Turramurra

Turramurra is one of Sydney's sylvan and well-heeled Upper North Shore suburbs where attractive homes sit snugly in groves of trees separated by well-tended gardens and lawns. Navigate your way down Bobbin Head Road, along which the bowls club lies, and you'll find yourself in the vast expanses of the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park which is dissected by Cowan Creek and its tributaries - Smith Creek and Coal and Candle Creek - and where bushwalking and picnicking are popular pastimes. The walking trails erupt in vibrant colour when the wildflowers bloom in spring. The national park was established in 1894 and contains more than 14,600ha within its rugged boundaries. Small boats can be hired at the delightfully-named village of Bobbin Head and Appletree Bay for a spot of fishing and exploring the verdant banks of the creeks. There's a visitors centre, a wildlife centre and a koala reserve along the Ku-ring-gai Chase Road which loops through the park.