Girrakool picnic area — Attraction in Somersby

Looking for a place to picnic? Girrakool picnic area is well equipped with free barbecues, picnic tables and plenty of parking and it is conveniently located for those travelling from Sydney or Newcastle, all together making it a great place for a family gathering.

The main picnic ground next to the carpark is a large grassy area with plenty of room to kick a ball around with the kids, while a bushland picnic area at the far end of the carpark provides a more rugged bush setting for those who like to get in the thick of it.

You might be lucky enough to share the experience with a wallaby or two, and if you feel like stretching your legs, try the easy Girrakool loop walk that takes you past Aboriginal rock engravings, through forest and past waterfalls. Make sure you take your camera; there are some great photos...

This place is actually magical. We were on our way to Sydney from 1770 and we wanted to find a hike to break up the trip and stretch our legs. My girlfriend was four months pregnant so we were a little worried about the hike being too extreme. After about an hour and a half, we completed the hike and had a barbeque near the parking area. There are a few different options depending on the time you have. Everything from overnight trips to day trips are possible. We drove up and down the coast and went on many hikes but I would say that this one was the most enjoyable. We're from Canada so the falls were not that impressive but the incredible variety of vegetation, geology and water made it a very special day. I would definitely recommend this to couples, singles or families with children...

A great short walk about a leisurely ( with little child) 1 hour, more if u stop more often. And there are a lot of spots to stop ! Only 15mins drive out of gosford. $8 daily national park fee can be paid with eftpos, toilets, picnic tables, undercover bbqs, rangers station, bitumen parking. 2 or 3 short steep sections but otherwise easy clear well maintained paths. Banskia groves, aboriginal art, swamp, eucalyptus, wildflowers, 3 or 4 lookouts, birds. There is a lot to see in a short circuit close to the track, i would swim in in summer. There are a lot of rock pools and creeks. Not much water in the waterfall when we went in july but still picturesque. There is a longer more demanding circuit here we will come back to do. Highly...