Jamison Escarpment Spectacular

The forecast was for a warm windy day, so what better than to explore the shady dells below the Jamison Valley escarpment along the edge of Leura village.  A small personable party of three, we passed through heath and native herbs, peas and myrtles flowering in spring this time of year.

Cracked seed pods of the Hakea bushes lay across the track left by Black Cockatoos.

We descended steps leading down through closed forest into a cool gorge, away from the sun. We passed by giant tree ferns and damp sandstone walls where the vegetation changed noticeably.

The track is over a hundred years old and has been well maintained over the decades. The ancient cliffs of Narrabeen sandstone are Early Triassic, formed about 250 million years ago.

Fishbone, strap water and coral ferns, black wattle and club mosses savour the protective canopy of the giant Lilly-pilly, Coachwood and Sassafras.

 

We reach the waterfall and the cool spray flies in all directions.

The National Parks service has placed interpretative signage along the track, explianing the flora and fauna, including the local native birds – Satin Bowerbirds, honeyeaters, Whipbirds, Beautiful Firetails.  We hear their calls echoing through the trees.  At one spot we pause.  A tiny scrub wren takes a sip from the wet wall of a rock face only two metres away.  Magic.

A medium grade climb out and it’s time for an apple and water and a catch of breath.

Phillip peers down the disappearing narrow gorge below the very sturdy Buttershaw Bridge.

Then we’re on to wide-angle lookouts over the spectacular Jamison Valley ten kilometres wide.

Leura Falls cascades 200 metres into the Jamison Valley below.

What an experience!  That was healthy exercise for the morning.  Time for lunch.