Blue Mountains walking tracks

The Blue Mountains walking tracks are heritage-listed picnic areas, walking tracks and rest areas located in the Blue Mountains National Park, in the City of Blue Mountains local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was built from 1880. The property is owned by the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.[1]

Blue Mountains walking tracks
Steps in the Six Foot Track, pictured in 2007.
LocationBlue Mountains National Park, City of Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates33°38′11″S 150°16′18″E
Built1880–
OwnerNSW Office of Environment and Heritage
Official nameBlue Mountains Walking tracks
TypeState heritage (complex / group)
Designated2 April 1999
Reference no.980
TypeTrail/Track
CategoryTransport - Land
Location of Blue Mountains walking tracks in New South Wales

History

The Blue Mountains National Park regained the top spot as the most popular New South Wales national park for domestic visitors in a 2014 survey. It received 4.2 million visitors in 2014, relegating Royal National Park to second place.[2][1]

Description

The following walking tracks form part of the heritage-listed items. The State Heritage Inventory (SHI) number below is the reference to the item number in the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) s.170 Register.[1]

Tab No.SHI No.Item nameLocationImage
13900010Causeway to Red Hands CaveGlenbrook
23900033Grotto TracksSpringwood
33900043Florabella PassWarrimoo and Blaxland
43900048Kings Cave TrackLinden
53900088Princes Rock TrackWentworth Falls
63900099Den Fenella TrackWentworth Falls
73900112Jamison Creek Corridor/Darwins WalkWentworth Falls
83900115Valley of the Waters TrackWentworth Falls
93900120National PassWentworth Falls
103900138Federal PassKatoomba/Leura
113900140Giant StairwayKatoomba
123900152Orphan Rock Track[3] [closed]Katoomba
133900153Prince Henry Cliff WalkKatoomba/Leura
143900157Track from Lilianfels Park to Lady Darleys LookoutKatoomba
153900197O'Sullivan's RoadKatoomba
163900215Grand Canyon TrackBlackheath
173900217Point Pilcher TrackBlackheath/Medlow Bath
183900223Perrys Lookdown to Blue Gum ForestBlackheath
193900232Engineers TrackGrose Valley (Darling Causeway to Nepean River)
203900241Bruce's WalkLawson to Mount Victoria
213900247Six Foot TrackKatoomba to Jenolan Caves
223900272Lawsons Long AlleyMount Victoria
233900273Lockyers RoadMount Victoria
243900276Berghofers PassMount Victoria
253900277Section of Bells Line of RoadMount Tomah
263900282Kanangra Walls Cattle TrackOberon
273900320Megalong Valley Aboriginal RoutesKatoomba
283900321Mount Victoria Escarpment ComplexMount Victoria
293900328Mount York Roads ComplexMount Victoria
303900329Wentworth Falls ComplexWentworth Falls
313900330Cox's Road ComplexFaulconbridge to Mount York
323900331Parkes Garden Tracks ComplexFaulconbridge
333900332Wolgan Railway ComplexNewnes railway which is now a rail trail
343900333Upper Grose Valley Aboriginal Passes - ComplexBlackheath
353900334Track to Base of Govetts Leap - ComplexBlackheath
363900335Tracks to Ruined Castle - ComplexKatoomba
373900336Grose Valley Cliff Edge - ComplexBlackheath

Heritage listing

As at 16 January 2017, the overall complex of Blue Mountains regional walking tracks was of National significance. It is distributed among dozens of individually designed cultural landscapes. These landscapes were planned for recreational purposes, at first by wealthy gentlemen on their private estates and later by community based trusts who administered grants from the NSW Government. There exists a full range of original construction types and track fabric and associated features such as shelter sheds, wells, railings and signage from the 1870s private tracks to the efforts of the Blue Mountains National Park Trust in the 1960s.[1]

The blending of man-made and natural features in track construction was done in ways that reflect the aesthetics, technology and environmental values of the time. Many of the constructed features transcend their purely utilitarian functions and have considerable aesthetic appeal. The solutions of the early trustees and track makers to complex problems of design, particularly drainage issues and the use of stone have significant research value today. Due to the proximity of the reserves to Sydney and the early provision of mass transport links between Sydney and the Blue Mountains, the region's walking tracks have been the most significant facilitators of contact between urban Australians and the natural environment.[1]

The Blue Mountains tourist industry grew largely to service people who desired an engagement with nature on the walking tracks. The tracks have been an important factor in the growth of conservation values in the community. Walkers have left a resource of written records, photographs and memories recording their impressions and emotional and spiritual experiences on the tracks that has historic significance as a record of Australians' changing relationships with nature. These relationships continue to evolve after over 100 years of continuous use of many tracks. People walking the tracks today can enjoy feelings of continuity and empathy with the walkers of the past as they use the same historic structures.[4][1]

Blue Mountains walking tracks was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.[1]

See also

References
  1. "Blue Mountains Walking tracks". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Office of Environment and Heritage. H00980. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  2. Trembath, 2015
  3. https://hikingtheworld.blog/2019/10/27/orphan-rock-blue-mountains/
  4. Smith: 143

Bibliography
  • "Blue Mountains Walking Tracks". 2007.
  • Attraction Homepage (2007). "Blue Mountains Walking tracks". Archived from the original on 14 July 2008. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  • Smith, J. (1999). Walking Track Heritage Study: historical report, heritage assessment & conservation guidelines.
  • Smith, J.; Beaver, D.; Betteridge C. (2006). Conservation Management Plan for the SHR listed Blue Mountains Walking Tracks.
  • Trembath, Murray (2015). 'Royal hosts less visitors'.
  • National Parks & Wildlife Service. National Parks & Wildlife Service Section 170 Register.

Attribution

This Wikipedia article was originally based on Blue Mountains Walking tracks, entry number 00980 in the New South Wales State Heritage Register published by the State of New South Wales and Office of Environment and Heritage 2018 under CC-BY 4.0 licence, accessed on 2 June 2018.

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