The best MTB trails in Bidjigal Reserve

Parramatta Valley Cycleway is fantastic

Caddies Creek Cycleway Junction is a leafy trail intersection shaded by tall eucalypts and dense understorey, with paths branching in a few directions. From here, one route leads into Caddies Creek Park, another continues along the cycleway following the creek, and a third leads along the Smalls Creek Shared Path. It’s a quiet, shaded spot to pause and decide where to go next.

Smalls Creek winds through the suburbs of Beaumont Hills and North Kellyville, with the shared path following much of its course through areas of trees and open bushland. The creek provides a peaceful natural corridor, and from the path, you get a chance to see this quieter side of the creek as you move between the two communities.

Smalls Creek Shared Path follows the creek corridor through Beaumont Hills and North Kellyville, providing a traffic-free option for walking and cycling through the surrounding bushland. The path crosses Smalls Creek on a 38-metre shared bridge connecting Farmer Circuit with Curtis Road, then continues through the local path network. It’s a mostly flat route that makes for a lovely, greener alternative to walking along the surrounding streets.

Newington Nature Reserve protects endangered wetlands and Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark Forest along the Parramatta River, providing a sanctuary for migratory birds and other native wildlife. Much of the reserve remained untouched for more than a century while it formed part of the former Newington Armory, helping preserve one of Sydney’s most significant remaining natural areas. Today, it remains an important conservation area, best appreciated from the surrounding shared paths, where you can enjoy beautiful views of the river and spot native birdlife.

The Parramatta Parkrun is a free, weekly, timed 5-kilometrer community event. It takes place every Saturday morning at 8:00 am, starting at George Kendall Riverside Park in Ermington. The turnaround point is here, at the playground in Eric Primrose Reserve. It is free, though you must register online once with Parkrun Australia and bring an official scannable barcode to get a timed result. This event is open to all ages and fitness levels, including runners, joggers, walkers, spectators, or volunteers. The event is run by volunteers, and participants frequently gather at a nearby café after the finish line for coffee.

The George Kendall Riverside Park is an expansive 27-hectare waterfront park sitting right along the northern bank of the Parramatta River. The park offers public toilets, sheltered picnic tables, water bubblers, wood-fired and electric barbecues. The park also has soccer fields, baseball diamonds, cricket pitches, tennis courts, multipurpose basketball courts and an outdoor gym. Some more unique facilities are the playground and the "learn-to-ride" bike track complete with miniature roundabouts, traffic lights, and stop signs, as well as the fully fenced, off-leash dog park which is located on the eastern boundary near Gregory Street.

Devlins Creek Trail follows the creek corridor through shaded bushland, linking narrower single-track sections with rocky creek crossings and sandstone terrain. Compared to the wider fire trails higher in the park, this route feels more enclosed, with dense vegetation and a rougher surface underfoot. Tree roots, rocks, and smaller creek crossings slow the pace in sections, especially after rain when parts of the track can become muddy or slippery. The trail also forms part of the wider Great North Walk network through Lane Cove National Park.