Terrey Hills

A number of firetrails in this area (Perimeter/Long/Cullamine/Booralie/Bibbenluke) can be linked to form rides from 7Km (one way on Perimeter Trail - you'd have to have a vehicle at the other end) to well over 30Km. E.g. a nice out and back from the shops on Booralie Road along Perimeter & Long Trails is around 24Km return and goes like this:

Get on your bike by the shops and go past/behind the rural firestation and along the edge of Terrey Hills Playing Fields. Then it's a left down Cowrang Ave, bear right down Nerang Ave at the end of which the Perimeter Trail proper starts.

The Perimeter/Long tracks form around a 12Km out and back of firetrail with a little single track here and there. There's no really big climbs to speak of, but it does undulate, quiet steeply in parts so don't worry if you have to get of an walk a little. You can get some good speed at times downhill and can have fun on some nice yumps in the trail in places.

It can be quiet sandy or muddy too, but that's not a big deal.

At the end of Nerang Ave just cycle on down the trail. There is a Nerang Track marked on the map but it's walkers only, overgrown and easy to miss. The Perimeter Track which we're following turns left 50m after leaving the road so bear with it.

You can't really get lost on this track which is good. After about 1K another trail joins from the left - this takes you back to Booralie Rd. Don't worry about any of the turns in this area and just carry on.

At 1.7Ks or thereabouts there's another junction before the track starts downhill. Again, to the left - takes you back to Booralie Rd. To the right is Smiths Creek Track of which Greg wrote:

We then took the first gated right turn and enjoyed a long down hill where we found ourselves in a muddy tidal mangrove complete with crabs running around. The ride/walk out was hell.

So you might like to go down there

Alternatively, just carry on until you come to the Long Track junction after about 6Ks. Luckily this junction is large and Long Track is signposted. Take Long Track and go right to the end where there's a nice view to take in (click to enlarge):

That's about it - turn round and come on home

Other Options

The following other trails exist in this area that can be linked in some way or another:

Cowan Track

The Cowan Track forks off West about 850m from the Long/Perimeter junction. Although it is signposted, "Walkers Only" we have word from a that park rangers have confirmed riders are allowed here. And good thing too, because although Cowan is still a fire trail, it thankfully has a couple of little rocky challenges make a nice change in this area. Sadly at 2Km one way this is all too short, but there's a nice view of Bobbin Head from the end, and those few rocks to look forward to on the return.

Cullamine Road/Trail

From the West end of Perimeter Trail bear right long what is Cullamine Road then straight on down Cullamine Trail. This is more of the same firetrail type stuff and adds around 1.7Km (??? one way) to your ride.

Duffys Track

Where Cullamine Trail meets Booralie Road is a cross roads type junction. There is a gate to the right (West) marked Ku-ring-gai Park. There is a sign stating no vehicles (motor cross bikes) or horses, but I beleive the MTB rule is - if you can get a 4WD down there it's OK. As you could, and the trail is well formed guess it's OK to cycle. Anyhow, Duffys Track heads out to what is signposted (half way along) as Slades Lookout (perhaps 1Km one way). At that halfway signpost (which is very old - don't know how long it will last) is a junction with a track to the right (North). It seems that this right track will go down to the water, but don't try - last time we looked it was very overgrown, steep and slippery and blocked with many fallen trees.

Booralie Trail

From this same cross junction Booralie Trail heads South. The topo map shows this weaving around a little and joining Bibbenluke Track at the end of Bibbenluke Ave. From the junction with Duffys the trail falls quiet steeply and crosses a small creek (puddle in the trail) before climbing.

What isn't show on the map is after this climb you'll come across an electric fence surrounding Waratah Park! Due to this, head left at the first fork you come to (the right 'fork' is through an old gate) and then skirt round the fence left to Namba Road and the park's entrance.

Bibbenluke Track

Steep track down to the water's edge (apparantly) with some single tracks to explore to it's west.

Sandy Trail

Sandy trail is... erm... well, a little Sandy. There used to be more rocks there than the name would imply, but this seems to have been graded around the end of 2006 and now it's looking like standard fire trail. The East entrance is at the end of Cooyong Road, and the West entrance down the driveway of 415 Killawarra Road. If you don't mind a little more road work to complete the loop, Sandy Trail makes a nice diversion with some quiet challenging climbs and technical sections.

There is a junction half way down that can be used to join with Ryland.

Neverfail Gully & Larool Trail

Not much to say here - these are a nice way to avoid the black top when traversing round to the South of the Terrey Hills area. They are pretty standard fire trail, but hey - beats the road any day.