FURBER STEPS, KATOOMBA FALLS
BLUE MOUNTAINS AUSTRALIA
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| Original ladder: State Library of Victoria |
When the Federal
Pass was completed in 1900, linking Leura
Falls to Katoomba Falls, it was
hailed as a great achievement, which indeed it was. Tourists no longer had to
visit the two sights separately – they could now descend into the valley at
either end and walk between the two.
However, the descent of the lower cliffs at
Katoomba was made in part by wooden ladders which many visitors would have found
rather daunting in such an exposed position, especially when you look at old
photos and see the clothing visitors wore in those days. The answer was to
carve a set of steps into the cliff to replace the most dangerous ladders.
Similar steps had already been carved into the cliffs at Blackheath and
Wentworth Falls. The government surveyor who arranged funding for their
construction in 1908 (at a cost of 140 pounds) was Thomas Frederick Furber. This sum might seem tiny to us, but to the
volunteer Trust controlling the area it must have seemed enormous and no doubt
they were profuse in their thanks to Mr Furber and the NSW government.
Even so, many visitors sought a free ride on the
coal trucks ascending the cliff nearby and this ultimately led to the
establishment of the Scenic Railway
and Scenic World as we know them
today. There are still lots of people who descend into the valley via the steps
but you don’t see many going the other way!
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| View from Lyne's Point 1957 |
The official opening of the Federal Pass took
place on 3rd November 1900, just a few weeks before the Federation
of the six Australian States took place on 1st January 1901, hence
the name. The Premier of NSW, Sir
William Lyne, officiated. Lyne drew the line after climbing
down to the bottom of Leura Falls. He then returned to Katoomba but many others
went on the complete the entire walk. All assembled at Katoomba Falls Reserve
for afternoon tea and speeches and an official banquet was held at the
Carrington in the evening.
There are many newspaper reports of this event; you
will enjoy the one in the Evening News (Sydney,
NSW) of Monday 5th November 1900, page 8. Here is an extract referring to the
ascent to Katoomba Falls, which was obviously the hardest part.
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| From Evening News 5/11/1900 |
Back to Furber and the
steps. There is a lot of information about TF Furber in an article compiled by
The Institute of Surveyors NSW Inc. beginning on page 139. You will find this
reference here. This is the origin of the photograph. He was clearly a man of
vision dedicated to his work and the good
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| Furber Steps, newly built |
of the community. However the
construction of the steps came about, this is a place which remains exciting to
visit and, if anything, the visitor comes to the bottom all too soon. With the
views, the element of danger and the knowledge that you don’t have to climb up
again, it is yet another place “not to be missed”.
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| Furber Steps today from Cliff View Lookout |
You
will find my video of this walk here.
https://johnsbluemountainsblog.blogspot.com/2013/12/links-to-all-blog-entries-and-relevant.html All Blue Mountains blogs and videos
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