CAHILL’S LOOKOUT, KATOOMBA BLUE MOUNTAINS NSW AUSTRALIA

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John Joseph Cahill was the Premier of New South Wales from 1952 to 1959. It was in his term of office that such well known Sydney landmarks as the Cahill Expressway at Circular Quay and the Sydney Opera House were planned. The Blue Mountains City Council named this magnificent lookout in his honour.

Unlike most of the Katoomba lookouts such as those at Echo Point and Scenic World, which overlook the Jamison Valley, this one overlooks the Megalong Valley. The two valleys are separated by the Narrow Neck, a remnant of the sandstone plateau which projects southwards for many kilometres.

The streams which formed the Megalong Valley have eroded through the Sydney Basin sediments into the underlying granite and other older rocks. Much of the western side of the valley has been cleared for sheep and cattle grazing.

The Boar's Head

Two well known landmarks visible from Cahill’s Lookout are the Boar’s Head Rock (easily seen on your left towards Narrow Neck) and the Six Foot Track to Jenolan Caves. The track may be seen snaking through the forest below the lookout (the bottom one, that is) after the descent through Nellie’s Glen, which is on your right.

There is a picnic area alongside the parking area at the beginning of the concrete path and steps leading down to the lookout. Unfortunately there are no toilet facilities. However there is a tap near the path and an overgrown drinking fountain (bubbler to we older Australians) at the lookout. I can’t say whether they work or not, but the ones at Sublime Point lookout, which date from the same period, certainly do.

This spot is one of the best places in the Blue Mountains to enjoy a sunset, because of its westerly aspect. It is reached from the loop section of Cliff Drive (Blue Mountains Drive), shortly after passing the golf course, proceeding from the direction of Scenic World.

My video on Cahill’s Lookout may be found here. Another video, taken on a very windy day, is here. My Blue Mountains You Tube playlist is here . I have three other playlists - on gem hunting/mining, Glen Innes and New Zealand.

The picnic area and access paths were reconstructed after the 2014 bushfire and now attract many more visitors. See my video "Cahill's Lookout Reopened" here.

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Nellie's Glen from Cahill's Lookout