Enjoy a 45 minute hike to a glorious 10m jump rock
Location:
Located in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, this secluded bay is only a 45 minute hike from Cowan station.
Jerusalem Bay is an arm off the larger Cowan Creek and the origin of its name remains a mystery. Nevertheless, it has been a well known swimming area for many locals for over a thousand years, well before the colonisation of Australia. Many Aboriginal rock engravings are still visible and are a testament to this areas importance.
During my first visit of the bay, I was greeted by a singular sea turtle close to shore during low tide. This experience along with the adrenaline pumping cliff jumping has led me to fall in love with the bay and its surrounding area.
How to get there:
The scenic hike down into the bay is a very small section of the Great North Walk, and starts at Cowan Train Station.
If you are driving, there is free, all-day parking available right in front of the train station 🙂
After parking, walk east across the train tracks (opposite direction of the picture) and then walk on the southbound platform and take the first exit heading upward (North). With the train station on your left you should be walking up the section with the disused train tracks and it should lead to a path with signage.
When you are on the track, it is relatively straight forward with a clear path leading down and left towards the water.
The track itself is well maintained, with a decent decline leading towards the bay. There are some rocky sections, but I don’t think hiking boots are necessary (side note I saw a pair of 10 year olds walking up barefoot!)
*Warning during the warmer months I have spotted snakes directly on the track, so make sure you keep an eye out for them.
The 10m Jump Rock
A trip to Jerusalem Bay is never complete without exploring the adrenaline filled side of the bay.
Depending on the tide this jump rock is either 9m or 10m from the water. Access is slightly sketchy and so far I have found two ways you can access the platform. When you first arrive at the Bay you will need to swim across the water (or walk if it is low tide) to the rocks on the other side. After reaching the rocks, you can either loop around and join an existing walking track to the top of the platform or you can swim to the base of the platform and climb a rope to the top. I prefer the rope, as you are able to enjoy multiple jumps in a relatively short period of time. However, this may not be for everyone as you will need to be able to pull your own body weight up, and it is a pretty daunting climb.
On a side note, this is also a popular deep water soloing climbing spot with many established routes on the rock.
Tips:
- Check the tide height before your trip! This is important as low tide gets very low (still safe to do the jump rock at your own discretion) but many oysters get exposed on the sides of the bay so entry and exit into the water may be difficult.
- Bring water shoes if you have them. This is mainly for the oysters if you visit during low tide.
- Bring plenty of food and water and you’ll be set for a whole day adventure.
After you have enjoyed the day, you can head back to the main track and do the hike in reverse.
this is amazing!!! i’m so proud of you!!