John's Blue Mountains Blog: Cascades

Friday, 4 October 2013

LEURA CASCADES PICNIC AREAS BLUE MOUNTAINS NEW SOUTH WALES AUSTRALIA

LEURA CASCADES PICNIC AREAS BLUE MOUNTAINS NEW SOUTH WALES AUSTRALIA

This has been a favourite place for picnics since the Katoomba Baths were opened here in 1913. Before then, many people came down the tracks from both Katoomba and Leura stations to visit the Leura Cascades and Leura Falls, especially after the opening of the Federal Pass track earlier in the century. The completion of the baths, with associated change rooms, toilets and picnic areas brought many more visitors. The area remains popular today, with easy access from the Cliff Drive and regular stops by the coaches which visit the principal tourist spots.

2022 note: The area was closed for several years after heavy rain and landslides.It is now open for pedestrians and cyclists. Park at the Solitary Restaurant.

Just when the baths finally closed I have not been able to discover. The present Katoomba Aquatic Centre dates from 1972, but for at least 20 years before that the pool at nearby Catalina Park was drawing people away from this cold mountain swimming pool. The basic structure of the baths is still visible, having been filled in while the concrete walls were retained, which adds considerably to the interest of the place.

The Baths around 1920

Mountaineer Tourist Guide 1927

There isn’t a great deal of parking and the lower area tends to fill up early in the day as people head off on the various bush walks which radiate from here. The upper area isn’t far away, but it’s all up hill from the main facilities which is a bit off-putting if you’ve parked there and carried all your picnic gear down the hill.

The Prince Henry Cliff Walk, The Leura Cascades, The Bridal Veil Falls, the Amphitheatre walk and the Federal Pass are all easily accessed from here.

My video on the Leura Cascades Picnic Area is 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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All New England and other Geology blogs and videos

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Limestone Caves of NSW

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1147003616874115974/2430103125095714141

Song Studies. Bible studies based on hymns and songs

https://www.blogger.com/blog/posts/1515863000684737715

Shoalhaven District Geology.

Saturday, 3 August 2013

THE KATOOMBA CASCADES AND REID’S PLATEAU, BLUE MOUNTAINS NEW SOUTH WALES AUSTRALIA

THE KATOOMBA CASCADES AND REID’S PLATEAU

BLUE MOUNTAINS NEW SOUTH WALES AUSTRALIA

This part of the Blue Mountains was Katoomba’s first great tourist attraction and this 1894 map shows that the network of paths was well established by then. You can download your own copy of the map here .

The area is well serviced by public transport; for those driving, the normal route is via Katoomba Street turning right into Katoomba Falls Road. Our video on this area approaches the walk from the old Katoomba Falls Kiosk, opposite the entrance to the playing fields and caravan park.

Snow scene, Katoomba Cascades June 1958

Despite the large number of visitors to the area, the bushland is coping well, except when vandals light fires, which has happened several times in the past few years. Stay on the tracks, don’t light fires and certainly don’t pick wildflowers! I know, the Sunshine Wattle is very tempting in winter but please leave it alone.

"Cave" shelter, Reid's Plateau. July 2007

Reid’s Plateau has several excellent lookouts and an opportunity to observe the Skyway which goes back and forth across the view all day. There is an interesting old shelter shed, probably dating from the

Reid’s Plateau has several excellent lookouts and an opportunity to observe 1930’s

cave shelter when this style of construction was popular. Some people refer to them as “Uglies”, which is a bit unfair as they blend into the bush background better than a modern straight-sided shed could ever do. You can also visit this area at night when it is floodlit, though you’ll need a torch to follow the track alongside Kedumba Creek which is outside the floodlit zone.

This page from the “Mountaineer” tourist guide book lists a number of named features which no longer appear on modern maps. Where are Strangman’s Vista, Stawell’s Reach and The Princess Walk? And who were Strangman, Stawell and Reid anyhow? To me, this is an important part of mountain lore and we ought to at least have on record historic information like this. Please comment if you know where to find the answer to these questions.

· After reading Brian Fox’s excellent book “Upper Blue Mountains Geographical Encyclopaedia” (2001), I can now state that Stawell’s Reach was named for Sir William and Lady Stawell, who visited Katoomba in 1888, and Reid’s Plateau takes its name from George Houstoun Reid, Premier of NSW 1894-99 and Prime Minister of Australia 1904-5. No word yet about Strangman or the Princess Walk. (Edited 27^th August 2013)

In these days of easy internet access, every Blue Mountains visitor can easily download copies of some of the old guide books and photograph collections and I’ll make how to do this the subject of another blog.