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    Core Original

    Core Original

    STEP BushwalkersWalks and Talks

    Our walks and talks are free and open to all. Click here for video links to some of our talks and walks.

    Talks

    Usually held at St Andrews Uniting Church, corner of Vernon Street and Chisholm Street, Turramurra.

    Walks

    We run two sorts of walks; our introduction to to local bushland walks are 2 h long whilst our other walks explore further afield and usually take 4 to 5 h.

    See below for our guidelines for walkers and details of how we grade our walks.

    Guidelines for walkers

    • For safety reasons and the enjoyment of walkers, numbers are limited
    • Bushwalking can be hazardous: we usually walk on unsealed, uneven surfaces which may slope and be slippery or loose; insects may bite or sting; snakes are rare but may be seen
    • If you are an inexperienced bushwalker or have a medical condition which could affect your walk, please discuss with your leader prior to departure
    • Wear strong, comfortable, enclosed footwear with a non-slippery sole
    • Bring plenty of water and keep well hydrated
    • Bring appropriate food, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, insect repellent and wet weather gear if necessaryBring plenty of water, appropriate food, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, insect repellent and wet weather gear if necessary
    • Dispose of any rubbish in a thoughtful manner
    • Only trained assistance dogs are allowed on our walks

    Grades of walks

    All our walks are grade 2 or 3 according to the Australian Walking Track Grading System and are usually less than 10 km:

    • Grade 2 (easy) – no bushwalking experience required. The track is hardened or compacted surface and may have a gentle hill section or sections and occasional steps.
    • Grade 3 (moderate) – suitable for most ages and fitness levels. Some bushwalking experience recommended. Tracks may have short steep hill sections, a rough surface and many steps.

    Videos and PDFs of talks and walks

    Campaigns

    Submissions to Government

    STEP CampaignsWaratahSTEP is continually responding to relevant issues. These may be comments on plans of management for natural areas, the questioning of inappropriate development proposals, taking land managers to task for neglect or inappropriate management actions, and a myriad of other matters that seem to occur far too often. Click here for our submissions to government.

    Blue Gum High Forest

    In 2007 the Blue Gum High Forest Group, a coalition of concerned groups, won their long-running campaign to protect the Blue Gum High Forest in St Ives ... read more.

    Bushland Tracks and Trails

    STEP is of the view that there are many positive aspects to a system of well-planned and well-maintained tracks and trails in urban bushland ... read more.

    Population

    Many media commentators and some environmentalists seem to believe that the population debate is all a dog-whistling exercise orchestrated by the bigoted and xenophobic. While there are of course some of those people around that is far from STEP’s position ... read more.

    Powerful Owls

    STEP is hosting information on protecting powerful owls in Sydney on behalf of the Powerful Owl Coalition ... read more.

    Roads

    STEP has participated in the debate about expressway construction for 35 years. We were very involved in the campaign that resulted in the proposed expressway through the length of the Lane Cove Valley bushland being abandoned and have participated by responding to all proposals such as the original M2 and the proposed F3 to M2 and M7 link ... read more.

    Spanish moss

    STEP is concerned about the potential impact of Spanish moss on our bushland ... read more.

    St Ives Showground

    In early 2010 Ku-ring-gai Council placed the draft options for St Ives Showground and precinct lands on public exhibition ... read more.

    Stringybark Ridge

    Stringybark Ridge is part of the Berowra Valley National Park. The main parties involved seemed then to be in agreement that this is how it should remain. However in March 2015 NPWS issued a new draft PoM which proposed a spectacular reversal of their own previous policy ... read more.

    Sydney Adventist Hospital Site

    The Wahroonga Estate Concept Plan was approved by the NSW Minister of Planning on 31 March 2010. This approval brought to an end a saga that began in early-2007 ... read more.

    UTS (Ku-ring-gai Campus)

    For the last 25 years, STEP has been involved with the future and conservation of urban bushland at the University of Technology Sydney campus at Lindfield ... read more.

    PositionPopulationPosition Papers and Issues

    Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usneoides): An Environmental Weed. A Preliminary Assessment in Northern Sydney (2024)

    Protecting Powerful Owls (2018)

    Population (2011)

    Bushland Tracks and Trails (2010)

    UTS Rezoning Proposal (2003)

    F3–M2 Proposed Link (2002)

    Selective Hand Clearing (1994, amended 2001)

    Lane Cove Valley Freeway (1990)

    Bushland in Ku-ring-gai (1986) written by John Burke and approved by the Bushland Management Working Party to present the arguments for bushland management to Ku-ring-gai Council

    Plan of Management for South Turramurra Bushland (1980)

    History

    Constitution

    Out of STEP: An Account of South Turramurra's Opposition to Ku-ring-gai Council's Proposal of Building a Major Netball Complex in the Area in 1978 (Dokulil, 1984)

    STEP Forth Boldly: STEP Inc from Birth to 40 (Aplin, 2018)

    Oral histories:

    • John Burke (committee member from 1984–96 and 2005–12 and president from 1990–93 and 2006–08)
    • John Martyn (committee member from 1990–2018)
    • Michelle Leishman (committee member from 1996–2009 and president from 2000–06)

    Submissions to Government

    STEP SubmissionsGovernment BanksiaSTEP is an active participant in the debate surrounding those proposals and planning issues which we believe may pose a direct or indirect threat to our local and national natural environment. The STEP committee and membership are fortunate to be able call upon a wide variety of specialised skills and knowledge to respond at a detailed level to many of the challenges facing our local community.

    The submissions which STEP forwards to local and state bodies are widely recognised as being highly effective in putting forward the STEP point of view, and in many instances have directly led to changes being made to the plans and in the implementation of these proposals.

    STEP members and the public are invited to contact us about matters affecting the conservation of the local environment, as we may be able to take action which will result in a better outcome.

     

    Hornsby Council

     

    Other Councils

     

    Ku-ring-gai Council

     

    NSW and Australian Government

    Newsletters

    We publish five issues of our newsletter, STEP Matters, each year.

    Read the latest articles published since 2015 on-line (see right panel).

    Download PDFs of all issues (from when we began in 1978) below.

    1. Books
    2. Maps
    3. About Us
    4. Contact