Leppington, NSW
36.0 km (4 hrs )
★★★☆☆

The Parklands Track is part of the 60 km of trails in the Western Sydney Parklands. This track runs from Bringelly Road in Sydney's south to the M7 motorway near Quaker's Hill in the north. My son and had previously done the southern section of the Parklands Track back in 2022, so on this trip I opted to cycle the M7 shared path until the Great Western Highway where I switched to the Parklands Track for the ride north.

The first section of the ride on the Westlink M7 shared path was easy, if underwhelming. The close proximity to the motorway means that there was a lot noise and fumes from the traffic. There is a rest area with bicycle tools and water at Eastern Creek, near the half-way point of the M7 shared path. The many entries / exits along the way also provide options to explore the extensive Western Sydney Parklands.

I very much enjoyed the last section of my ride along the Parklands Track through Nurragingy Reserve. This large reserve has a mix of developed picnic areas, including the beautiful Chang Lai Chinese Gardens, as well as native vegetation such as Lorikeet Marsh. As a bonus, the Parklands Track was so much more scenic, quieter and less busy than the M7 shared path.

I ended my ride on the Breakfast Creek Cycleway, which was a nice way to minimise the amount of street riding. This cycleway takes you almost all the way to Marayong station in Sydney's west.