Today marks the official opening of the new 19-kilometre Grand Cliff Top Walk in the Blue Mountains, providing bushwalkers with a seamless journey all the way from Wentworth Falls to Katoomba.
Missing links have been completed and new tracks, high-quality sandstone steps and handrails have been installed to lead visitors through bush and rainforests teeming with native plants and animals, including black cockatoos and lyrebirds.
The use of sandstone steps rather than timber provides resilience from bushfires and supports the heritage values of the walking track network. The tracks are designed to last up to 100 years.
Lookouts along the route offer sweeping panoramic views of the World Heritage Blue Mountains ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Park. Among the many highlights are the Three Sisters Aboriginal Place and Wentworth Falls waterfall.
The Grand Cliff Top Walk links existing tracks to form a continuous route from Darwins Walk at Wilson Park to Scenic World in Katoomba, while still allowing people to join the walk from different locations to make it as short or long as they choose. It is a moderate walk suitable for most ages and fitness levels.
The Walk is designed to take two days, with an overnight stop in one of a variety of accommodation options in the mountain villages of Leura, Wentworth Falls or Katoomba. It offers the opportunity to experience a multi-day adventure without the need for camping equipment or heavy backpacks.
The NSW ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) spent four years creating the Grand Cliff Top Walk and has opened each section to the public upon completion, but it is now available as one continuous walk.
The $10 million project is funded by the NSW Government and delivered by NPWS and partner Blue Mountains City Council.
Blue Mountains ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Park is the most popular national park in NSW with more than 6.4 million visits annually. Visitors to parks in the region contribute more than $367 million to the Blue Mountains economy each year and help generate more than 685 jobs for the region.
Visitation along the Grand Cliff Top Walk is anticipated to increase by 50,000 per year.
Minister for Climate Change and the Environment Penny Sharpe said: “The Grand Cliff Top Walk provides visitors with a new, adventurous opportunity to connect with nature while exploring this track through the Blue Mountains ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Park.
“The Walk will boost the economic value of nature-based-tourism in the region by attracting more domestic and international visitors and more overnight stays.
“I thank and congratulate the NSW ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Parks and Wildlife Service team, and their partners, for creating this incredible experience that will provide access to this World Heritage listed area for generations to come.”
Blue Mountains MP Trish Doyle said: “We’re fortunate to have this magnificent new walk in our Blue Mountains backyard.
“Locals such as visionary Norm Harris know the work that has gone into making this a world class attraction and I congratulate NPWS and Blue Mountains City Council teams for their work.
“We urge visitors and walkers who experience the Grand Cliff Top Walk, on a guided tour or self-guided walk, to explore our villages along the way with their unique art deco buildings, colourful boutique cafès, restaurants and shops.”
Blue Mountains Mayor Councillor Mark Greenhill said: “Blue Mountains City Council has invested significantly in key locations along the Grand Cliff Top Walk, including Darwins Walk which was devastated by natural disaster and flooding in 2020 and 2021.
“Tourism and recreation areas along the southern escarpment attract significant visitation, but they are also much-loved by the local community as they provide spectacular views of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.
“Council has worked closely with the NSW ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Parks and Wildlife Service to renew and connect existing walking tracks and complete missing links between Wentworth Falls and Katoomba.
“The Grand Cliff Top Walk will provide a more immersive experience and encourage visitors to stay overnight, which in turn will benefit our local economy and create employment.”
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Pictured: Gundungurra woman Kelsie King, Gundungurra Elder David King, Deputy Secretary NPWS Atticus Fleming, Mayor Mark Greenhill, Member for Blue Mountains Trish Doyle, NPWS Blue Mountains Branch Director David Crust and Minister for Environment Penny Sharpe MLC open the Grand Cliff Top Walk.
