Two hours one way

 

The Mount Wilson - Mount Irvine to Bilpin bush run was an annual event with over two hundred and fifty runners taking part.  (Note that this run is no longer held as it crosses Bowens Creek bridge which was badly damaged by storms and  has not been repaired to date).

 The first section of the run is from Silva Plana, along the Northern fire trail, over Lamb's Hill and then up Farrer Road West. 

The section described here is from Farrer Road East to the end of Danes Way on the top of Mount Irvine. The Bush Run continues along Mount Irvine Road and the Bowens Creek to Bilpin.

This walk starts at Farrer Road East where one can leave the car. If you have two cars, drive out to Mount Irvine to the far end of Danes Way and leave a car there.

Walk towards Mount Irvine and follow the power lines down the slope. About 200 metres down, there is a cairn of rocks and a small track going off to your right.

It is worth walking all the way down the slope to the creek. Crossing it and following the track to the end for about 15 minutes. Integral Energy have done a great job ensuring they can reach all power poles for service. It is pretty down there and one can see the far power pole across the gully which you pass later in the walk.

Return to the cairn of rocks and walk along the little track. A short steep climb up some steps takes you up to the power pole you saw earlier across the valley. Pause here and enjoy the view back towards Lindfield Park and Gowan Ross, and think of the difficulty the crews had in 1962 in putting the electricity across this gully when taking the power out to Mount Irvine.

This section of the walk has been made by Bill Ross who was a long keen long distance runner and who lived at the property Brambil at Mount Wilson for a time. It was he who suggested the Willy to Billy Bush Run (as it is now called) be put on the runners' annual calendar. Bill worked out the 34.4 kilometre course that borders on, and passes through the World Heritage listed Wollemi National Park.

Follow the electricity service road up the hill until you come to the level area. Turn left at the next track junction and left again at the next track out to the poles. Follow the power lines right and go up a rise and into the property Touri. The first fire trail around Touri branches off on the left on the first rise.

Follow the fire trail around Touri and you will eventually come out on the Mount Irvine Road. Turn left on to the road and start up the steep incline. Soon you will see a small track heading off on the left up the hill. This leads to Danes Way where again you turn left up the hill, past the public cemetery and onto the top of Mount Irvine. A lovely level walk along past Carisbrook beneath the tall trees takes you to the end of the road.