Are there any decent fire trail networks around Newy?

The killingworth/suagarloaf area would do it as would the Watagans.

Went into the forum archive and found the original post. It is posted below, but you can search "circumnavigate newcastle" and find more info about it.

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This is a MTB epic with some road involved with refreshment stops along the way. Start at New Lambton and ride up to the top of St James Rd. Turn left and head towards the picnic area on Mohoganny Dve at Blackbutt reserve. Take the fire trail up to Lookout Rd, cross Lookout Rd and down McCaffrey Dve for 50 - 100 metres and then dive into the bush heading up towards John Hunter Hospital. Ride the bush behind the far western car park and end up on the Jesmond Park cycleway. Get onto Newcastle Rd and follow it to the Newcastle Link Rd roundabout. Once on the Link Rd take the first left, fiirst right and then right again. This will get you onto an old gravel mine road which runs parallel to the Ncle Link Rd. This eventually becomes single track and onto an old raiway corridor, bringing you out behind Maquarie College which is on Lake Rd. From here there are trails heading north back up towards the Ncle Link Rd which link up to the power line trails that bring you out onto Minmi Rd, Cameron Park. Head right onto Minmi Rd up to the roundabout. Jump back into the bush here and follow the trail which again runs parallel to the Ncle Link Rd eventually bringing you out at the go-cart track on Cameron Park Dve. From here ride up to Mt Sugarloaf and take the Sugarloaf Range Rd across to Wakefield, onto the Great North Walk and Rhonda Rd to Teralba. (Have refreshments at the Teralba Pub if ya want. This is also an opt out option as you can get a train back to Newcastle from here).
After rehydrating take the cycleway to Warners Bay and follow the Great North Walk trail back to Charlestown through the bush behind the golf course. Cross the Pacific H,way and again follow the Great North Walk to the Fernleigh Track cycleway back to Adamstown. Collapse and have beers and food at the Gates Hotel. This is a long day in the saddle so take plenty of food/water. This is agreat training ride if ya into the Dirtworks/Highland Fling etc. Cheers.

Been talking to NPWS about Wallaroo over the last few weeks.

All looking positive to be legitimized. I don't know the area that well, but from the maps the NPWS gave me, the management system is quiet extensive.

Literally at the moment

I've been putting this together while the rain persists down.

I've only really explored the parts where you can see my notes. West of Nine Mile Rd I have not been at all and I have seen a limited amount of the NW (but can recommend the climb up Thunderbolts Trail as a good challenge).

Blue indicates a localised issue where you might be able to ride it but in most cases you will need to hike around the problem.

Red is (IMO) bad enough so I have written the trail off as tedious and not worth the effort. It as been particularly wet recently though so some of these areas might improve.

There is plenty more water, ruts and mud but I've only shown the major issues - the rest you should be able to ride.

The black line is a route that avoids most of the bad bits and takes in what I reckon is the more interesting bits of trail. Ridden anticlockwise (only because there is a very steep pinch on one side of the 'pimple' just after crossing the Bucketts Way) . Around 45km.

I am working on putting together a 50km loop through the western section that joins onto this.

No problem, hope it helps.

The rain kept coming so I added some more stuff. One of the maps I have has a lot of the waterways marked on it - now I understand why some trails are so bad, they are pretty much routed up creeks.

I had my suspicions about the mud over near Karuah (overflow from a small weir) when I saw the signs saying not to get any of the water on you - can now confirm that you need to pick your way through this area carefully.....pity, because it looks like the only way through.

Please let me know any feedback it you come across something (either diabolical or good) - all useful for figuring out which bits to ride

I realised cabin fever had set in when I started tracing out buildings.

It doesn't smell or anything, and I've been to places where they claim their discharge is better then what goes into the drinking water, but still not keen to splash around in it too much.....

If you go into forum archives, there should be a map for the ride, which we have done from Caves beach to Catherine Hill Bay and over to Murray's beach.

kall, I drive up and park at the end of Wattle Tree Rd, like it better than the rest stop because it feels a bit more out of the way.

I'm continuing to update my map as I ride more of the area.

I've basically ridden all the major trails I can find except for a strip around the NW corner.

Haven't yet explored all the little off shoots (suspect mostly dead ends).

Stoopid eTrex.

I don't get where your "black line" is, have been looking to try and see the clockwise loop....
Going out there this week so if you can be bothered picking it out I'd be deeply greatful.

Thats perfect, THANK YOU! THANK YOU THANK YOU !!!

Good call, Robin. A KML version would be very handy to keep on a database.

I've been playing some more with the mapping and now using a program called Maperitive which gives me full control over what and how everything renders.

The map in my previous post showing the loops I've put together is my latest for WNR.

This can also generate a Google Earth overlay, for example, this shows WNR and with the climb up Thunderbolts Trail in the background.