Blue Mountains track closures are chronic

November 17, 2022

Perennial Question to the Parks Service:

“Why pay for an Eco-Pass when most Blue Mountains tracks are closed for years?”

The National Pass has been closed for at least a decade, despite being one of the best tracks in the Blue Mountains National Park

‘Current Alerts in this Area’

[NPWS Last reviewed: Wed 16 November 2022, 4.12pm]

[SOURCE: Extracts: ^https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/katoomba-area/local-alerts]

Closed areas: Parts of Blue Mountains National Park

• The following tracks are closed Thursday 17 November for a helicopter operation to deliver materials for track maintenance: Prince Henry Cliff Track between Honeymoon lookout and Solitary Restaurant, Fern Bower, Federal Pass between Scenic World and Leura Forest, Dardanelles Pass and Giant Stairway.

• Honeymoon Bridge (Three Sisters) is closed due to rockfall risk

• Federal Pass between Leura Forest and Dardanelles Pass junction below the Three Sisters is closed due to track maintenance.

• Gordon Falls Track and lookout are closed due to major upgrades.

• Mt Hay Road will be closed to all vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists from Monday 21st to Friday 25th November 2022 inclusive, for essential road maintenance. Fortress Canyon, Lockleys Pylon, Mount Hay and Butterbox Canyon will not be accessible. No access to the Grose Valley. [Ed: From experience, Mt Hay has been closed since at least May 2022]

• Lone Lyrebird Track is closed between Gordon Road and the War Memorial, due to major subsidence. Detour in place.

• Lyrebird Dell Track is closed due to track maintenance.

• Lillian’s Bridge Track is closed from Inspiration Point track to Lillians Bridge due to major upgrades.

• Lady Carrington Lookout is closed for a major upgrade.

• Prince Henry Cliff Track is closed between Gordon Falls lookout and Olympian lookout, due to landslides.

• Prince Henry Cliff Track is (also) closed between Echo Point and Cliff View lookout due to major upgrades.

• Lady Darley Track is closed due to major upgrades on Prince Henry Cliff Track.

• Amphitheatre track is closed due to track repairs.

• Glenraphael Drive (Narrow Neck) is closed (to vehicles) due to major subsidence. Narrow Neck and Golden Stairs are accessible to pedestrians and cyclists from Narrow Neck lookout on Cliff Drive.

• Ruined Castle and Mount Solitary Tracks are closed due to subsidence.

• Six Foot Track is closed from Nellies Glen to Megalong Valley.

• Lindeman Pass is closed due to a major landslide below Gladstone lookout.

Wentworth Falls

• Valley of the Waters Track is closed below Sylvia Falls. There is no access to Roberts Pass, Vera Falls, Hippocrene Falls or Wentworth Falls from Valley of the Waters.

• Charles Darwin Track is closed where it traverses Council-managed land due to upgrades.

• National Pass is closed due to landslide.

• Wentworth Pass is closed due to landslide.

• Conservation Hut, carpark and Valley of Waters picnic area are closed due to major upgrades. (opening late November)

• Kedumba Valley Road is closed south of the Sublime Point Fire Trail due to major subsidence.

• Kedumba River campground closed due to subsidence on the access road.

• Ingar Road is closed where it traverses private property at the west end. Ingar campers must walk in via Anderson’s or Bedford Roads. (Ed: This has been the case for over a decade)

• Govetts Leap Lookout and picnic area are closed for major upgrade work. (opening February 2023)

• Evans Lookout is closed to vehicles for major upgrade work with detours in place. (opening early December)

• Grand Canyon car park closed, limited parking at Neates Glen and along Evans Lookout Road. (opening mid December)

• Grose Valley and Govetts Gorge access routes are closed including Horse Track, and Rodriguez Pass (Bridal Veil Falls) due to landslides.

• Grose River Track is closed from Blue Gum Forest to Victoria Falls. (opening mid December)

• Pulpit Rock Track (Govetts to Pulpit Rock lookout) are closed. (Ed: due to NPWS hazard reduction in December 2019)

Photo by our Tour Director 2022-05-05 at Govetts Leap.

• Perrys Lookdown Camping area is closed (Ed: due to NPWS hazard reduction in December 2019).

• Bedford Road and Murphy’s Glen camping area are closed to vehicles due to slippery conditions and to protect road surface.

• Empire Pass is closed for track maintenance.

Closed Grade 5 tracks:

Vera Falls (Jamison Valley)
Hippocrene Falls (Jamison Valley)
Horse track (Grose Valley)
Rodriguez Pass (Grose Valley)
Govetts Descent (Grose Valley)
Mount Solitary loop due to landslides near Ruined Castle (Jamison Valley)

Ed: Compare the above closures to those in December 2019 (3 years ago)…

Current Alerts in this area

[NPWS: Applies from Wed 25 Dec 2019, 8.07pm. Last reviewed: Fri 24 Dec 2021, 1.38pm. last reviewed: Fri 24 December 2021, 1.38pm]

Closed areas: Blue Mountains National Park

• Prince Henry Cliff Track between Gordon Falls lookout and Olympian lookout, due to landslides.

• Part of National Pass from Valley of Waters to Slacks Stairs, due to ongoing rockfall risk.

• Charles Darwin track north of Weeping Rock circuit. Visit the Blue Mountains City Council website for information.

• Ingar Road is closed where it traverses private property at the end of Queen Elizabeth Drive. Ingar campground is therefore closed to vehicles. Walkers and cyclists are permitted where they do not traverse private property.

Blackheath, Medlow Bath, Megalong Valley, Mount Victoria and Bells Line

• Govetts Leap Descent and Rodriguez Pass to Evans Lookout (i.e. The Grand Canyon Track) due to fire damage to infrastructure and landslides after storms.

• Perrys Lookdown campground, due to dangerous trees.

• Walls Cave Track closed (due to NPWS hazard reduction)

• Pulpit Rock Track closed (due to NPWS hazard reduction) and flood damage and associated repairs.

• The Conservation Hut cafe is closed until further notice.

Café 92 leasing the Conservation Hut went broke due to the government’s pandemic lockdowns 2020-2021.

• 3 January 2022 Shortcut Track partial closure

• 10 January 2022 Mount Banks Road closed for works

• 12 January 2022 Closed areas Delays on Mount Solitary Track

• 13 January 2022 Closed areas Delays on Castle Head Track

• Six Foot Track is closed between Jenolan Caves Cabins and Jenolan Caves until Monday 31 January 2022.

• Wombeyan Caves guided tours are closed until Tuesday 11 January 2022 following a confirmed case of COVID-19. This cancellation may be extended.

Katoomba and Leura

• Kanangra to Katoomba – closed due to the ongoing “wet season” (Ed: so we are in the Top End now?) Cox’s River can flood at short notice and be impassable. (Ed: So build a bridge at this ford. This is not the Gibb River Road in the Kimberley!)

• Prince Henry Cliff Track between Gordon Falls lookout and Olympian lookout, due to landslides.

• Part of National Pass from Valley of Waters to Slacks Stairs, due to ongoing rockfall risk.

• Charles Darwin Track north of Weeping Rock circuit. Visit the Blue Mountains City Council website for information.

• Govetts Leap Descent and Rodriguez Pass to Evans lookout walking track (i.e. The Grand Canyon) , due to fire damage to infrastructure and landslides after storms.

• Perrys Lookdown campground, due to dangerous trees.

• Walls Cave Track closed due to fire and flood damage and associated repairs.

• Pulpit Rock Track closed due to fire and flood damage and associated repairs.

• Lawson Ridge Fire Trail will be closed to all traffic from Wednesday 4th January 2022 for road repairs.

• Wolgan Road may be subject to potential road closures due to a landslide.

• Hardroof accommodation at Yerranderie remains closed due to Covid-19

• Wombeyan Caves Road (via Mittagong) is closed between Goodman’s Ford and Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve while major flood repairs are in progress.

• All walking tracks at Wombeyan Karst Reserve are closed until further notice due to flood damage.

The Gospers Mountain pile burn was started on a remote property at the end of Army Road on Saturday 26th October 2019 on a fine day. It was located some 70km NNW of Govetts Leap and left by the RFS and NPWS to burn into the Grose Valley. Further ‘hazard reduction’ compounded the destruction of the plateau bushland around Blackheath.