Flat Rock Gully

Flat Rock Gully is a pocket of remnant bushland between Naremburn and Northbridge, and the loop through it runs 2.7 km past a creek, sandstone terracing and the ruins of a pioneer cottage. Dogs walk it on lead. Willoughby City Council has classified the gully a Wildlife Protection Area, so the lead is not a formality here.

Leash status

Willoughby City Council manages the reserve, classifies it a Level 2 Wildlife Protection Area, and requires dogs on lead on the bushland walking tracks, formal tracks only. Unleashed walking is prohibited anywhere in the gully and fines apply, because the habitat supports small birds, reptiles and frogs that a loose dog will clear out in minutes. Pick up and carry waste out. If your dog needs a run, council keeps separate designated areas for that, including the Unleashed Dog Exercise Area at Chatswood.

The walk

AllTrails rates the loop easy and allows about 45 minutes for the 2.7 km. The council track through the same gully runs longer, closer to 4 km return, and is graded medium. Either way the surface is the thing to plan for: an unsealed path with wooden stairs and stepped sections, well defined but steep in places. The longer Flat Rock Gully Walking Track and Flat Rock Creek cover the same country if you want more of it.

Water and hazards

The creek runs through the base of the gully, and the crossings are the pinch point. Council warns they may not be passable after rain, and the rock is slippery when wet. Small dogs and older dogs will struggle at the crossings once the water is up.

Max: Check the two days before, not just the forecast for today. This gully drains slowly, and a crossing that looks fine from above is exactly where people slip.

Getting there and parking

A small car park sits near the Small Street entrance at Willoughby, and the walk from Naremburn side streets drops you in from the other end. The gully holds shade through most of the day, so the surface stays walkable even in summer.

When to go

Mid-week, mid-morning, and give it a few dry days after rain. The gully holds shade all day, which makes it one of the better summer options on the Lower North Shore. Good for nervous dogs who want quiet, and for seniors if you skip the creek crossings.

Close by with the dogs

The Incinerator Cafe is the closest, in the Walter Burley Griffin building near Small Street, with a large outdoor area, and The Rusty Rabbit at St Leonards is the other local favourite. The Flat Rock Gully Walking Track continues the same valley if you want to keep walking. The NSW trails guide and Naremburn destination page round out the options.