Blue Mountains

[Gordo]

Nature
Just wondering if anyone has any recommendations on good places to go to in
the Blue Mountains for landscapes? The sort of locations I'm looking for are
rainforest areas with lots of big tree ferns and moss, waterfalls and
canyons, areas with Blackboys with spears, tall white-barked eucalypt
forests, anything along those lines really but the more out of the places
mostly. I've tryed finding some pictorial books at the bookshops for some
inspiritation or ideas for new locales but it seems most published books
just like to show pictures of the Three Sisters and around there, surely
there is more splendid beauty then the touristy areas?

I've done a bit of exploring around the edges of Wollemi NP but haven't
hiked down into it yet, also looked around Mt Banks and Mt Wilson, and the
busy areas around Katoomba and Wentworth Falls.

Any tips or suggestions would be much appreciated, as much as I like
exploring and finding new locations it's never hurts to seek other opinions.

Cheers,
Gordow

[Miro]

"Gordo" <omega.supreme_no_spam_@metacrawler.com> wrote in message
news:YUVLa.757$jT3.6603@news-server.bigpond.net.au...

> Nature
> Just wondering if anyone has any recommendations on good places to go to

in

> the Blue Mountains for landscapes?

You want Leura.

[Gordo]

Thanks Duncan, just the sort of information I was looking, very much
appreciated. Now I have a little more direction on new places to explore
instead of just haphazardly driving to locations and hoping for the best.
I've never been to Mt. Hay so I'll have to make a special effort to go see
it. Does Mt. Hay Rd start in Leura by chance? Coincidently I was out
Oberon/Jenolan way on the weekend scouting around, I saw some nice open
field areas I'd like to go back and visit but there was too much wind at
that time.

"duncan" <dblair@dontspamphysiol.usyd.edu.au> wrote in message
news:oprrnwmlzgnklfpm@localhost...

> Hi Gordow,
> A few places pop to mind. If you're looking for some majestic forrest then
> it's hard to go past the Blue Gum Forrest. It's in the Blue Mts NP, at the
> junction of the Gross and Govett's valleys. You can walk in from many
> places but I think by far the most spectacular walk is via Lockley's Pylon
> track - which is off Mt Hay Rd.
> Beautiful white-barked eucalypt forests can be found in Kanagra Boyd NP
> (out past Jenolan caves). It's a bit further afield so you might want to
> camp there for a couple of days. Do a bit of exploring if you head out
> here, it's a spectacular area. Not quite as far (but still a decent drive
> from Sydney) is Newnes state forest (not Newnes historic site) / Wollemi
> NP. This is the area out near the Zig Zag railway. I remember seeing nice
> white eucalypts near(ish) the Bungleboori camp ground. A word of warning
> about camping here though - don't - Bungleboori very popular with XC
> motorcyclists. Drive down a side road somewhere and set up camp. The
> forests I'm thinking of are down a road which turns left off the main

road,

> immediately opposite the Bungleboori camp ground. Actually, now that I
> think about, they're everywhere. I'd highly recommend you head for the

Glow

> Worm tunnel in this area too. If you walk through the tunnel you come out
> to a valley which is full of tree ferns - you'll half expect a dinosaur to
> jump out from behind rock somwhere. This place is an easy walk and very
> impressive.
> Mt Wilson area is definitely good for tree ferns and canyons. There are
> many canyons draining into the Wollangambie (a canyon itself) which is an
> easy walk from a few places at Mt Wilson (the fire brigade shed and
> cathedral reserve). Canyon access not requiring ropes and wet suits can
> also be had walking down from Evan's lookout, near Blackheath.
>
> Cheers,
> Duncan
>
> On Mon, 30 Jun 2003 12:19:04 GMT, Gordo
> <omega.supreme_no_spam_@metacrawler.com> wrote:
>

> > Nature
> > Just wondering if anyone has any recommendations on good places to go to
> > in
> > the Blue Mountains for landscapes? The sort of locations I'm looking for
> > are
> > rainforest areas with lots of big tree ferns and moss, waterfalls and
> > canyons, areas with Blackboys with spears, tall white-barked eucalypt
> > forests, anything along those lines really but the more out of the

places

> > mostly. I've tryed finding some pictorial books at the bookshops for

some

> > inspiritation or ideas for new locales but it seems most published books
> > just like to show pictures of the Three Sisters and around there, surely
> > there is more splendid beauty then the touristy areas?
> >
> > I've done a bit of exploring around the edges of Wollemi NP but haven't
> > hiked down into it yet, also looked around Mt Banks and Mt Wilson, and
> > the
> > busy areas around Katoomba and Wentworth Falls.
> >
> > Any tips or suggestions would be much appreciated, as much as I like
> > exploring and finding new locations it's never hurts to seek other
> > opinions.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Gordow
> >
> >
> >

>
>

[nt]

thanks for the info duncan, i found it useful as well, and will be out there
soon to try and shoot some nice stuff. (beats a three word answer thats for
sure)
n.t.

"duncan" <dblair@dontspamphysiol.usyd.edu.au> wrote in message
news:oprrpy7hiynklfpm@localhost...

> No worries Gordow.
> Yep, as you head west Mt Hay Rd turns right off the Great Western Hwy just
> before Leura (right next to a big water tank). There's a little parking
> area for Lockley's pylon track well before Mt Hay itself. If you're headed
> down to the blue gum, park here and follow the track. It makes a
> spectacular descent through the cliff line. Mt Hay is a very nice spot

too,

> you may as well check it out if you're out that way.
> Cheers,
> Duncan
>
> On Thu, 03 Jul 2003 00:43:44 GMT, Gordo
> <omega.supreme_no_spam_@metacrawler.com> wrote:
>

> > Thanks Duncan, just the sort of information I was looking, very much
> > appreciated. Now I have a little more direction on new places to explore
> > instead of just haphazardly driving to locations and hoping for the

best.

> > I've never been to Mt. Hay so I'll have to make a special effort to go
> > see
> > it. Does Mt. Hay Rd start in Leura by chance? Coincidently I was out
> > Oberon/Jenolan way on the weekend scouting around, I saw some nice open
> > field areas I'd like to go back and visit but there was too much wind at
> > that time.
> >
> > "duncan" <dblair@dontspamphysiol.usyd.edu.au> wrote in message
> > news:oprrnwmlzgnklfpm@localhost...

> >> Hi Gordow,
> >> A few places pop to mind. If you're looking for some majestic forrest
> >> then
> >> it's hard to go past the Blue Gum Forrest. It's in the Blue Mts NP, at
> >> the
> >> junction of the Gross and Govett's valleys. You can walk in from many
> >> places but I think by far the most spectacular walk is via Lockley's
> >> Pylon
> >> track - which is off Mt Hay Rd.
> >> Beautiful white-barked eucalypt forests can be found in Kanagra Boyd NP
> >> (out past Jenolan caves). It's a bit further afield so you might want

to

> >> camp there for a couple of days. Do a bit of exploring if you head out
> >> here, it's a spectacular area. Not quite as far (but still a decent
> >> drive
> >> from Sydney) is Newnes state forest (not Newnes historic site) /

Wollemi

> >> NP. This is the area out near the Zig Zag railway. I remember seeing
> >> nice
> >> white eucalypts near(ish) the Bungleboori camp ground. A word of

warning

> >> about camping here though - don't - Bungleboori very popular with XC
> >> motorcyclists. Drive down a side road somewhere and set up camp. The
> >> forests I'm thinking of are down a road which turns left off the main

> > road,

> >> immediately opposite the Bungleboori camp ground. Actually, now that I
> >> think about, they're everywhere. I'd highly recommend you head for the

> > Glow

> >> Worm tunnel in this area too. If you walk through the tunnel you come
> >> out
> >> to a valley which is full of tree ferns - you'll half expect a dinosaur
> >> to
> >> jump out from behind rock somwhere. This place is an easy walk and very
> >> impressive.
> >> Mt Wilson area is definitely good for tree ferns and canyons. There are
> >> many canyons draining into the Wollangambie (a canyon itself) which is
> >> an
> >> easy walk from a few places at Mt Wilson (the fire brigade shed and
> >> cathedral reserve). Canyon access not requiring ropes and wet suits can
> >> also be had walking down from Evan's lookout, near Blackheath.
> >>
> >> Cheers,
> >> Duncan
> >>
> >> On Mon, 30 Jun 2003 12:19:04 GMT, Gordo
> >> <omega.supreme_no_spam_@metacrawler.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> > Nature
> >> > Just wondering if anyone has any recommendations on good places to go
> >> to
> >> > in
> >> > the Blue Mountains for landscapes? The sort of locations I'm looking
> >> for
> >> > are
> >> > rainforest areas with lots of big tree ferns and moss, waterfalls and
> >> > canyons, areas with Blackboys with spears, tall white-barked eucalypt
> >> > forests, anything along those lines really but the more out of the

> > places

> >> > mostly. I've tryed finding some pictorial books at the bookshops for

> > some

> >> > inspiritation or ideas for new locales but it seems most published
> >> books
> >> > just like to show pictures of the Three Sisters and around there,
> >> surely
> >> > there is more splendid beauty then the touristy areas?
> >> >
> >> > I've done a bit of exploring around the edges of Wollemi NP but
> >> haven't
> >> > hiked down into it yet, also looked around Mt Banks and Mt Wilson,

and

> >> > the
> >> > busy areas around Katoomba and Wentworth Falls.
> >> >
> >> > Any tips or suggestions would be much appreciated, as much as I like
> >> > exploring and finding new locations it's never hurts to seek other
> >> > opinions.
> >> >
> >> > Cheers,
> >> > Gordow
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >>

> >
> >
> >

>
>

[Michael]

Just a note to say that a lot of the these areas mentionioned were burnt
during the bushfires over summer. I know there were fires along Mount Hay
road and in the newnes forest area around the glow worm tunnel. There has
been quite a lot of regrowth and some of the tree ferns and blackboys stand
out really well and make for some interesting shots but if you are after
some more pristine looking rainforest and such try the south side of the
highway in the Jamison Valley.
"Valley of the waters" at Wentworth Falls is one of my favourite areas with
some nice water falls and rainforest not to busy during the week.
A walk from the base of the scenic railway in Katoomba follows an old tram
line around to ruined castle and goes through some nice forest also. This
walk is nice and flat except for a section around the landslide and you can
use the railway or the new scenescender to get in and out of the valley
(lots of tourists but they never venture far from the scenic railway though)
Narrowneck near Katoomba has some nice stands of trees especially if you
venture down some the side tracks.
Hanging Rock near Blackheath is another great spot for some spectacular
views and you can climb out on it if you are game.(the last turn on the
right before the cemetary as you head west along the highway)
In general the further you walk the less tourists there are.
Good Luck and watch out for the Sunday afternoon traffic heading back to
Sydney