Mt Wilson Mt Irvine Bushwalking Group Volume 24 Issue 3 March 2014

Mt Wilson Mt Irvine Bushwalking Group Volume 24 Issue 3 March 2014 SLACKS STAIRS AND WENTWORTH PASS TOPIC It is a rather regal start to our OUR walk, as we call in to Queen Victoria Lookout, the name FEBRUARY perhaps commensurate with the majestic view on offer. The WALK cliffs below Cathedral Point on VALLEY of the WATERS, the right and Kedumba Walls NATIONAL PASS, SLACKS on the left frame the valley into STAIRS and WENTWORTH which we are about to descend. PASS at WENTWORTH In the far distance, past the end FALLS of Mt Solitary and across st Kedumba Valley, lies the Blue Friday 21 February 2014 Breaks; a magnificent “ There is really no such thing as panorama at any time, bad weather, only different kinds especially so on a day such as of good weather.” This quote is Autumn in the Bush this. The imperial theme attributed to John Ruskin, continues as we stop at English author and social Empress Lookout, named after reformer. Of course the weather can at times Empress Falls, which it overlooks. The falls in be a little unpleasant and can vary through turn were also named after Queen Victoria, barely acceptable, pleasant, agreeable, Empress of India 1876 – 1901. (A committee splendid and superb. Then, like today, it can was set up by the Wentworth Falls Trustees to be absolutely perfect. name the falls in the Valley of the Waters in Twelve walkers gathered at the Conservation 1897; the year of Queen Victoria’s diamond Hut under a cloudless azure sky; there was not jubilee. A safe bet then that the name Empress a breath of wind, the temperature was quite would be bestowed upon the major falls in the pleasant. The bush glistened, refreshed by the valley.) recent rain. The pleasant aroma of moist leaf- The track now leads us away from the litter hung in the air; the sandstone cliffs relatively dry open forest as it descends more glowed under the morning sun. Bliss! steeply into a cooler, more moist environment. We welcomed Tony James from Mt Tomah Silver ribbons of water wash across moss and Bill Palmer from Bilpin who were joining covered rocks, flow beneath clusters of ferns us for the first time today. and between stepping-stones on the track to plummet toward the creek below. We zig zag Pausing at the information board Libby more deeply into ‘The Gorge’, as the Valley of indicates our planned route for today; we then the Waters was known prior to 1895. Soon the head down the track toward The Valley of the waters of Empress Falls come into view as Waters. they leap from the narrow slot canyon and tumble over a series of cascades before 2 Mt Wilson Mt Irvine Bushwalking Group flowing into a placid pool which we cross via this track, as it generally lies inside the drip a curved line of stepping-stones. To the left of line of the cliffs far above. the track is a much smaller yet quite beautiful Presently we arrive at the Slacks Stairs Track fall coursing down the rockface; the but continue on for a short distance to enjoy a cumulation of those ribbons of water we had view of Wentworth Falls and across to the seen earlier. In the view toward Jamison sheer cliff where minute figures of walkers Valley glimpses of the golden hues of the descending the stairs give a sense of scale to towering sandstone cliffs are revealed through this vista. In the opposite direction the view of the lush green foliage of the surrounding the cliffs below Inspiration Point and Sublime Coachwood and Sassafras. Point indeed justifies the naming of those two The soothing lilting sound of flowing water features. We return to the Slacks Stairs Track accompanies us as we descend steeply beside junction and perhaps it is appropriate at this the creek. At times the water is hidden beneath juncture to look at a little history of the three mossy boulders, then reappears as it ripples main tracks we will walk today. across rock shelves and plunges into narrow Wentworth Pass, which generally follows the channels. Soon we are below Sylvia Falls, so top of the talus slope from Valley of the named because of the silvery appearance of Waters Creek to the base of Wentworth Falls, the water as it drops over the dark rocks; was opened in 1897. Peter Mulheran, a especially when illuminated by the sun as it is caretaker of the area, helped in and possibly today. I would venture to say this is perhaps supervised its construction. the prettiest waterfall in the mountains when, as now, it is flowing well. The diaphanous National Pass, named for the Federation of curtains of water spreading across the rockface Australia in January 1901, was opened in as they descend contrasting with the narrow 1908. It was constructed over two years by a white riband flowing alongside. team of four men known as the “Irish Brigade” and led by Peter Mulheran. One The track leads us across Valley of the Waters hundred years later, following reconstruction Creek above Lodore Falls and we head along work stretching over five years, it was the National Pass. This pass, which generally reopened in 2008. The restoration work won a follows a natural ledge formed by the layer of well-deserved Award for Culture Heritage claystone or shale compressed between the Conservation from UNESCO. predominant sandstone, is rated by many as the best walk in the mountains; it is certainly Several sculptures, life-size stainless steel one of the most popular. Soon we note the castings of local fauna – a sugar glider, skinks, track coming in on our right; this is where we a snake and a water dragon at each end of the will emerge later in the day on our climb out track – were installed during refurbishment; a of the valley. wonderful touch. Inevitably I guess, the water dragon at the Wentworth Falls end of the track This track offers almost constant distant views has been jemmied from its sandstone column into the Jamison Valley and beyond on one and stolen; a sad reflection on elements within side and, on the other and close at hand, the our society. Happily the remainder remain spectacle of soaring sandstone cliffs; some intact, including a set of footprint impressions brooding darkly in the shadows, others lit up of the Superb Lyrebird; one can but hope for brilliantly by the morning sun. Occasionally their long-term survival. the track swings into shaded moist areas where, fed by hanging swamps, water For many years there was no connection dropping from the cliffs encourages the between the Wentworth Falls ends of these growth of ferns, mosses and other soft- two Passes. The absence of such a connection foliaged vegetation. This creates a stark could well be considered rather slack; you will contrast to the generally dry environment of be surprised, I’m sure, to learn that that had no influence at all on the naming of these stairs. 3 Mt Wilson Mt Irvine Bushwalking Group A Parramatta Real Estate Agent, resident of Vines (Smilax australis) twine through the Wentworth Falls and Chairman of the shrubbery ready to entrap the unwary with Wentworth Falls Group of the Blue Mountains their sharp thorns. Sights Reserve Trust from 1920 was Isaac Fifty shades of green (not grey) pervade the Platt Slack. He pushed for the addition of this scene as filtered sunlight streaming through missing link to allow a circuit walk; funding the canopy plays with light and shade on the eventually became available and the stairs foliage, ground ferns and mosses creating a were constructed c1932. magical effect. Soon after beginning our descent on this track We encounter a shrub carrying clusters of we reach a point where a full view of both purple globular berries; a shrub which Ray drops of Wentworth Falls opens up - a Nesci, John Meade or yours truly could not spectacular sight. We then enter a natural identify on the spot. Some later detective work tunnel housing the first major set of stairs by John and his chief superintendent Kay which lead to the series of nine steel ladders; established that it was an uncommon species they deliver us to a set of four steel stirrups (for the Sydney district) of Pepper-bush; the embedded in a vertical rock face. On our last Mountain Pepper (Tasmannia lanceeolata) . visit here a rope was the only aid to descend This cool climate species, more common in this drop. The track then continues at a the mountains of Victoria and Tasmania, somewhat gentler grade to the large pool at the differs from its more prevalent Pepper-bush base of the falls. cousin (Tasmannia isipida) in that its leaves We pause awhile to take in the beauty of this are a darker green and are a much narrower place. At the present rate of flow there is a lance shape as its species name implies. single main stream of water plummeting down Presently we reach the point where the track from the halfway point of the falls. This crosses Den Fenella Creek whose waterfall we strikes a dark almost black ledge of rock had earlier walked behind along the National where it fans into three cascades to drop into Pass. Here its waters tumble in a series of the base pool. While I generally abhor graffiti, pearly silvern cascades between large mossy someone who has walked this circuit has been boulders. Through breaks in the canopy the moved to write, on an old rusting sign about jagged cliffs of Moya Point come into view; midway down Slacks Stairs, the single word gold and orange sandstone silhouetted against Paradise in fine white copperplate lettering; a brilliant blue sky.

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