Heritage Ventures
Clay Hill and Beyond
tour leader
Mike Breheny
destinations
Mangrove Creek, Dharug slopes, Sandstone ridgetop, Darkinjung Country
time & date
9.00am - 4.00pm
Sunday 10th September 2023
fitness level
Hard (bush walking experience required, includes
some steep slopes, scrambling and climbing over
loose surfaces)
10 kms
ticket price
$85.00
highlights
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Explore Clay Hill and beyond walking deep into sandstone country.
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Enjoy a spring spectacular of heath flowers and plants amongst honeycomb caves and ridgeways.
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Hear histories of river spots - Wendoree Park, Neverfail and the tiny settlements along Mangrove Creek
the tour
Enjoy an all day adventure - Up High over 'Clay Hill' and Mangrove Creek. Starting with morning tea at the Hawkesbury Duck we travel to Clay Hill so named for the pure clay seams that can be worked into ceramic clay. Exploring uphill we access the grass tree slopes walking along wallaby tracks and navigating sandstone outcrops to view distant panoramas over Spencer village and beyond. On the ridge top we enter a wonderland of Spring flowers from flannel flowers, boronias and eriostemons to waratahs and wedding bush. Our track leads to views along the winding river and across to the tiny settlements of Wendoree Park and NeverFail. Hear about the forgotten histories of Diaz, Hibbs, Kelly and other creek dwellers navigating this river system in the 1800s.
the guide
Mike Breheny has lived in and explored the Mangrove Creek area for over 30 years gaining extensive geographical and botanical knowledge that he loves sharing with others. As an experienced outdoor guide he has led bush walks and run leadership courses in and around the Hawkesbury River and is an active member of Central Coast Birders. Mike is joined by local historian Dr Bernadette Flynn who brings a rich knowledge of the public and social history of the Mangrove Creek catchment area.
