The Cooks River Cycleway runs from Rookwood Cemetery to Botany Bay at Tempe. It joins with a cycle route from Ryde through Rhodes, North Strathfield and Homebush and extends on to Kurnell via a cycleroute around Botany Bay.
The cycleway is largely off road but does involve some road crossings, where you need to watch carefully for traffic. It is easy to follow, as it is mostly by the Cooks River or canal. From opposite the Rookwood main gates on Centennial Rd there is an on road section, with sign posts to follow, but it soon becomes off road path.
Therre is one narrow section, underneath Canterbury Rd, where there is room for one way travel only. There are two bridges to cross, a timber footbridge in Hurlstone Park and one in Earlwood, over Illawarra Rd bridge.
At Tempe the path crosses Richardson Cr and goes through the Tempe station car park and continues on under the railway line next to the river. This passage can be flooded at high tide or after heavy rain
To proceed to Botany Bay, cross the Princes Highway at lights at View St and use the shared footpath over the Cooks River Bridge, as on the Kurnell/Cronulla ride.
Bikely map of a circular ride from Leichhardt to the Cooks River.