85-823: Download coordinates as: The Grose Valley is a rugged valley in the Blue Mountains , New South Wales , Australia . It has been formed by the Grose River , the headwaters of which are in the Mount Victoria area. The valley is located between the Great Western Highway and Bells Line of Road , the two major routes across the Blue Mountains. The majority of the valley falls within the Blue Mountains National Park . The Grose Wilderness contains some of
170-407: A dissected plateau carved in sandstone bedrock . They are now a series of ridge lines separated by gorges up to 760 metres (2,490 ft) deep. The highest point in the Blue Mountains, as it is now defined, is an unnamed point with an elevation of 1,189 m (3,901 ft) AHD , located 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) north-east of Lithgow . However, the highest point in the broader region that
255-524: A campaign to stop him. Eventually, they raised £130 which they paid Hungerford in exchange for his relinquishing the lease. It was a substantial amount at the height of the great depression. 80 pounds came in the form of an interest-free loan from James Cleary, then head of the NSW railways and subsequently chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Commission . Cleary was also a bushwalker. One of
340-455: A generally southeasterly direction for about 96 kilometres (60 mi), terminating at Emu Plains . For about two-thirds of its length it is traversed by the Great Western Highway , the Main Western railway line and the proposed Blue Mountains tunnel. Several established towns are situated on its heights, including Katoomba , Blackheath , Mount Victoria , and Springwood . The range forms
425-531: A north–easterly and then a south–easterly direction to its mouth at Broken Bay , about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from the Tasman Sea . The Hawkesbury River is the main tributary of Broken Bay. Secondary tributaries include Brisbane Water and Pittwater , which, together with the Hawkesbury River, flow into Broken Bay and thence into the Tasman Sea north of Barrenjoey Head . The total catchment area of
510-573: A range of permutations to explore. A moderate-grade day walk covering approximately 10 kilometres (6 mi) in five hours starts at Perrys Lookdown and descends sharply to the valley floor. Crossing through a corner of the Blue Gum Forest, the track goes south through the Acacia Flat camp ground, following the Govetts Creek. Passing several abandoned campgrounds , the path forks at Junction Rock;
595-652: A shale mine in the Jamison Valley in the 19th century, and other operations were set up in several places. Locations for mining activities included the Jamison Valley , the upper Grose Valley , Newnes , Glen Davis and the Asgard Swamp area outside Mount Victoria . Shale mining failed in the long run because it was not profitable. In 2000, the Greater Blue Mountains Area , a vast area of wilderness in
680-536: A thin understorey because the tall trees inhibit the growth of ground cover by blocking most of the sunlight. Protected by the Blue Mountains National Park, the forest can be accessed only on foot, with several trails from different parts of the Grose Valley and adjacent canyons meeting in the forest. There are a number of walks through the valley, with various entry, exit points and valley arms offering
765-465: A third crossing at Navua Reserve in Yarramundi , and at North Richmond , 50 metres from the current Richmond Bridge Site are causing public opposition. Activists do not believe that these bridges will alleviate traffic, citing that a North Richmond and Richmond by-pass is required. The Hawkesbury River is navigable from Windsor to the sea. There are no dams or locks on the river, and the effects of
850-586: A wide and balanced representation of eucalypt habitats from wet and dry sclerophyll, mallee heathlands, as well as localised swamps, wetlands, and grassland. 90 eucalypti tax (13% of the global total) and representation of all four groups of eucalypts occur. There is also a high level of endemism with 114 endemic taxa found in the area as well as 120 nationally rare and threatened plant taxa. The site hosts several evolutionary relic species ( Wollemia , Microstrobos , Acrophyllum ) which have persisted in highly restricted micro sites." The Greater Blue Mountains Area
935-777: Is a popular sport in the Blue Mountains, with the Blue Mountains Cattle Dogs representing the district in the Western Zone Premier League, Country Plate and Presidents Cup competitions. At 4 am on 28 January 1931 a cliff face known as "the Dog Face Rock" collapsed into the Jamison Valley in the Blue Mountains. A second collapse from the same cliff face occurred on 2 May 1931. It was reported that "More than 450 incidents resulting in greater than 200 deaths between 1875 and 2021..." have occurred. Every year there are up to 200 people who are lost or injured in
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#17328449872661020-564: Is considered to be part of the western outskirts of the Greater Sydney area. The region borders on Sydney 's main metropolitan area, its foothills starting about 50 kilometres (31 mi) west of centre of the state capital , close to Penrith . The public's understanding of the extent of the Blue Mountains is varied, as it forms only part of an extensive mountainous area associated with the Great Dividing Range . As defined in 1970,
1105-773: Is found in remote and isolated valleys of the Wollemi National Park . The Blue Mountains Range contains smaller mountain ranges: the Bell Range near The Bells Line of Road and north of the Grose River; the Explorer Range, south of the Grose River extending west towards Mount Victoria; the Caley Range, Erskine Range, Mount Hay Range, Paterson Range, and the Woodford Range. The major recorded peaks are: The Blue Mountains are
1190-541: Is in turn a part of the larger East Australian Cordillera physiographic division. The main natural disasters to afflict the area are bushfires and severe storms. In recent years the lower mountains have been subjected to a series of bushfires which have caused great loss of property but relatively little loss of life. The upper mountains had not had a major fire for some decades until December 2002 (the Blackheath Glen Fire) and November 2006 when an extensive blaze in
1275-437: Is included in this forest type. The river is known habitat for platypus and certain hanging swamps provide habitat for the endangered and endemic Blue Mountains water skink ( Eulamprus leuraensis ). The rocky sandstone complexes of the plateau provide habitat for some specialised and rare native animal species (e.g. the broad-headed snake , Hoplocephalus bungaroides ). Woodland communities are habitat for mammals such as
1360-760: Is inhabited by over 400 different forms of animals. Among them are rare mammal species like spotted-tailed quoll , the koala , the yellow-bellied glider , and long-nosed potoroo . There are also some rare reptiles, like the Blue Mountain water skink . There are also some dingoes in the area, which form the top predators and hunt for grey kangaroos . The Blue Mountains are a popular destination for rock climbers , mountain bikers and hikers as well as canyoning and other adventure sports. These sports are well catered for by guiding companies and equipment stores located mainly in Katoomba. Popular climbing destinations include
1445-528: Is joined by the Colo River . The Colo River and its tributaries drain the northern section of the Blue Mountains. From Lower Portland, the Hawkesbury River continues flowing northwards to the small community of Wisemans Ferry where it is joined by the Macdonald River . Here its course turns eastwards and the surrounding landscape gradually becomes steeper and more rugged. At Spencer , Mangrove Creek joins
1530-463: Is known as Kings Tableland Aboriginal Place and dates back 22,000 years. Arthur Phillip , the first governor of New South Wales, first glimpsed the extent of the Blue Mountains from a ridge at the site of today's Oakhill College, Castle Hill. He named them the Carmarthen Hills, "some forty to sixty miles distant..." and he reckoned that the ground was "most suitable for government stock". This
1615-563: Is now the location of Bells Line of Road between Richmond and Bell , and the Coxs River , a tributary of the Nepean River . It could be followed upstream to the open plains of the Kanimbla Valley, the type of country that farmers prize. British settlers initially considered that fertile lands lay beyond the mountains; while in the belief of many convicts China lay beyond. However, there
1700-626: Is possible that he had crossed the mountains via the southern aspect at the Coxs River corridor, guided by the Aborigines. Governor Hunter was impressed by Wilson's skills and sent him on an expedition with John Price and others in January 1798. The party crossed the Nepean River and moved southwest towards the present site of Mittagong . There they turned west and found a route along the ridge where today
1785-475: Is the location where Gidley King in 1799 established a prison town for political prisoners from Ireland and Scotland. The first documented use of the name Blue Mountains appears in Captain John Hunter 's account of Phillip's 1789 expedition up the Hawkesbury River. Describing the events of about 5 July, Hunter wrote: "We frequently, in some of the reaches which we passed through this day, saw very near us
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#17328449872661870-505: Is the operation of Australia's last riverboat postman , a river service that delivers mail to properties on the river between Brooklyn and Spencer. The Hawkesbury Canoe Classic , a 111 km canoe race, is held annually in October or November. The race starts at Windsor and finishes at Brooklyn . The Bridge to Bridge is a water ski race that is run in the opposite direction, from Dangar Island to Windsor . The Australian leg of
1955-485: The Hawkesbury (upper) and Narrabeen (lower) group sandstones, exposing cliffs of commonly over 200 metres (660 ft) and up to 510 metres (1,670 ft) in height (Banks Wall). The Burramoko Head sandstone in the upper and middle Grose gorges possesses weathering tendencies of breakage along vertical joints and has consequently yielded some of the sheerest cliff faces in the Blue Mountains. The wilderness contains 80% of
2040-496: The Hawkesbury and Nepean Wars , a series of skirmishes and battles between the Kingdom of Great Britain and the resisting Indigenous clans that took place between late 1780s and late 1810s. The Hawkesbury River was one of the major transportation routes for transporting food from the surrounding area to Sydney during the 1800s. Boats would wait in the protection of Broken Bay and Pittwater, until favourable weather allowed them to make
2125-460: The Kowmung River and Coxs River drains a broad region of New South Wales on the eastern side of the Great Dividing Range . The other principal component of the upper Hawkesbury river system, the Grose River , rises in the area of Mount Victoria in the Blue Mountains. Once formed, the Hawkesbury River proper flows generally northwards, albeit with a significant number of meanders . Initially
2210-614: The March 2021 Australian floods , with government ministers disagreeing on what needs to be done. Plans to replace the Windsor Bridge , and direct traffic through the historic Thompson Square caused significant community opposition culminating in the Community Action for Windsor Bridge (CAWB) movement. Despite this opposition, work on the replacement bridge was completed in May 2020. Plans for
2295-574: The Mesozoic period, rivers dumped vast amounts of sand , burying the other sedimentary rocks . By about 1 million years ago during the Pliocene era, the Blue Mountains began to form, carving out deep valleys and steep cliffs , with an elevation of 3,900 feet. Its main distinctive natural feature are the Three Sisters , a formation of triple sandstone peaks scoured by erosion , whose rocks are lit by
2380-535: The Nepean River , almost encircle the metropolitan region of Sydney. The river between Wisemans Ferry and the Pacific Ocean marks the boundary of Greater Metropolitan Sydney in the south and the Central Coast region to the north. The Hawkesbury River has its origin at the confluence of the Nepean River and the Grose River , to the north of Penrith and travels for approximately 120 kilometres (75 mi) in
2465-598: The Wombeyan Caves Road is located. In the process they found a way to go west of the mountains, by going around them instead of across them. In March of the same year, Wilson and Price ventured to the Camden area, and then continued further south until they encountered Thirlmere Lakes , finally almost reaching the present site of Goulburn . It is possible that the accomplishments of this expedition were suppressed by Hunter, who may not have wanted convicts to know that there
2550-519: The red-necked swamp wallaby , brush-tailed rock wallaby and eastern pygmy possum . Aboriginal artefacts have been found close to the Blue Gum Forest . The Grose River has cut a deep gorge through the area as it makes its way east towards the Hawkesbury River . Sheer sandstone cliffs standing hundreds of metres above the river make for spectacular scenery and can be viewed extensively from
2635-521: The Blackheath area, where there are a number of accessible lookouts, the best known being Govetts Leap . The valley can also be viewed from lookouts near Bells Line of Road and points outside Mount Victoria. It is named after Francis Grose . Charles Darwin described the Grose Valley as "stupendous… magnificent" when he visited in 1836 . In 1859 some of the first photographs in Australia were taken in
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2720-591: The Blue Gum Forest was damaged by back burning. Owing to the harsh bushfires in 2006 and 2020, the Blue Gum forest and other walking tracks in the valley were closed to bushwalkers to allow the regrowth of vegetation. Since 2020, Govetts Leap descent and Rodriguez Pass are semi-permanently closed due to landslides. The remaining access points to the valley include the Horse Track, Pierces Pass, Lockleys Pylon, Perrys Lookdown, and Victoria Falls. The Grose Valley arguably became
2805-558: The Blue Mountains and surrounding areas. Examples of Aboriginal habitation can be found in many places. In the Red Hands Cave, a rock shelter near Glenbrook , the walls contain hand stencils from adults and children. On the southern side of Queen Elizabeth Drive, at Wentworth Falls , a rocky knoll has a large number of grinding grooves created by rubbing stone implements on the rock to shape and sharpen them. There are also carved images of animal tracks and an occupation cave. The site
2890-489: The Blue Mountains for its exceptional biodiversity, was enlisted by UNESCO and categorized itself as a natural World Heritage Site . On 18 July 2023, a proposal for a naming board in a dual Aboriginal name was discussed by the Geographical Names Board of New South Wales whether the Blue Mountains would be officially named Gulumada. The climate varies with elevation. At Katoomba, (1,010 m or 3,314 ft)
2975-673: The Blue Mountains region is bounded by the Nepean and Hawkesbury rivers in the east, the Coxs River and Lake Burragorang to the west and south, and the Wolgan and Colo rivers to the north. Geologically, it is situated in the central parts of the Sydney Basin . The Blue Mountains Range comprises a range of mountains , plateau escarpments extending off the Great Dividing Range about 4.8 kilometres (3.0 mi) northwest of Wolgan Gap in
3060-583: The Blue Mountains, Kanangra-Boyd, Wollemi, Gardens of Stone, Yengo, Nattai and Thirlmere Lakes National Parks, plus the Jenolan Caves Karst Conservation Reserve. This site was chosen to be included on the World Heritage list because: "Criteria (ii) and (iv): Australia's eucalypt vegetation is worthy of recognition as of outstanding universal value, because of its adaptability and evolution in post-Gondwana isolation. The site contains
3145-507: The Blue mountains. In 2022, two people died and two were injured when they were on a walking track in Wentworth Falls , and were hit by debris from a landslide. Hawkesbury River The Hawkesbury River , or Hawkesbury-Nepean River ( Dharug : Dyarubbin ) a river located northwest of Sydney , New South Wales , Australia . The Hawkesbury River and its associated main tributary ,
3230-578: The Centennial Glen cliffs near Blackheath and Mount Piddington near the town of Mount Victoria . Climbing is currently banned on The Three Sisters. Mountain biking takes place mainly on the many fire trails that branch away from the main spine of the Great Western Highway, such as Narrow Neck, Anderson's Fire Trail and others. Likewise many of the fire trails are popular with day hikers, though many dedicated walking trails exist away from
3315-556: The GIVE A DAM movement began to protect the ecological, historical and Indigenous heritage of the additional area prone to flooding due to the raising of the dam wall. A significant portion of the land to be inundated is located within the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area designated by UNESCO , which stated that this status could be revoked if parts of the world heritage area were to be submerged. Activists also claim that
3400-456: The Grose River and through the forest. In 1875 Blue Gum Forest was the scene of an artists’ camp established by Eccleston Du Faur, of the Academy of Art. Several magnificent photographs by Joseph Philip Bischoff and drawings and paintings by William Piguenit resulted. Another outcome was that the whole Grose Valley and surrounds was reserved from alienation because it was ‘a national spectacle’. At
3485-818: The Grose River catchment. The river flows to the Nepean-Hawkesbury through an undisturbed environment for all but its final 5 kilometres (3.1 mi). Consequently, the Grose has substantial wild river values, as do its major tributaries such as Wentworth Creek and Carmarthen Brook. The bulk of the vegetation in the wilderness is dry open forest and woodland, dominated by Eucalyptus sieberi and E. piperita above 800 metres (2,600 ft) altitude with Eucalyptus oblonga , E. globoidea , E. agglomerata and Angophora costata becoming dominant at lower altitudes. Plateau areas have thinner or waterlogged soils and generally support heath or low open woodland communities. Within
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3570-527: The Grose Valley threatened several communities including Bell and Blackheath (the Lawsons Long Alley Fire). This latest fire burned for almost a month but was extinguished, mainly due to a change in the weather, without loss of human life or property. A program of winter burning seemed to have been successful in reducing fires in the upper mountains. In recent years, the bushfires have become far more destructive and expansive than before. The region
3655-537: The Hawkesbury River proper. Going downstream, these comprise: In the lower reaches of the river there are also a few passenger ferries that cross the river. These include the Palm Beach Ferry service from Palm Beach to Ettalong and Wagstaffe , and the Hawkesbury River Ferries service from Brooklyn to Dangar Island and Little Wobby . A list from 1829 made by Reverend John McGarvie includes
3740-787: The New South Wales state government released the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley Flood Risk Management Strategy, that proposed raising the height of Warragamba Dam by an additional 17 metres, using the Climate Change Mitigation Fund. It was claimed that this would reduce the risk of flooding to homes downstream along the Hawkesbury-Nepean river, that is the most at-risk region of Australia to devastating flooding, exacerbated by Global Warming . A large public opposition campaign culminating in
3825-620: The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series takes place in Hawkesbury. Windsor and also Dargle ski park on the Hawkesbury river each year hold a Circuit Boat race meeting with boats travelling from all over country According to the Hawkesbury Nepean Catchment Management Authority, the Hawkesbury River estuary supports the second-largest commercial coastal fishery of estuary prawns, oysters (prior to
3910-491: The Upper Blue Mountains with many misty days. The predominant natural vegetation of the higher ridges is eucalyptus forest. Heath-like vegetation is present on plateau edges above cliffs. The sheltered gorges often contain temperate rainforests . There are also many hanging swamps with button grass reeds and thick, deep black soil. Wollemia nobilis , the "Wollemi pine", a relict of earlier vegetation of Gondwana ,
3995-471: The abundant eucalyptus trees in the Blue Mountains may cause Mie scattering and thus the blue haze for which the mountains were named. A sandstone plateau dominated by a landscape of eucalyptus forests, the Blue Mountains are located at the top of a 470-million-year-old quartzite . In the Permian period, a shallow sea covered the region, when rivers brought shales , siltstones and mudstones . Then during
4080-411: The blazes may severely reduce the biodiversity of the area and even wipe out some of the threatened species in the area, such as the regent honeyeater . The Greater Blue Mountains Area was unanimously listed as a World Heritage Area by UNESCO on 29 November 2000, becoming the fourth area in New South Wales to be listed. The area totals roughly 10,000 square kilometres (3,900 sq mi), including
4165-496: The coldest air drains into the valleys during calm, clear nights. However, the passing of cold fronts can significantly lower the average temperature during the night and the day. The Blue Mountains is not known for particularly cold mornings compared to other areas on the Central Tablelands, such as Oberon, Bathurst and Orange. There are two to three snowfalls per year. Annual rainfall is about 1,050 millimetres (41 in) in
4250-606: The colony was in the grips of a drought. Evans and his party reached the Fish and Macquarie rivers, and the site of Bathurst . On 7 July 1814, construction of a road across the mountains was begun by William Cox . The work was at the behest of Governor Macquarie. 30 convict labourers and 8 guards completed the road on 14 January 1815 after 27 weeks of hard work. Since the Blue Mountains are rich in coal and shale, mining for these resources began in Hartley Vale in 1865. J.B. North ran
4335-486: The cradle of the modern conservation movement in NSW when Blue Gum Forest was saved from threatened destruction in 1931-32. A group from the Sydney Bush Walkers club, led by Alan Rigby, were camped in the forest when they chanced upon a Bilpin farmer, Clarrie Hungerford. Hungerford had a lease of the forest and told the bushwalkers he planned to clear the blue gums to plant walnuts. The bushwalkers went away and started
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#17328449872664420-482: The early 2010s, the region's biodiversity and infrastructure has been severely affected by massive bushfires of unprecedented size and impact. In 2018 8.4 million people visited the Blue Mountains. The Blue Mountains and Southern Highlands Basalt Forests is a prominent forest community within the ecoregion. Following European settlement of the Sydney area, the area was named the Carmarthen and Lansdowne Hills by Arthur Phillip in 1788. The Carmarthen Hills were in
4505-511: The fire roads. Canyoning in the Blue Mountains is a popular sport and caters for various skill levels. It carries inherent dangers, yet for those with the appropriate skills or those looking to take a guided trip there are many great opportunities to experience a different view of the Blue Mountains. There are numerous abseiling options available in the Blue Mountains including single and multipitch routes. There are some restrictions though with certain areas being closed for abseiling. Cricket
4590-505: The first successful European crossing. Blaxland set out with Lawson and Wentworth on 11 May 1813 and succeeded in crossing the mountains by 31 May. They ventured as far as to what is now Mount Blaxland , just west of Coxs River . In November 1813, Macquarie sent the surveyor George Evans on an expedition to confirm the apparent discoveries made by Blaxland and his party. He was also told to see if there existed enough arable land to justify settlement. The issue had become more urgent because
4675-512: The glimpse of light at the time of day . The Blue Mountains have been inhabited for millennia by the Gundungurra people , now represented by the Gundungurra Tribal Council Aboriginal Corporation based in Katoomba, and, in the lower Blue Mountains, by the Darug people , now represented by the Darug Tribal Aboriginal Corporation. The Gundungurra creation story of the Blue Mountains tells that Dreaming creatures Mirigan and Garangatch, half fish and half reptile, fought an epic battle which scarred
4760-421: The hills, which we suppose as seen from Port Jackson, and called by the governor the Blue Mountains." During the nineteenth century the name was commonly applied to the portion of the Great Dividing Range from about Goulburn in the south to the Hunter Valley in the north, but in time it came to be associated with a more limited area. The native Aborigines knew two routes across the mountains: Bilpin Ridge, which
4845-425: The key activists in the campaign was Myles Dunphy , who at the time was developing his plans for the Blue Mountains National Park. During the 1800s there were various proposals to dam the Grose Valley, and one such dam would have been at the forest. The area was also the subject of a number of proposed coal and shale mining ventures, and in the 1850s it was planned that the main western railway line would be routed up
4930-403: The landscape into the Jamison Valley . The Gundungurra Tribal Council is a nonprofit organisation representing the Gundungurra traditional owners , promoting heritage and culture and providing a support for Gundungurra people connecting back to Country. Gundungurra Tribal Council Aboriginal Corporation has a registered Native Title Claim since 1995 over their traditional lands, which include
5015-422: The lower Hawkesbury to Mangrove Creek, upper Hawkesbury, inland Hunter and lower Blue Mountains. Also known on the banks of the river were the Eora and Guringai people. In 1789 two expeditions explored the Hawkesbury to the northwest of Sydney and the Nepean River to the southwest. It took about three years to realise they had discovered the same river system. Hawkesbury River was one of the pivotal positions of
5100-531: The most dramatic gorge and canyon landscapes of the entire Sydney basin sandstone region. The Grose also constitutes one of the most accessible wilderness areas for bushwalking or public observation from its escarpment margins. The geology of the area consists of Triassic sandstones and underlying Permian sedimentary rocks . A number of basalt -capped peaks dominate the area, notably Mount Banks and Mount Hay . The Grose River and its tributaries have eroded an extensive labyrinth of gorges and canyons through
5185-517: The north of the region and the Lansdowne Hills were in the south. The name Blue Mountains , however, was preferred and is derived from the blue tinge the range takes on when viewed from a distance. The tinge is believed to be caused by Mie scattering which occurs when incoming light with shorter wavelengths is preferentially scattered by particles within the atmosphere imparting a blue-greyish colour to any distant objects, including mountains and clouds. Volatile terpenoids emitted in large quantities by
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#17328449872665270-431: The ocean journey to Sydney Heads . With the opening of the railway from Sydney to Windsor in 1864, farm produce could be shipped upriver for onward transportation by train. However, by the 1880s the river had become silted up between Sackville and Windsor, and Sackville became the head of navigation for sea-going vessels. Until the end of the 19th century coastal steamers linked Sackville to Sydney. The Hawkesbury River
5355-413: The place names used by the Aboriginal people along the river, including the name of the river itself Dyarubbin . An alternative spelling of the Aboriginal name for the river was published as Deerubbun in 1870. The two main Aboriginal tribes inhabiting the area were the Wannungine of the coastal area on the lower reaches (below Mangrove Creek) and the Darkinyung people , whose lands were extensive on
5440-401: The plateau which forms the escarpment behind Wollongong . Flowing north-west, away from the sea, these streams combine to form the Nepean River, and flow north past the towns of Camden and Penrith . Near Penrith, the Warragamba River emerges from its canyon through the Blue Mountains and joins the Nepean. The Warragamba, formed by the joining of the Wollondilly River , the Nattai River ,
5525-413: The raising of the dam wall will give rise to additional developments downstream, which are currently not allowed to build on floodplains with a risk of a one-in-hundred-year flood. They also claim that any raising of the dam wall will be ineffective at flood mitigation, as the Warragamba River only contributes around 15% of water volume to the Hawkesbury-Nepean system. This issue has again been raised after
5610-424: The river from the north. From here to the river mouth, road access to the river is limited to a few points. At Milsons Passage , the river is joined by Berowra Creek from the south. In the area around Brooklyn the river is crossed by the major road and rail services that follow the coast north from Sydney. The river finally reaches the ocean at Broken Bay . From the confluence of the Nepean and Grose Rivers to
5695-421: The river is Deerubben or Dyarubbin . In March 2021, the river level rose, and many areas were flooded as part of the March 2021 Australian floods . The headwaters of the Hawkesbury River, the Avon River , the Cataract River , and the Cordeaux River , rise only a few kilometres (miles) from the sea, about 80 kilometres (50 mi) south of Sydney. These streams start on the inland-facing slopes of
5780-416: The river is approximately 21,624 square kilometres (8,349 sq mi) and the area is generally administered by the Hawkesbury–Nepean Catchment Management Authority. The land adjacent to the Hawkesbury River was occupied by Aboriginal peoples: the Darkinjung , Darug , Eora , and Kuringgai . They used the river as a source of food and a place for trade. In the languages of the traditional custodians
5865-436: The river passes the towns of Richmond and Windsor , which are the largest settlements on the river. At Windsor, the river is joined by South Creek , which drains much of the urban runoff in Sydney's western suburbs that does not fall into the Parramatta River catchment. As it flows north, it enters a more rural area, with only small settlements on the river. On this stretch it passes Sackville and Lower Portland , where it
5950-401: The route to Govetts Leap was closed in October 2003, following a landslide, reopened in December 2007, and closed again since 2020. In the other direction, along Govetts Creek, the route then starts a continuous climb towards the Grand Canyon, where it forks again; a closed track goes to Neates Glen, while the other is a steep climb to Evans Lookout . The general direction of travel is towards
6035-424: The sandstone fortress west of the Nepean. Between 1798 and 1813, many people explored various parts of the mountains, from the Bilpin Ridge to the southern regions, today the site of the Kanangra-Boyd National Park . Still, they did not find a definite route across the mountains. The 1813 crossing of the Blue Mountains by Gregory Blaxland , William Lawson and William Charles Wentworth is officially credited as
6120-432: The sea, the Hawkesbury River has a total length of some 120 kilometres (75 mi). Islands in the Hawkesbury River include, in order going downstream are Barr Island , Milson Island , Snake Island , Peat Island , Spectacle Island , Long Island , Dangar Island and Lion Island . Despite forming the effective boundary of the metropolitan region of Sydney for its entire length, there are very few fixed crossings of
6205-575: The sheltered and well watered canyon environments closed forests commonly occur, with typical species being coachwood , sassafras and possumwood . On the isolated basalt caps the fertile soils support taller eucalypt forests of E. viminalis , E. blaxlandii and E. fastigata . A small area of alluvial sediments deposited in the upper Grose Valley during the Quaternary supports a tall moist open forest dominated by E. deanei , E. oreades , E. notabilis and E. cypelocarpa . The Blue Gum Forest
6290-403: The southeast and this direction is recommended as the final climb at Evans Lookout is in the shade in the afternoon. Creeks in the valley are seasonal, the water is unsafe to drink. The walk is much more strenuous in summer due to the higher daily temperatures and the added risk of bushfires. The valley has been affected by bushfires at various times, notably in 1982, 2006, and 2020. In particular
6375-547: The summer average maximum temperature is around 22 °C with a few days extending into the 30s (80s–90s °F) although it is quite common to see maximum temperatures stay in the teens when east coast troughs persist. Night-time temperatures are usually in the teens but can drop to single figures at times. During winter, the temperature is typically around 10 to 11 °C in the daytime with −1 °C or so on clear nights and 3 to 4 °C on cloudy nights. Very occasionally it will get down to −3 °C or slightly lower but usually
6460-399: The tide are felt as far as Windsor. Whilst use of the river to carry farm produce and other goods has now largely been superseded by road transport, the river remains the only form of access to a significant number of isolated homes and communities. This is especially true in the lower reaches of the river, where the steep and rugged terrain inhibits road construction. One consequence of this
6545-497: The time there was no national park in Australia, and indeed Australia was not even a nation—but the reservation in essence was the country’s first national park. The Blue Mountains National Park contains the following heritage-listed major walking tracks: Map Blue Mountains (Australia) The Blue Mountains are a mountainous region and a mountain range located in New South Wales , Australia . The region
6630-500: The time which came to light in the late 1980s. Wilson arrived with the First Fleet in 1788 and was freed in 1792. He settled in the bush, living with the Aborigines and even functioning as an intermediary between them and the settlers. In 1797 he returned to Sydney, claiming to have explored up to a hundred miles in all directions around Sydney, including across the mountains. His descriptions and observations were generally accurate, and it
6715-429: The valley. At various times there were proposals for rail lines and dams but these have not proceeded. In 1931, the valley was the subject of one of Australia's first forest conservation battles. Within the valley, the Blue Gum Forest is one place that stands out from the rest of the valley. It consists predominantly of towering Blue Gum trees ( Eucalyptus deanei , also known as Deane's Gums, or Broad-leafed gums), with
6800-452: The watershed between Coxs River to the south and the Grose and Wolgan rivers to the north. The range contains the Explorer Range and the Bell Range. Once considered impassable by settlers, the 1813 expedition by Blaxland , Wentworth and Lawson opened up the interior to British settlement. Today, the Blue Mountains area includes the local government area of the City of Blue Mountains . Since
6885-421: Was a relatively easy way out of Sydney. Wilson was killed by Aborigines after abducting an Aboriginal woman "for his personal use", but he had accomplished much as an explorer. He was never recognised as the first person to cross the mountains, possibly because his Coxs River journey could not be verified, while his route west of Mittagong may have been the "long way around" for a colony that had its eyes fixed on
6970-732: Was given its present name by Governor Phillip in June 1789, after Charles Jenkinson, 1st Earl of Liverpool , who at that time was titled Baron Hawkesbury, after the Cotswolds village of Hawkesbury Upton in England, where the Jenkinsons still live. An obelisk was unveiled in 1939 at Brooklyn to commemorate the naming. In 1794, 22 families were granted land at Bardenarang, now known as Pitt Town Bottoms, near Windsor. In that same year, confrontations between Aboriginal people and settlers broke out. In May 2017,
7055-476: Was little fear that the mountains might provide a means of escape since they were considered impassable. This idea was, to some extent, convenient for local authorities. An "insurmountable" barrier would deter convicts from trying to escape in that direction. A former convict, John Wilson, may have been the first colonist to cross the Blue Mountains. It is also believed that Matthew Everingham , 1795, may have also been partly successful based on letters he wrote at
7140-507: Was once considered to be the Blue Mountains is Mount Bindo , with an elevation 1,362 m (4,469 ft) AHD . A large part of the Blue Mountains is incorporated into the Greater Blue Mountains Area World Heritage Site , consisting of seven national park areas and a conservation reserve. The Blue Mountains area is a distinct physiographic section of the larger Hunter-Hawkesbury Sunkland province. This
7225-574: Was severely damaged in the 2013 New South Wales bushfires . However, even this was dwarfed by the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season , during which the entire mountain range was devastated at a scale never seen before. According to preliminary reports, up to 80% of the World Heritage Area has burned as of January 2020, many of these being areas that had never burned in any previously observed bushfires. These destructive blazes have been linked to accelerating climate change . There have been fears that
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