KATOOMBA FALLS WALKING TRACKS BLUE MOUNTAINS NSW AUSTRALIA

KATOOMBA FALLS WALKING TRACKS BLUE MOUNTAINS NSW AUSTRALIA

The Katoomba Falls area was one of the first in the Blue Mountains opened up for tourists to enjoy. Local residents probably made the first rough tracks from the vicinity of today’s railway station down to the number one attraction – Katoomba Falls. The opening of the nearby coal mine around the same time made access easier to this area and the basic network of tracks we know today was in existence well before 1900.

Quite a lot of my videos and blogs have been about this area. In fact, we seem to have lunch or afternoon tea in the reserve nearly every week. Here is a list of these – with links – which will help you to explore the area from the comfort of your own home (or from along the track, if you are so inclined).

The illustrations come various old guide books I’ve downloaded through Trove.

Videos

Katoomba Falls Walking Tracks 25^th June 2015 

Katoomba Holiday Part 2 21^st May 2015 

Katoomba Holiday Part 1 8^th May 2015 

Cascade St to Katoomba Falls Reserve 17^th January 2015 

AShort Round Walk at Katoomba Falls 21^st November 2014   

Katoomba Falls to Scenic World 12^th September 2014 

The Round Walk Katoomba Falls 4^th July 2014 

Katoomba Cascades to Echo Point 25^th January 2014 

Furber Steps Katoomba Falls 23^rd January 2014 

Katoomba Falls Reserve and Caravan Park 25^th August 2013 

The Round Walk Scenic World to Katoomba Falls and Return 24^th August 2013 

Katoomba Cascades and Reid’s Plateau  3^rd August 2013

Blog Entries

Prince Henry Cliff Walk Katoomba Cascades to Echo Point 24th January 2014 

Furber’s Step Katoomba Falls 22nd January 2014 

Katoomba Falls to the Bottom of the Upper Falls 5^th December 2013 

The Round Walk Katoomba Falls 15^th September 2013 

Katoomba Falls Reserve 26^th August 2013 

The Orphan Rock 21^st August 2013 

The Katoomba Cascades and Reid’s Plateau 3^rd August 2013

Please let me know via the comments section below or on individual blogs or videos if you find something that should be corrected (or added).

https://johnsbluemountainsblog.blogspot.com/2013/12/links-to-all-blog-entries-and-relevant.html All Blue Mountains blogs and videos

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

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.

https://johnsbluemountainsblog.blogspot.com/2013/12/links-to-all-blog-entries-and-relevant.html All Blue Mountains blogs and videos

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.

The top of Katoomba Falls. January 1963