NearMeBest walking trails in Springwood
Last updatedBirdwood Gully Park is the best walk in Springwood if you want a complete loop with a waterfall on the way. Its 2.6 km circuit takes about 1.5 hours and runs past caves and cliff overhangs. The walks here differ in what they ask of you. Sassafras Gully is a long, hard day in the bush, and Fairy Dell is a short climb from a picnic garden.
Quick picks
- Loop walk: Birdwood Gully Park has a 2.6 km circuit with a waterfall in the Madoline Glen section.
- Long day out: Sassafras Gully Reserve asks for a full day, with waterfalls and creek crossings along the way.
- Picnic and a walk: Fairy Dell Reserve starts at a shady terraced picnic garden and leads to Lawson Lookout.
- Dogs: Birdwood Gully Park allows dogs on a leash, and Sassafras Gully Reserve allows them on the left-hand side of the creek.
Birdwood Gully Park for a loop walk with a waterfall
- 2.6 km
- Loop
- Parking
Birdwood Gully Park suits anyone who wants a complete circuit without a long walk back. The 2.6 km track takes about 1.5 hours at an easy to moderate grade, and small footbridges carry it across the stream. Caves, cliff overhangs and large trees line the way, and the Madoline Glen section has a waterfall. Expect uneven surfaces and some steep sections, so sturdy shoes help. Park on the street nearby, or come by train, since the station is a short walk away, though the highway crossing is awkward. Dogs are welcome here on a leash only, which is the main rule to plan around.
Sassafras Gully Reserve for a long walk to the falls
- 10.5 km
- Parking
Sassafras Gully Reserve is the choice when you have a full day for the bush. The track starts at the end of Sassafras Gully Road and follows the gully and its creek, passing Martins Falls and rock formations, with several creek crossings along the way. Doing the entire route, there and back, covers about 10.5 km over roughly four and a half hours, and it's a hard grade for experienced walkers. A longer route is possible by linking up with the Victory Track. Carry a map or GPS track, since the markers can be hard to follow. There are no public toilets and no drinking water, and the car park at the end of the road has only a few spaces. Springwood Station is about 10 minutes on foot, so the train is an easy way in.
Fairy Dell Reserve for a picnic before the lookout
- 2.7 km
- Parking
Fairy Dell Reserve works best when you want the picnic and the walk in one visit. The terraced picnic garden is shady and has numerous tables, with a grassy area beside them for children to run around. From the tables, tracks lead toward Magdala Creek, Picnic Point and the lookout. The lookout trip is 2.7 km there and back, graded hard, and takes about 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes. The track drops into Magdala Gully and then climbs to the lookout's view across the valley. Drive to the reserve's own carpark, or walk from Springwood Station, which is about 270 m away.
How the walks compare
By area
Track length (km)
Every walking track in and near Springwood
The table lines the walks up on track length, loops, surface, toilets and parking, so you can scan the things a walker plans around.
| Park | Length | Loop | Toilets | Parking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Birdwood Gully Park | 2.6 | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| 2.Sassafras Gully Reserve | 10.5 | – | ✗ | ✓ |
| 3.Fairy Dell Reserve | 2.7 | ✗ | – | ✓ |
| 4.Deanei Forest Reserve | – | – | – | ✓ |
How we picked
We compared each walk on length, loops, surface, shade, toilets, parking and size, drawing on what each park's own text says about its tracks. Anything a park's text leaves out shows as a dash, so no walk looks better than its facts allow. Surface and shade weren't stated for any of these walks, so check the ground before you set out. Deanei Forest Reserve also has short bush trails, roughly 10 minutes on foot, but its track length isn't known.
FAQ
Is there a loop walk in Springwood?
The answer is Birdwood Gully Park's circuit, which runs 2.6 km and takes about 1.5 hours. Small footbridges cross the stream, and the track passes caves, cliff overhangs and a waterfall in Madoline Glen.
Can I walk with a dog in Springwood?
Yes, at Birdwood Gully Park, where dogs must stay on a leash, and at Sassafras Gully Reserve, where they're permitted on the left-hand side of the creek. Fairy Dell's dog rules aren't known here, so check the signs before you go.
How long is the walk to Lawson Lookout?
The walk from Fairy Dell Reserve to Lawson Lookout is 2.7 km return and graded hard. It takes about 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes, since you drop into Magdala Gully and climb back out to the lookout's view.
Can you reach these walks by train?
Yes, Springwood Station is close to all three. Fairy Dell Reserve is about a five-minute walk, Sassafras Gully Reserve about 10 minutes, and Birdwood Gully Park is a short walk, though the highway crossing is awkward.