EVANS LOOKOUT, BLACKHEATH NSW AUSTRALIA

EVANS LOOKOUT, BLACKHEATH NSW AUSTRALIA

View from Evans Lookout October 1960

Every Blue Mountains lookout has a story attached to it. This lookout has one of the finest views of them all, but it’s not simply the view we are interested in here.

The first questions which come to mind are these: who was George Evans and how does his name come to be attached to this lookout? Because we have recently celebrated the bicentenary of the first Blue Mountains crossing by the British settlers in NSW, many will be aware that Governor Macquarie sent out an expedition late in 1813 to follow up on the discoveries of Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth. This was led by George Evans, assistant surveyor to John Oxley, who went on to the site of Bathurst and beyond.  Be assured that this is a different George Evans from the one whose name is attached to the lookout.

The monument at the lookout has this inscription: “This memorial was erected in memory of George Evans Esq. Solicitor of Sydney & London who was a pioneer of this district. He discovered this lookout and entrance to Grose Valley in the year 1882. Erected by his daughter Mrs E.E. MacLaurin 1932.” This information appears to be accurate, except that it is unlikely that Evans was the first to discover the nearby access into the valley.

There are several valuable books you might like to locate. “Blackheath – Today from Yesterday” (produced by the Blackheath Rotary Club, 2005) is a great source of information on early Blackheath, including material on George Evans. “Back from the Brink” (Andy Macqueen, second edition 2007) is the story of the Grose Valley and is a great read.

Note: "Mr Evans" lower centre of map

 A useful download from a blog called Dossier 48 (here) will also save me repeating a lot of material.

That Evans’ country home had already been built in Blackheath by 1882 is beyond doubt. It’s also clear from a report in the Nepean Times (Saturday 15^th June 1889, page 4) that a track ran from there to what is now known as Evans’ Lookout. You can download this from Trove here. Also of interest is a map (probably dating from 1882) in the “Pictorial Guide to the Blue Mountains” by JEM Russell, which you can download from Trove here.

There is good reason to believe that, although Evans came across the site of the lookout in 1882, he was preceded by others who found the access into the Grose Valley, probably by way of the present Horse Track.

Hayward Gully Falls from Pulpit Rock Lookout

Evidence for this comes from two letters by one William Hayward, the first in The Sydney Morning Herald for Thursday 26^th January 1860, page 8 (downloadable here). Hayward claims to have shown the route for the proposed railway line through the Grose Valley to the surveyors in 1857 or 1858. The second letter tells us that a route he used to get into the valley was near today’s Evans Lookout. (Australian Town and Country Journal for Saturday 16^th October 1875, page 33.) This letter is downloadable here. He states that he was last in the valley in 1849, a fact which is not inconsistent with the 1860 letter. Obviously, the way into the Grose Valley near Evans Lookout was known before George Evans came there in 1882.

Presumably Myles Dunphy named the nearby gully “Hayward Gully” in recognition of this man’s feat.

Apparently it is only a happy coincidence that my uncle Philip Hayward and his family were living in the vicinity around the time that Dunphy was investigating the area (1950’s).

Here are the links to several of my videos on the Evans Lookout area. Evans Lookout Tracks here. The Grand Canyon here. The Cliff Top Track here.

There has been considerable redevelopment of the lookout area in recent years. (Note February 2024)

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

THE GRAND CANYON BLACKHEATH BLUE MOUNTAINS NSW AUSTRALIA

THE GRAND CANYON BLACKHEATH BLUE MOUNTAINS NSW AUSTRALIA

Blackheath’s Grand Canyon is one of the Blue Mountains’ icons. The track through it was opened by the Premier of NSW (Mr JH Carruthers) in February 1907. This was a period when the competition between the Blue Mountains communities to attract tourists and their spending money was at a peak. Blackheath, Katoomba and Wentworth Falls in particular were constructing new tracks and lookouts and the Grand Canyon track is one of the best.

Walking conditions were a lot tougher in those days. Ladders, where required, were constructed out of bush timber on the spot. Steps were hewn out of the sandstone along hundreds of tracks. Lookout railings were made of whatever could be found cheaply, often

bush timber but sometimes old water pipes and odd bits of scrap iron were called into service.

While many well-made steps from those days remain in the Grand Canyon, the rough and ready railings and ladders have gone. In recent years, the National Parks and Wildlife Service has done a remarkable job replacing steps, ladders and railings while preserving the wild character of this beautiful place.

At the time the track through the canyon was completed, it linked up several existing tracks – at the Fernery on the Rodriguez Pass (just above Beauchamp Falls), at Neate’s Glen and at Wall’s Cave.

The Tunnel

 The Wall’s Cave connection was severed years ago by the construction of a water supply dam on Greave’s Creek so that today the round trip takes in Evan’s Lookout, the descent to the canyon via the Fernery, the canyon proper, the ascent through Neate’s Glen and the track alongside the road back to the lookout. There were also connections with roads built from Medlow Bath in the heyday of the Hydro Majestic Hotel, but these have become obscure with the passage of time.

When you read old newspaper reports, it is extraordinary to discover how many people have been lost or injured in the vicinity. There have also been a number of fatalities. There are numerous complaints about poor signposting leading to visitors 

getting lost, though you could hardly say that about today’s track.

Going Down?

A modern hazard for some is the rise of canyoning, a sport which takes intrepid groups down into the narrow and often water-filled places which abound in parts of the Blue Mountains. The Grand Canyon, where Greave’s Creek vanishes into the depths for some considerable distance, is one of the best known, so do not be surprised if you encounter canyoners wearing wet suits and carrying ropes as you pass through on the walking track.

Here are some links to sites which will help you appreciate this exciting walk even more.

My video is here, made on a walk in July 2014. A video produced by the National Parks and Wildlife Service may be viewed here. Another, this time of a canyoning trip, may be found here. 

  From the Sydney Morning Herald, 18th February 1907.

"The Premier, in reply, said he took a great interest in developing the traffic to the tourist resorts. New South Wales was the best of all the States. The people did not recognise that they had the best climate and scenery in Australasia at their own doors. He was glad to see the trustees had done good work with limited means. He appreciated the beautiful canyon, and hoped it would be visited by thousands of people."

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https://johnsnewenglandminerals.blogspot.com/2013/12/list-of-all-blog-entries-to-date.html

All New England and other Geology blogs and videos

https://www.blogger.com/blog/posts/1325599670344725659?pli=1

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