Blue Mountains News

Echo Point, Council campgrounds and a number of short walks and lookouts remain open.

Mayor, Cr Mark Greenhill, said: "Council has given careful consideration to the forecasted weather, the significant storm impacts on visitor facilities that have occurred this year and recent years, and the closure of the majority of the Blue Mountains National Park. Council has determined that in the interest of public safety a significant closure of Council's visitor facilities is temporarily required.

"Council reserves often provide access to the National Park and Council continues to work with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service to manage public safety in a coordinated manner, by assessing the recent impact on visitor facilities, addressing the risk to the public and the impact on tourism.  We will continue to assess the situation and reopen facilities as soon as possible."

The following Council-managed lookouts, short walks and campgrounds are open:                  

Katoomba

• Cahills Lookout                      
• Cyclorama Point                    
• Eagle Hawk Lookout             
• Echo Point                  
• Hildas Lookout                       
• Honeymoon Lookout             
• Kiah Lookout              
• Narrow Neck Lookout            
• Peckmans Plateau     
• Peckmans to Cahills loop walk         
• Prince of Wales Lookout                   
• Queen Elizabeth Lookout                  

Leura             

• Elysian Rock Lookout
• Leura Cascades Picnic Area and day use area        
• Olympian Rock Lookout        
• Sublime Point Lookout                       

Blackheath and Megalong Valley

• Blackheath Glen Reserve campground
• Hargraves Lookout                
• Mt Blackheath Lookout                      
• Old Ford Reserve campground
• Paul Harris Lookout              

Springwood /Faulconbridge                       

• Deanei Reserve

Glenbrook/Lapstone

• Bluff Lookout              
• Chalmers Lookout     
• Elizabeth Lookout      
• Lennox Bridge
• Lovers Walk firetrail   
• Marges Lookout         
• Olivet St to Lennox Bridge     
• Ross Lookout             

Mt Wilson      

• Cathedral of Ferns Reserve campground
• Du Faurs Rocks Lookout
• Happy Valley/Cathedral Creek          
• Wynnes Rocks Lookout

Mt Victoria    

• Barden Lookout
• Coxs Road     
• Henry Lawson Walk
• Hourn Point
• Lawsons Long Alley   
• Lockyers Track          
• Lockyers Trackhead campground Hartley Vale
• Mt York day use area
• Mt York Lookouts
• Mt York Reserve campground
• Mitchells Ridge Lookout        
• Mt Piddington 
• Sunset Rock  

NPWS has closed the Blue Mountains National Park, except for Evans Lookout and Govetts Leap Lookout at Blackheath.

"The City has experienced significant rainfall that has resulted in increased and potentially unmanageable hazards associated with the use of Council and National Parks managed natural area visitor facilities," Mayor Greenhill said. "This is highlighted by the recent rock fall and multi-fatality at Wentworth Pass, within the Blue Mountains National Park.

"Many of Council's most visited lookouts, including Echo Point lookout, and walking tracks and campgrounds remain open. We will look to reopen the rest as soon as possible."

The Blue Mountains has experienced multiple rockfalls and landslips since the natural disaster occurred last month.

"We are aware that Easter is traditionally a period of peak activity in the Blue Mountains, and for the sake of our local businesses, we want visitors to continue to visit our City.

"However, public safety is paramount and we will continue to monitor the situation and undertake the necessary investigations following predicted storms over the coming days, before reopening public access."

Follow all Council walking track alerts and get information on closures at here

Current NPWS walking track alerts can be seen here: here