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Central Coast Bushwalk

Strickland Arboretum Loop (2.3km)

A 2.3km beginner friendly rainforest loop that's dog friendly and 3 degrees cooler than surrounding areas.

At a glance

Distance: 2.3km circuit
Ascent: 40m
Dogs: Yes, off leash
Toilets: Yes

This is a rainforest walk so it is perfect for a hot day as it is around 3 degrees cooler on this track. You can continue onto the ecovillage for a coffee at step 5, just check the opening hours first, here is a link to the google business profile for the Narara Eco Village Coffee Cart. When writing this the opening hours were 9am to 2pm, Tuesday to Saturday.

Strickland State forest and the Arboretum loop walk is dog friendly and is an off leash area.

This can be done as a roughly accessible walk by starting at Narara ecovillage, it is still rough with tree roots and holes. Here is the start point at the ecovillage.

Click on the map, it is powered by open street map and shows you where the dog area is. You can click on the navigator icon to show you where you are and check if you are in the dog friendly area.

Walk directions

Start at the end bottom of Strickland Forest Road: -33.379911, 151.324997 Google Maps Link
Turn left and cross the small creek: -33.37988, 151.324128 Google Maps Link
Turn left to incorporate the Bellbird trail into the Loop or continue straight for a shorter track: -33.383436, 151.324793 Google Maps Link
Turn left onto the Arboretum Trail: -33.384677, 151.324165 Google Maps Link
Turn Left down the hill, alternatively you can go straight ahead and get a coffee at Narara Ecovillage and then come back later as the ecovillage is just past the gate: -33.388009, 151.3268156 Google Maps Link
Turn right back towards the carpark: -33.384525, 151.324568 Google Maps Link

Hiker and dog walking a fern lined rainforest track at Strickland

Interpretive trail map showing routes to Strickland Falls and Banksia picnic area

Hiker and dog crossing a mossy rock creek bed in the rainforest

Hiker standing on a fallen log bridging a sandy Strickland creek

Looking up a tall straight trunk to a canopy of cabbage tree palms

Looking up two tree trunks framed by fan palm fronds overhead

Tannin stained creek reflecting the rainforest canopy at Strickland

Shaded rainforest creek lined with palms and moss covered rocks

Wooden suspension bridge crossing the rainforest with a hiker approaching

Pale gilled mushroom emerging from leaf litter beside the track

Car parked at the shaded Strickland Forest carpark clearing

Welcome to Stoney Creek car park interpretive signboard with wildlife photos

Shallow tannin coloured creek framed by cabbage tree palms

Moss covered boulders lining the creek bed through the forest

Black dog crossing mossy boulders beside the rainforest creek

Black and grey bearded dog standing in the shallow creek

Pale mushroom with a gilled underside growing on a fallen log

Bracket fungus with concentric rings growing on a log

Black dog standing on a fallen log crossing the creek

Close up of a ringed bracket fungus on the forest floor

Black dog pausing on a mossy log bridge over the creek

Dog Walks

Cool Bushwalks for a Hot Day

Beginner Bushwalks

Narara Reeves St Explorer (1km)

The book

33 dog walks in the book

A Cornucopia of Central Coast Walks has a dog section with 33 walks your dog can come on, from the beaches at Forresters, Pearl Beach and Patonga to the trails at Strickland and Mt Alison. Each one has a map and numbered directions.

See the book

A picture book

A picture book for a hot day in the bush

For a hot day, The Bush Wee has a little explorer splashing through a waterfall and hopping across a creek, then realising there is no toilet anywhere nearby. It is my read aloud picture book for children aged 2 to 7, inspired by walks here on the Central Coast.

See the picture book

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4.9 out of 5 from 18 Google reviews

This walk is on Darkinung country. Good Architect acknowledges the Darkinung people as the Traditional Custodians of this land and we pay our respects to Elders, past, present and emerging. Darkinjung Land Council.