CASTLE HEAD WALK, NARROW NECK KATOOMBA, BLUE MOUNTAINS NSW AUSTRALIA

CASTLE HEAD WALK, NARROW NECK KATOOMBA, BLUE MOUNTAINS NSW AUSTRALIA

If you stand at Echo Point and look across to the Ruined Castle, Castle Head is the point of land immediately behind it. What appears to be a solid tableland is in reality a narrow projection of land into the valley. Near its end it’s only a few metres across, making it an exciting place to stand. Like most such places it is only dangerous if you do silly things.

To get to this spot looks difficult. It’s not. Take the road to Narrow Neck from Cliff Drive, Katoomba. You’ll find the turnoff (Glenraphael Drive, an unsealed road) on the left as you drive around past Scenic World. It’s the only left hand turn along here.

The road descends to the first Narrow Neck before rising again onto the higher ground beyond. There is a car park at the track turnoff to the Golden Stairs, and another at the locked gate across the road shortly after. (There is a steep concrete section of road between the two, constructed to overcome severe erosion problems on the steep hill.)

From the locked gate on, you walk. The track to Castle Head turns off on the left about 15 minutes after you start walking. It’s marked by two round posts, the left one has “Castle Head” written on it in pencil or charcoal. (The track is not shown on the map opposite.) From here you are on a narrow foot pad through the bush, which soon comes to the cliff edge and then follows it to a Trig station (surveyors mark) and finally to the end of the headland.

Hikers on the Ruined Castle

The views along here are amazing in all directions. You can see the 1931 landslide, Katoomba Falls, Echo Point, the Three Sisters, Sublime Point and across to Kings Tableland. Below, looking east, is the Ruined Castle itself (which is the origin of the name Castle Head), behind which is Mt Solitary with the track to the summit easily visible. To the right of this is the gorge of Cedar Creek with Lake Burragorang beyond. (This is the water backed up by Warragamba Dam). A continuous vista of cliffs and valleys leads around to the continuation of the Narrow Neck peninsula. If it’s been raining, you will see a waterfall coming over the cliffs opposite.                                                              

The distant view of Katoomba Falls

Yellow-tailed black cockatoos

This is a popular abseiling spot and there are quite a few YouTube videos about this. The link to one of these is here. My video of the walk is here and a Bushwalking NSW link is here.

It is about a 2 hour return walk from the locked gate, one that you will always remember. Happy hiking! 

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BONNIE DOON TRACK, KATOOMBA BLUE MOUNTAINS NSW AUSTRALIA

BONNIE DOON TRACK, KATOOMBA 

BLUE MOUNTAINS NSW AUSTRALIA

View of Nellie's Glen from North's Lookout

The area known as “Bonnie Doon” lies on the western side of Katoomba, south of the “Explorers' Tree” and adjacent to Nellie’s Glen. There have been tracks through this area since the 19^th century, though the present day one appears to have been constructed about 25 years ago, judging from its deteriorating condition. Today’s track seems to be in a different location from those shown on old maps.

The track basically runs between two lookouts (North’s and Therabulat) crossing several minor streams as it winds through bush land. Sadly, there are no views of the cascades and waterfalls which the walker can hear further down the valleys. It is as if the track has been constructed in the most economical way possible to connect two points while staying away from the more difficult places, which no doubt are the very ones the walker would like to see.                                                                                 

It is possible to see the lowermost of the so-called Bonnie Doon Falls from Peckman’s Plateau Lookout, on the cliff top south of Therabulat Lookout (see my video here) or from a track which leaves the Six Foot track in Nellie’s Glen. This is the fall identified as Ethel Fall in early accounts of the locality. The other falls (3, according to the 1909 map illustrated) remain hidden from view.

Access to the area is from the Nellie’s Glen car park (just past where the Explorers' Tree used to be), turn left off the highway), which takes you down to North’s Lookout and from the end of Stuart’s Road, off Cliff Drive. This leads to Therabulat Lookout (take a left branch). Either way, if you  

The view from Therabulat Lookout to Megalong Valley

continue far enough along the track, you will encounter a newly constructed track coming from who knows where (no signpost in March 2014). Why this track has been pushed through a declared Fauna Study Area (thus destroying hundreds of thousands of native plants) is anyone’s guess.

The other disturbing feature of the walk is the evidence which remains around Nellie’s Glen of the environmental damage caused when an attempt was made to construct a fire trail down the Glen some years ago. One could be excused for thinking that the powers-that-be are less concerned about the scenic and conservation values of this part of Katoomba than they are, say, of those around Katoomba Falls and Echo Point. When you read old newspaper accounts of Bonnie Doon you will soon discover that this has always been an area which has suffered from the hands of timber getters, wild flower pickers, bush rock gatherers and the like. It is an attractive and interesting place and deserves to be better appreciated.

From a 1905 guide book

There are many accounts of walks in this area. Simply Google “Bonnie Doon” Katoomba to come up with a list.  My video on Bonnie Doon is here and the one on Peckman’s Plateau is here. 

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The top of Ethel Fall from North's Lookout

Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoo

ROCKET POINT LOOKOUT, WENTWORTH FALLS NSW AUSTRALIA

ROCKET POINT LOOKOUT, WENTWORTH FALLS 

NSW AUSTRALIA

Rocket Point Lookout from Princes Rock

Rocket Point Lookout is one of the oldest constructed lookouts in the Blue Mountains. Like Fletcher's Lookout and the Princes Rock Lookout, which is immediately across the valley, all have a “parapet” construction (now reinforced with the usual steel poles, bars and wire). It is believed that the work was done by Peter Mulheran, some time in the 1880’s and probably largely by him alone.

Mulheran is one of the best known names associated with Wentworth Falls. He was operating a small guest house and guiding service at the time and appears to have undertaken to build many of the tracks we know and love today. Later on he was a member of the Wentworth Falls Reserves Trust. We owe the man a great debt indeed.

Another well known Wentworth Falls name from those days is Captain John Murray. He was the Chairman of the Trust at the time Peter Mulheran and his assistants were engaged in the construction of the now famous National Pass track. This track descends into the valley by means of a staircase carved from the cliff face below the Rocket Point Lookout. Murray is generally credited with having identified the route by being lowered over the cliff on a bosun’s chair. No doubt his seafaring background qualified him for this job, but he would have been over 70 at the time.

Approaching the lookout from Wentworth Falls

The name “Rocket Point” appears in a “Herald” article dated 17^th October 1889, which is several years before the Murray’s arrival in Wentworth Falls. Some have attributed the name to his practice of firing off flares or rockets from this point to enable people below to get a compass bearing on the point. The dates are against this being the correct explanation. Others use the name “George Murray”, but I can find no such person associated with Wentworth Falls in those days.

An obituary of John Murray appeared on page 6 of the Sydney Morning Herald for Tuesday 4^th February, 1919.

The Mountaineer guidebooks (early 20^th century) contain remarks that the cliffs of Rocket Point are the highest in Australia at 1,000 feet, though how true either statement is, I cannot say. Whatever the truth, this is a most impressive spot and well worth a visit. The lookout is only about a 15 minute walk past the stepping stones at the top of the falls, branching off the National Pass track.

My video of the walk is here.

Top of the Falls from the lookout

 

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HINKLER PARK, KATOOMBA BLUE MOUNTAINS NSW AUSTRALIA

HINKLER PARK, KATOOMBA BLUE MOUNTAINS 

NSW AUSTRALIA

Hinkler Memorial Park is in Warialda St Katoomba, between Katoomba St and Lurline St. What distinguishes it from most other parks in the Blue Mountains is that it offers both a shelter shed and toilets as well as a children’s play area and a pleasant environment. It may not be very large but it is certainly very popular. You will probably only have it to yourself on a wet day.

Apparently the place was known as Lurline St Park before 1933, though I have been unable to find anything to suggest that there were any facilities there at all. All that was to change.

Herbert John Louis Hinkler (always known simply as Bert Hinkler) was born in Bundaberg, Queensland, in 1892. His interest in flying went back to his childhood and it was no surprise that he served, first in the Royal Naval Air Service and then in the RAF during the First World War, concluding the war as a pilot in Italy in 1918.

He was catapulted to fame in 1928 when he became the first person to fly solo from England to Australia, taking just under 15 ½ days. An unassuming man, Bert became an advocate for the aeroplane as he flew many new routes, solo whenever possible. He was killed in Italy in January 1933 when his plane crashed as he sought to break the new solo flight record to Australia of 8 days and 20 hours. He was greatly admired and Australians everywhere mourned his passing.                     

Hinkler Park 1938

The Katoomba Municipal Council determined to honour his memory by creating the park we know today. As you can see from the photographs and my video (here) they did a great job. See the Sydney Morning Herald article about the opening here.

Commemorative plaque on shelter

You might also enjoy hearing the man himself speak on a recording here. 

There is one small mystery you might like to help solve. At the top of the plaque commemorating the opening, which is on the side of the shelter shed, there is an engraving of what I assume was one of Hinkler’s planes. It is not the one he flew on the record breaking flight in 1928. Is it perhaps the one in which he was killed in 1933?
Note May 2024. It is.

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CLIFF DRIVE LOOKOUTS, KATOOMBA NSW AUSTRALIA

CLIFF DRIVE LOOKOUTS, KATOOMBA NSW AUSTRALIA

Eagle Hawk Lookout

In September 1937 a section of Cliff Drive, Katoomba was declared open by the Hon Eric Spooner, Minister for Works and Local Government in NSW. Mr Spooner was involved in a number of other official openings around Katoomba around this time, so we can assume that he liked the place.

The Cliff Drive, constructed by the then Katoomba Municipal Council, opened up a number of lookouts in places which must have been reasonably difficult to get to before then.

Approaching from the Scenic World end, the first is Eagle Hawk Lookout, which offers one of the best views of the Three Sisters and the cliffs between Echo Point and Katoomba Falls. There is limited parking (only two or three car spaces, which might all be taken up by a tourist coach). The lookout is down a short flight of steps, but even from the top the view is quite remarkable.                                           

Orphan Rock from Malaita Point Lookout

Malaita Point Lookout follows soon after, also on the left. There is presently no sign, only a gap in the safety railing to indicate the beginning of the track. There is parking on the opposite side of the road; however, as it is on fairly sharp bend, drivers need to take special care when making the necessary U turns on what has become a busy road.

The island of Malaita is one of the Solomon Islands and gave its name to a well know steamship serving the Pacific islands in the first half of the 20^th century. Malaita Point might have taken its name from the ship. Others have suggested that the name was given because of the presence of a group of Malaita islanders who were undergoing training with a mission society in premises nearby, early in the century.

The view from the lookout is spectacular and includes a rare view of the back of Orphan Rock. The cliffs are popular with rock climbers and were the scene of a recent fatal accident. See this Sydney Morning Herald article for more information.

Landslide Lookout from Narrow Neck Lookout

Next comes Landslide Lookout, with parking on both sides of the road. The track to the lookout descends to a point looking towards the Narrow Neck. Standing there you will be quite unaware of the fact that you are standing on the brink of the great 1931 landslide, a fact which is brought home only when you look back from Narrow Neck Lookout.

The Cyclorama Point track is immediately opposite that to Landslide Lookout. When you read accounts of the views from this spot (eg this one from the Herald, 18^th September 1937) you ascend the steps with great anticipation. Alas, the bush has grown to such an extent that the view is almost totally obscured today. The whole article makes good reading and may be read in Trove by clicking here.

Narrow Neck Lookout is several minutes further on. It has the best parking of all these lookouts and also a picnic table (not the shelter that used to be here). Tree growth is rapidly obscuring the otherwise fantastic view of the Narrow Neck. Don’t miss the view on the left of the cliff face remaining after the 1931 landslide. 

Note April 2024. You now have to pay to park here.

Hilda’s Lookout (source of name unknown – perhaps she lived nearby) is relatively recent and is also suffering from obscuring vegetation.

My video of these places may be found here. 

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