's worth the little walk up there before you cut back and continue up the other path.

The path continues uphill and we came across a big open area, which we believe that initial left turn would have taken you up to, however we never walked down either way so I can't say for sure.

Continuing up, the path then split again, 3 ways this time, much to our frustration, as we are the sort to like taking and walking every path, however we continued on straight.

Panorama view to show all 3 paths in the picture

There will soon be another path to your right, or you can continue straight (yes another split in the path!) however, both these will lead you out onto a dirt road which you follow right.

You continue up here to find yourself at some sort of radio tower, and then you're less then a minute away from Brokers Nose Lookout.

Coming up on the Lookout

There's an amazing view from up here of the Sea and the City and it's obviously been a popular spot of the years as the rocks are carved up with peoples names and dates.

Brokers Nose Marker

Panorama from the Lookout

There are some amazing looking rocks up here too.

Enjoying the Sights

We began our walk back, but rather than taking the first or second left, which would take us back the way we came, we waited and took the third which began leading us a different way, heading right through the bush. This walk went on for a while, until it opened us up into the clearing with the powerlines.

We followed this left, believing it would take us back to the point with the Cross. However it leads into scrub and we were unable to continue following along this path.

So we headed right, seeing another small path through the bush, which we followed. This leads you down into bush that was more like a rainforest.

We contiued along here, unsure of whether it would lead us back, or just head off to somewhere completely different.

Eventually after some ups and downs the path begins to steadily go down, while the rainforest gets thinner and becomes more like bushland before opening into a dirt path clearing which you can follow left towards the powerlines.

This path is lined with beautiful wattle and beautiful little yellow flowers.

This road soon splits, believing if we followed it left it would lead us back to the cross we continued straight, which has some steep sections to walk up, when you reach the end of this it heads both left and right, we followed it left for a short while which took us back to the very first clearing that the walk opens up to. Back on the original path we headed back, until we got to the very first split that this walk had given us, so we turned left to explore it a little before we headed off home.

You walk past a termite mound, which if you've never seen one you must have never walked in Australia. You soon come to a drop off, as the rest of this walk continues very steeply downhill.

As if going downhill wasn't bad enough, the path is littered with piles of leaves which slip under you as well as incredibly loose top soil, if you don't go extremely slow it would be very easy to slip and fall and roll downhill.

Dad sliding down the loose top soil

Also incredibly dangerous along here is that all around you are heaps of Dendrocnide. A stinging tree, so watch out and try not to touch its leaves as it grows along the side of the path and leaves litter the path too.

Dendrocnide

If you choose to walk here keep your eyes open for Deer, we heard a couple and only saw one which was running away from the loud noises we made as we slid and ran down the dirt slopes.

We eventually came to an open road with a sign by the side.

Just down the road from here this is a gate blocking it off saying private property.

Seeing it also had a sign on the other side I quickly jumped the gate to see what the other sign said.

Although there was still more dirt path heading down we assumed it would only lead into the backs of peoples houses, and after already having been walking for 3 hours we decided we'd try and make our way up the steep, slippery slope and draw our walk to a close. Again, I think it's amazing that so many walks exist just off the side of a road that you can live your whole life in an area and have never done it.

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Thanks for reading! - Steven