Victoria Falls to Blackheath Station (Dharug & Gundungurra Country)

8 h 30 min, 13 h to 2 days 5

23.3 km ↑ 1442 m Very challenging One way ↓ 1339 m

This is a fantastic overnight walk with a sleep in Acacia Flats camping area. The Grose Valley, with its views of the Grose River and surrounding cliffs, gives a dramatic backdrop during most of this walk. The climbs up and down the valley give an appreciation of the scale of it all. Public transport options are available at the end of the walk, but you will need a lift to the start. Let us begin by acknowledging the Dharug & Gundungurra people, Traditional Custodians of the land on which we travel today, and pay our respects to their Elders past and present.

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Class 5 of 6 Rough unclear track

Quality of track Rough unclear track (5/6)

Gradient Very steep (4/6)

Signage Minimal directional signs (4/6)

Infrastructure Limited facilities (such as cliffs not fenced, significant creeks not bridged) (4/6)

Experience Required Some bushwalking experience recommended (3/6)

Weather Weather generally has little impact on safety (1/6)

Getting to the start: From

Turn on to Great Western Highway, A32 then drive for 160 m Turn right onto Victoria Falls Road and drive for another 5.2 km

Before you start any journey ensure you; • Tell someone you trust where you are going and what to do if you are late returning • Have adequate equipment, supplies, skills & knowledge to undertake this journey safely • Consider weather forecasts, park/track closures & fire dangers • Can respond to emergencies & call for help at any point • Are healthy and fit enough for this journey Share If not, change plans and stay safe. It is okay to delay and ask people for help. Bushwalk.com /j/O29VCK

Bushwalking is fun but also can be dangerous. All information here is general and your personal and specific situation needs to be considered. You need to be prepared to cope with all kinds of errors and/or omissions. Neither the authors nor publishers accept responsibility or liability for any inconvenience, loss or injury sustained. © bushwalk.com. The maps and some text in this document are generated using Open Database Licenced data © OpenStreetMap contributors and other sources. 0 1 3 5 km 0 0.5 1 2 km 0 1 3 5 km 0 0.5 1 2 km

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N N N N WW N Start WW ←125 m→ ←1.6 km→ ←15 m→ S ←235 m→ ←5.4 km→

P i i Sign Sign Sign Sign Toilet Toilet Lookout Lookout Car park Car park Campsite Campsite Viewpoint Viewpoint Camp site Camp site

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E EE E E E E S E E E E ←3.6←60 m→km→ ←2.5 km→ ←580 m→ ←125 m→ S ←20 m→ ←155 m→ S ←160 m→ ←305S m→ ←15 m→ ←1.2 km→ ←520←410←280←450←70←55 m→m→ m→←65m→ m→ m→←70 m→ ←20 m→

FORD FORD FORD FORD

Ford Ford Ford Ford Ford Ford Ford Ford Bridge Bridge Bridge Bridge Bridge Bridge Lookout Lookout Waterfall Waterfall Viewpoint Viewpoint Viewpoint Viewpoint Viewpoint Viewpoint Viewpoint Viewpoint Viewpoint Viewpoint Camp site Camp site

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300 21 km 23 km 16 km 21 km 16 km 2x 23 km 18.3 km 15.6 km 16.7 km 17.1 km 17.5 km 17.9 km 18.7 km 19.1 km 19.5 km 19.8 km 20.2 km 20.6 km 21.4 km 21.8 km 22.2 km 22.6 km 23.3 km 16.3 km 15.6 km 16.7 km 17.1 km 17.5 km 17.9 km 18.3 km 19.1 km 19.8 km 20.6 km 23.3 km 16.3 km 18.7 km 19.5 km 20.2 km 21.4 km 21.8 km 22.2 km 22.6 km S

Getting started: From the car park, this After another 25 m pass the sign (on your left). S Getting started: From the car park, this E E walk follows the sign to 'Grose Valley i After another 220 m turn sharp left. Lookout' down the hill. The walk then

winds down some steps for approximately W N 50m to a lookout. Continue straight, to head along N After another 1.4 km come to the "Burra Korain EE W E Victoria Falls Walking Track. Flat Camping Area". Start. N

S SS i After another 15 m pass the sign (on your right).

WW There is a toilet (about 25 m back from the start). Start of an optional side trip: An optional side trip

to Victoria Falls.

S Burra Korain Flat Camping Area, Blue Mountains

E 24/7 E NP, is a small clearing between the Victoria Victoria Falls Car Park (about 15 m back from To start this optional side trip continue Creek and Grose River. The campsite is well P the start). straight here. Start.

signposted and has nice sitting logs and plenty W

W of space for a few tents. Water can be accessed N N

EE from either river or creek but should be treated

S S before use.

N After another 125 m turn left, to E E After another 35 m come to the end. head along Victoria Falls Walking Track. After another 120 m come to the "Burra Korain Camping Area" (15 m on your left).

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After another 55 m find the "Victoria Falls S After another 55 m find the "Victoria Falls S

About 60 m past the end is "Victoria Falls". E Lookout" (on your right). E

After another 3.8 km turn right.

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After another 1.2 km cross the bridge (about 15 m long) Victoria Falls, Blue Mountains NP, is a large Victoria Falls Lookout, Blue Mountains NP, has After another 1.7 km cross the bridge (about 8 waterfall dropping over a grey rock overhang. an easterly aspect over the Grose Valley. m long) The cascade is produced by Victoria Creek Although the lookout is named after the dropping over the approximately-15m cliffs. A After another 880 m cross the bridge (about 15 wonderful Victoria Falls, there are no views of scree slope leads up behind the falls, and below m long) the falls from this lookout. the falls the rocks are very slippery. These falls Then come to the "Grose Valley Lookout" (6 m After another 600 m cross the bridge (about 10 are well worth a visit, with the great views from on your right). m long) the top of the falls, and the accessibility of the

bottom of the falls, making a great trip.

S S

S Turn around and retrace your steps back the 35

E E W After another 1.6 km turn sharp left, m to the main route. W After another 690 m (at the intersectionintersection ofof PerrysPerrys TrackTrack && ShortridgeShortridge

to head along Victoria Falls Walking Back at the main route veer right and follow on E

E Pass) continue straight, to head along

Track. from the 2 km waypoint.

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N Blue Gum Forest Track. N N W

After another 90 m pass the sign (9 m on your W After another 30 m come to the "Breakfast Rock S i right). S At the intersection of Blue Gum Forest Lookout". Track & Rodriguez Pass Walking Track

After another 420 m come to the "Acacia Flat N

N continue straight, to head along Campground" (15 m on your right). N

Rodriguez Pass Walking Track.

E E Rodriguez Pass Walking Track. W:www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au After another 25 m (at the intersection W After another 45 m find the "Junction Rock" (15 of Loop Track & Govetts Leap Track This is a free campsite. m on your left). E (Williams Track)) continue straight, to After another 50 m find the "Acacia Flats head along Loop Track. Camping Ground" (45 m on your left). S

After another 125 m (Laws Lookout)

W E veer left, to head along Pulpit Rock Track. JunctionJunction Rock,Rock, BlueBlue MountainsMountains NP,NP, isis aa rockrock

situated in the middle of the Govetts Leap Brook S Acacia Flats Camping Ground, Blue Mountains and Govetts Creek junction. The rock is After another 10 m come to the "Laws Lookout". NP, is situated on the floor of the Grose Valley signposted, giving directions to Evans Lookout, between Perrys Lookdown and Lockley Pylon. Neates Glen, Acacia Flats and the Blue Gum The camp ground is approximately 50m from Forest. Junction Rock is a great place for lunch Govetts Creek and approximately 500m and a swim in summer. W N After another 10 m continue upstream from Blue Gum Forest. Acacia Flats After another 560 m come to the camp site (5 m straight, to head along Pulpit Rock Camping Ground is appropriately named after on your left). Track. the dense population of Acacias found in this S FORD area. Acacia Flats is a wonderful area to camp After another 1.2 km cross the ford. E with tall shady Blue Gums and level grass clearings which make for a great place to pitch a N After another 10 m pass the "Trinity Falls" (35 m tent. There is a pit toilet and sitting logs to make on your right). After another 155 m continue camping more comfortable, and plenty of room camping more comfortable, and plenty of room W FORD straight, to head along Pulpit Rock for large groups. Water is available from Govetts E After another 155 m cross the ford. Track. Creek (treat before drinking).

After another 125 m pass the toilet (9 m on your FORD S After another 380 m cross the ford. left).left). After another 8 m find the "Horseshoe Falls Lookout" (25 m on your right).

After another 110 m pass the toilet (10 m on

S your right). S

After another 95 m (at the intersection

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W W of Jungle Circuit & Govetts Leap Track

After another 2.8 km continue (Williams Track)) continue straight, to S

S straight, to head along Blue Gum Forest N head along Govetts Leap Track (Williams N head along Govetts Leap Track (Williams N

Track. N Track). Track). Horseshoe Falls Lookout, Blue Mountains

After another 380 m come to the viewpoint (30 E E National Park, is a small fenced lookout. There FORD m on your right). After another 75 m cross the ford. are views down to Horseshoe Falls and across After another 150 m come to the "Williams the Grose Valley. Lookout". After another 60 m come to the "Rodriguez Lookout". W N N W

After another 90 m (at the intersection W After another 15 m turn sharp left, After another 450 m (at the S

E S N of Popes Glen Track & Pulpit Rock Track) to head along Popes Glen Track. N intersectionintersection ofof WillsWills StreetStreet && InconstantInconstant W continue straight, to head along Popes Street) continue straight, to head E Glen Track. along Wills Street.

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After another 170 m cross the bridge (about 9 m

S S N long)long)

After another 305 m continue After another 380 m cross the bridge (about 8 m After another 70 m (at the intersection

W W E straight, to head along Popes Glen long)long) E of Gardiner Crescent & Wills Street) turn Track. right, to head along Gardiner Crescent.

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W Start of an optional side trip: An optional side trip After another 660 m continue W to Boyd Beach. straight, to head along Popes Glen

N Track. After another 55 m (at the intersection

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N N of Gardiner Crescent & Wentworth S S of Gardiner Crescent & Wentworth W To start this optional side trip turn Street) continue straight, to head right here. Start. After another 75 m continue straight, to head along Gardiner Crescent.

E E E along Popes Glen Track. After another 30 m continue straight, to head S After another 170 m cross the bridge (about 9 m along Gardiner Crescent. N EE long)long) After another 50 m come to the end.

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S S After another 30 m (at the intersection

N W W N W SS After another 265 m continue of Gardiner Crescent & Hydora Lane) S S of Gardiner Crescent & Hydora Lane) straight, to head along Popes Glen

"Boyd Beach". continue straight, to head along E E Track. Gardiner Crescent.

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WW After another 70 m (at the intersection

N After another 410 m (at the N After another 410 m (at the of Great Western Highway & Gardiner S S of Great Western Highway & Gardiner intersectionintersection ofof DellDell StreetStreet && PopesPopes GlenGlen Crescent) turn left, to head along Great SS Track) veer left, to head along Dell Boyd Beach, Blue Mountains National Park, is a Western Highway (a highway|trunk).

E Street (a residential road). E

small sandy bank on Popes Glen Creek. The EE S

beach is a quiet spot with nice ferns and shade. S

The beach is a short distance from the Popes S W

W After another 20 m continue

Glen track. E

After another 280 m (at the E

W W straight, to head along Great Western Turn around and retrace your steps back the 50 intersectionintersection ofof GippsGipps LaneLane && WillsWills Street)Street) Highway.

m to the main route. turn right, to head along Gipps Lane.

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Back at the main route continue straight and N After another 45 m come to the end. follow on from the 20.1 km waypoint.