FERN BOWER AND THE AMPHITHEATRE TRACK, LEURA BLUE MOUNTAINS NSW AUSTRALIA
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| The Bridal Veil and Weeping Rock 1960 |
The walking tracks around Leura Falls and Katoomba
Falls were developed independently from the 1880’s. It became clear that a
track linking the two via the valley would be a great asset, especially as the
Rodriguez Pass at Blackheath and the National Pass at Wentworth Falls were
being planned at about the same time. (It is obvious that the
communities of Blackheath, Katoomba and Wentworth Falls were rivals in
attracting tourists and their cash.) As it happened, both the Federal and
Rodriguez passes were opened in 1900. The National Pass took longer and wasn’t
finished until 1907.
The difficult part in all of these constructions
was the route into the valley from the heights above. .
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| Information board in Fern Bower |
Both tracks required the
construction of many stone steps and wooden ladders and must have been exciting
places to visit back then. They still are, of course, but without the element
of danger involved in scaling a structure built on the spot out of local bush
timber.
The original descent from the Amphitheatre Track
to the level of the Federal Pass was via the Tunnel Track until this route was destroyed by flood and landslide
in 1912. The Fern Bower route was then upgraded to become the main route down
to the Pass, which it still is, though the Leura Cascades-Amphitheatre-lower
Fern Bower route is a more scenic way to enter the valley, with many views of
the cliffs, waterfalls and the valley.
The map in the 1927 edition of the Mountaineer
tourist guide shows both tracks to the bottom, but this guidebook was
notoriously out-of date, with much of its content dating back to the 1890’s. The
track description from the same book includes place names which certainly
aren’t signposted today. Below the Bridal
Veil fall there are a number of old tracks which are worth exploring. You
can follow the old sewer line down to the brink of the second fall (correctly
called Leura Falls). Be careful if
you do, because a number of lives have been lost here. Back when I was a
teenager, I went down the old sewer workers’ ladder which used to be here. Not
a good idea, but I made it in one piece.
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| To the Leura Cascades, Sir? |
Another thing to look out for just below the
Bridal Veil is the Leura Weeping Rock.
Like the Wentworth Falls version, it needs a good water flow to make it weep.
When it does, it’s a sight not to be missed.
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| Fern Bower steps |
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| Leura Falls from McKillop's Lookout, the Amphitheatre track |
