Fitzroy Falls Day Trip
Location: Fitzroy Falls Reservoir Picnic Area
Important notes: If you are planning on driving down (not on bus), we need some people to go down earlier to help reserve the big picnic shelter with its tables, benches, sink and hot water for us. Please let Bro Josh/Paul know ASAP if you can help with this.
Last updated: 11:37am 27/09/2023
Departure on Monday morning
We will meet just up the road from Merrylands Train Station on Military Road, (near the RSL Club), in the empty parking spaces alongside the railway line ready for departure at 8.00 am SHARP. Reason for this location is because the rental buses are coming from Budget in nearby Westmead, so this will allow us to get away as quickly as possible.
If you cannot easily get to Merrylands Station by train, you will need to arrange with someone in the church who will drive past your area on the way to Merrylands to pick you up on the way through. We will not be stopping to pick anyone up along the way.
Travelling there
Around 9:00am we will stop at the Pheasant’s Nest Twin Road Houses for breakfast, coffee and a restroom break. About 9:40am, we will continue down the Hume Highway and drive through Mittagong, and then Bowral, before heading to Fitzroy Falls.
How to find the picnic area
Continue on the road past the Fitzroy Falls Lookouts and Information Centre for no more than about 1 km driving slowly and you will suddenly see what looks just like a driveway on your left, with a small sign “Fitzroy Falls Reservoir Picnic Area”. Take that driveway and go in and park in the picnic area’s gravel carpark. If you miss this driveway and continue on down the road and can’t find us, please ring someone, as there is also mobile reception out there.
You can also try using Google Maps which should take you where you need to be.
Food and Picnic Utensils
Will be finalised Wednesday night (27/09/2023) and an announcement will follow.
Weather
The prediction is for a dry and sunny day of about 28 degrees. The outing will still go on however, regardless of the weather, as the buses have been booked and paid for and the food will also have already been purchased.
In the unlikely case of lots of rain on that day, we will make the day into a road trip instead of a picnic, and possibly proceed down to the coast via Kangaroo Valley and back up to Sydney via the coast road, stopping at places of interest on the way and using available picnic shelters for our lunch.
If the weather is good as predicted, we will go to Fitzroy Falls via the Hume Highway and also return via the Hume Highway. If the traffic returning to Sydney after the long weekend is very heavy on the Hume Motorway, we will return to Sydney via the Old Hume Highway, stopping at McDonalds in Tahmoor for our restroom and refreshment break rather than at the twin roadhouses at Pheasants Nest.
Bring a warm cardigan or jumper, as it is usually a few degrees cooler at Fitzroy Falls than the predicted temperatures in Sydney
Sports Equipment
We will ask Bro Jim if he can pull out our sports equipment from under Pastor Jason’s house. In the past we have played volleyball, softball, cricket and soccer.
Who else can come?
You are welcome to bring anyone in your family, or anyone else who lives in your house. As far as general friends are concerned, they should attend church for a couple of weeks at least before taking part in church outings. Please make sure that the names of all people coming on the day are recorded on the list at the back of the church by this Sunday
Facilities
Sis Marlyn and family will be going direct to the Fitzroy Falls Reservoir Picnic Area from Jervis Bay to try and reserve as much of the space in the largest picnic shelter as possible, which has about 8 picnic tables and benches, and also contains electric bbqs, stainless steel sink and tap and continuous boiling hot water. The toilets are also not far from this shelter.
If you plan on driving down yourself and can go a bit earlier, you could help Sis Marlyn and family to reserve that picnic shelter. Sis Marlyn plans on getting there at 9 am. We will be there in the buses by 11 am, Lord willing.
What should I bring?
- Food/drinks to share – the church will buy sausages and bread.
- A picnic blanket
- Warm clothing (just in case)
- Your Bible
- Money to purchase breakfast / coffee on the way.
Some extras you may want to bring:
- Sunscreen
- A hat
- Enclosed shoes if you want to go on the planned walk to the falls
- Fold up chair (sorry, no room on bus to store chairs).