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Date: 3 July 2019
Par�cipants: Laurie Olsen, Misako Sugiyama, Colin Helmstedt, Kevin Yeats, Mike Pickles, Mike Ward, Alan
Brennan, Jeane�e Ibrahim, Kumiko Suzuki, John Hungerford, Bill Donoghoe, Jenny Donoghoe, Jacqui Hickson,
Warwick Selby (Guest)
then south to join Parrama�a River at the junction with temporarily stored behind the wall. Once the rain eases or
Toongabbie Creek flowing from the west. A number of stops the stored water will drain away quite quickly. The
tributaries join the creek as it flows downhill. The creek was concrete has been decorated by numerous graffiti artists.
named after John Raine's mill, which he named Darling Mill At the lower endof the Reserve we followed the remains of
in honour of Governor Ralph Darling who had granted the a convict road and viewed the stonework ruins of a convict-
land on which it was built. built hut and a Satin Bower bird’s nest, before leaving the
Descending from Mount Wilberforce Lookout Reserve, Reserve for lunch at Hazel Ryan Oval.
a�er some street walking we entered the Cumberland Following lunch we crossed North Rocks Road and entered
State Forest where the western track head of the Great Lake Parrama�a Reserve and circled the lake for a well-
North Walk commences. earned afternoon stop with coffee and milkshakes. Lake
Following some more street walking we entered the Bidjigal Parrama�a arch walled dam, 1856, is of historical
Reserve. Bidjigal Creek gives its name to the Reserve significance and is the first large dam built in Australia. The
surrounding a significant length of the Darling Mills Creek dam is the eleventh earliest single arch dam built since
catchment. The name recalls the Bidjigal (also spelt Roman �mes, 100 BC, and is the only masonry dam in the
Walk descrip�on: Bediagal) people, agroup of Indigenous Australiansliving to world to combine the
Bidjigal Reserve / Surrounding Areas West Pennant Hills to the West of Sydney. Perhaps the most famous Bidjigal use of both Roman
Parrama�a: From West Pennant Hills follow Darling Mills
person was Pemulwuy, who led Aboriginal people before concrete, a mix of
Creek downhill to Lake Parrama�a and on to finish at finally being captured and killed. Morning tea was a rock volcanic ash and lime
Parrama�a. On formed tracks with street walking at the platform with a small waterfall soon a�er entering the to bind rock fragments
start and finish. (A second a�empt, hope the rain stays reserve. The initial stage was relatively open but as we and Portland cement,
away.) Map: h�p://bidjigal.org.au (Bushwalks) approached the Cumberland Highway and the M2 mostly limestone and

Motorway crossings the sides steadily increased in clay, to hold together
Report: steepness. Infamous1820's bushrangerJack Donohoe,who small rocks.
This was the second a�empt to undertake the walk, from carried out many robberies in the area, is reported to have The walk concluded
West Pennant Hills to Parrama�a following the Darling used the gorge as a hideout. passing the disused
Mills Creek and doing a loop around Lake Parrama�a near Floodwaters had caused considerable damage along Parrama�a Gaol and
the end: the first a�empt was thwarted by heavy rain that Darling Mills Creek and the Upper Parrama�a River and as 1885 convict built
made creek crossings difficult. This �me the weather was a remedy a retarding basin has been built. It is not a dam, it Female Factory
favourable - sunny with light cloud cover. The walk started
is a concrete wall 25 metres high with a short tunnel in its precinct on the way to
at Thompsons Corner, West Pennant Hills. base. During heavy rain, when all the storm water in the Parrama�a Station.
The DarlingMills Creekstarts nearthe intersectionof Castle creek cannot flow through the tunnel, excess water will be
Hill Road and Pennant Hills Road and flows generally west,
Report by: Laurie Olsen 61 Photos: Laurie Olsen