Located within the heart of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, the Kalkari Discovery Centre boasts stunning vistas of the park’s vibrant, natural landscape.
Kalkari is the local Aboriginal word for ‘resting place’ or ‘to wait’. Since the 1950s, locals and tourists alike have been visiting the Kalkari Discovery Centre. Today, the Centre hosts 12,000 visitors annually.
Indigenous artefacts, historical photographs, maps, information regarding walks in the area, and a “touch table” for the kids with seeds, bones, feathers are on display for the public. Kalkari frequently feature changing exhibitions, such as their “Fascinating Fungi Expo”, and the “Birdscape” exhibition, opening on the 28th of September.
The Kalkari Discovery Trail is one of the many walking trails in the National Park. Although a short and easy track, it provides an introduction to the park’s natural sights, diverse wildlife and native plants. The Trail starts at the Centre and features amazing views from the lookout down to Cockle Creek at Bobbin Head.
Wildlife can be observed on the Discovery Trail, including native bees in their hive, a range of reptiles including goannas, small lizards, the occasional snake and a variety of bird life.
“Five resident Eastern Grey kangaroos can mostly be spotted lazing in the sun, much to everyone’s delight,” Linda says. “Volunteers can highlight daily on a map where the ‘roos can be observed.”
The Trail showcases a great selection of Hawkesbury sandstone native plants, many of which are signposted. Alongside this, a free map and photographs to identify plants that are flowering along the Trail guide and teach the public.
Visitors make a day of their visit and stop by Bobbin Head for a picnic or BBQ, pop into the cafe at the visitor centre, fish in the waterways, or explore the mangrove boardwalk to spot many crab varieties and discover Aboriginal carvings.
The Kalkari Discovery Centre and Trail are both fully accessible, and helpful volunteers are not in short supply. The National Park has over 90 dedicated, passionate, trained volunteers from a range of backgrounds.
The Kalkari Discovery Centre can be visited at 402 Ku-ring-gai Chase Road, Mount Colah NSW 2079 and is open between 9:30am to 5pm every day. Entry fees apply for Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park.