DISCOVERING THE GREAT WEST WALK
- Jan 5
- 3 min read
Stretching all the way from Parramatta in the east to Katoomba, Blue Mountains in the west, is the Great West Walk. An epic 140km recreational trail catered for every kind of walker. Starting and ending at multiple points throughout and with so much to see and do, you can choose your day and how you spend it, making it one of the greatest walks found in Western Sydney. Traversing Dharug, Gundungurra, Darkinjung, Dharawal, Wonnarua, and Wiradjuri land, this is a trail that will delight every kind of walker, no matter your fitness level.
Encompassing some of the most scenic sights of Western Sydney, the Great West Walk can easily be broken into many fun day trips, all tailored to your level of curiosity. Choose to explore the culture of Parramatta with its history, architecture, art and food scene, another day in Blacktown discovering diverse culture, vibrancy and the beautiful Western Sydney Parklands, Penrith with its lovely riverside eateries and outdoor living, and the Blue Mountains region with some of the most spectacular National Park in Australia.
The Great West Walk takes you through varying landscapes, with surprises at every turn. Blending urban settings with natural environments, you’ll encounter some of Australia’s oldest colonial buildings, protected woodland, World War II historical sites and more. The Blacktown area is a great place to start, made easy thanks to public transport points throughout. Using the online Great West Walk map and track notes created by members of The Walking Volunteers, you can track your progress, following the main walking route in red, and additional sightseeing trips in green.
Within Blacktown, you can easily begin at Seven Hills, Blacktown, Doonside, Rooty Hill or Mount Druitt stations, depending what you’d like to see. Starting at Doonside, it’s a wonderful multicultural hub with delicious food to match. Exiting Doonside station is Sunny Corner Café, and sunny it is. Owner Justine is a ray of welcoming sunshine, and with a large Filipino community living locally, the cafe serves up great coffee and Filipino meals. For a local treat, pop into Starlight Bakery and Mix N Match Bakery for their popular Filipino breads, the ube cheese pandesal with its unique mix of sweet, earthy ube and salty, creamy cheese is iconic.
From Doonside, head to the beautiful Nurragingy Reserve within the Western Sydney Parklands. The gardens here are stunning and out of a storybook scene, in particular the Chang Lai Yuan Chinese Gardens, and there’s even a miniature railway you can ride once a month, how very fun.
From here, follow the Great West Walk to the Blacktown Exercise and Sports Technology Hub to admire its impressive building design (there’s also a great playground and Parklands Cafe inside), then continue to the Rooty Hill Historic Site for expansive views, including Blacktown’s cityscape in the distance. Rooty Hill station is close by, but if you’re enjoying the walk, continue towards Mount Druitt station and visit the poignant Remembrance Garden.
If ending your day in Rooty Hill, it’s a suburb with a beautiful range of cuisines on offer morning, noon and night. Mama Lor is a community staple, specialising in Filipino specialities which you are sure to love, at Qabuli House you can enjoy Afghan dishes and bread cooked in toasty ovens, and Pho Ha Noi is a must for authentic Vietnamese, serving some of the most heavenly beef broth you might ever taste.
The Great West Walk truly is a spectacular trail, inviting you to uncover some of Western Sydney’s most scenic, historic, and culturally rich experiences. Whether shared with family, friends or enjoyed on a solo adventure at your own pace, WEST has only just scratched the surface of what can be experienced, leaving you plenty of inspiration to start planning your own adventurous and memorable days ahead. Explore with West.
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