This walk starts from Carrington Park and winds down into the valley below, to Leura Forest. Leura Forest was a pleasure ground in years gone by, and now boasts a nice little picnic area with a shelter, picnic tables and seats. This is a great spot for lunch. Take some time to explore the forest before climbing back up the valley the way you came.
Please note: This is a 'return' style walk and therefore these graphs only show the terrain for the first half of the walk (until the turn around point.)
Cross sectional view of the Carrington Park to Leura Forest return bushwalking track
Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Carrington Park to Leura Forest return bushwalking track
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Catch the bus to Carrington Park
You can phone 131500 (the transport info line) for up to date running times. Use these links to plan your Bus (and train) trip to the end of this walk.
Carrington Park is a medium-sized park on a traffic island, at the junction of Cliff Road and Merriwa St, Katoomba. The park is partially fenced and has a picnic shelter, picnic tables, garbage bins and children's play equipment.
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Carrington Park
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Int of Prince Henry Cliff Walk and Carrington Park Track Walk: Easy - bushtrack
Length = 29 m
Time = 1 mins
Climb = 0 m
Descent = -10 m
From Carrington Park, the walk crosses Cliff Drive and goes down the stairs and past the sign for 'Blue Mountains National Park'. The walk continues down the stairs until reaching an intersection signposted with the way to 'Echo Point' or 'Leura Cascades'.
(0.03 km)
Int of Prince Henry Cliff Walk and Carrington Park Track
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Int of Prince Henry Cliff Walk and Leura Forest Track Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 147 m
Time = 3 mins
Climb = 2 m
Descent = -12 m
From the intersection, this walk follows the 'Leura Cascades 1km' sign down the wooden steps and along the bush track, winding through the forest until coming to the signposted intersection of the 'Leura Forest' Track.
(0.18 km)
Int of Prince Henry Cliff Walk and Leura Forest Track
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Int of Federal Pass and Jamieson Lookout Tracks Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 41 m
Time = 1 mins
Climb = 0 m
Descent = -1 m
From the intersection, this walk follows the 'Leura Forest' sign along the bush track, winding down the hill for a short while before dropping down a set of wooden steps, to the signposted intersection with the 'Jamieson Lookout' track.
(0.22 km)
Int of Federal Pass and Jamieson Lookout Tracks
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Jamieson Lookout Optional sidetrip: Walk: Easy - bushtrack
Length = 19 m
Time = 1 mins
Climb = 0 m
Descent = -6 m
From the intersection, this walk follows the 'Jamieson Lookout' sign along the short bush track to the rock shelf at the Jamieson Lookout.
Jamieson Lookout
Alt = 922 m
Jamieson Lookout is a fenced lookout at the east end of the Federal Pass track, and just off Prince Henry Cliff Walk. The lookout has a bench seat and provides great views up the Jamison Valley, along Kings Tableland escarpment and past Mount Solitary. The lookout is perched up on a large rock buttress, giving views unobscured by trees.
(0.22 km)
Int of Federal Pass and Jamieson Lookout Tracks
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Fern Bower Track: Hard - bushtrack
Length = 93 m
Time = 3 mins
Climb = 0 m
Descent = -36 m
From the intersection, this walk follows the dirt path, heading down the long set of wooden and rocky steps. The walk winds down past a picnic chair under a cliff overhang, and continues down the steps into the valley and through the forest to the Fern Bower information sign.
Fern Bower
Alt = 892 m
Fern Bower is an especially pleasant part of the Blue Mountains National Park, protected from heat and providing a great environment for fern trees, bracken ferns and moss to thrive. Fern Bower is a signposted area along the Federal Pass walking track, just below Jamieson Lookout and next to Linda Creek. This is a nice place to stop, rest and enjoy the bird noises.
(0.31 km)
Fern Bower
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Int of Federal Pass and the Amphitheatre track Track: Hard - bushtrack
Length = 320 m
Time = 13 mins
Climb = 10 m
Descent = -150 m
From the information sign, the walk follows the track down the steps, passing a 'Rich History' information sign before coming down to the signposted intersection with the Amphitheatre track, at the top of a metal staircase.
(0.63 km)
Int of Federal Pass and the Amphitheatre track
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Lila falls crossing Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 23 m
Time = 1 mins
Climb = 0 m
Descent = -18 m
From the intersection, this walk follows the 'Federal Pass Leura Forest' sign down the long metal staircase, to cross the bridge over Linda Creek in front of Lila Falls.
Lila Falls
Alt = 736 m
Lila Falls is a thin waterfall on Linda Creek. The Federal Pass crosses the creek (on a bridge) in front of these falls, just below the intersection with the amphitheatre. The waterfall is not the most spectacular one in this valley, but it is a nice cool spot to catch your breath.
(0.65 km)
Lila Falls crossing
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Marguerite Cascades Track: Hard - bushtrack
Length = 175 m
Time = 11 mins
Climb = 37 m
Descent = -90 m
From the Lila Falls, this walk follows the track heading down the hill, winding down a wooden walkway keeping the creek to the left. The track hugs the rock wall and passes under a shallow overhang. The walk continues down a staircase, then turns back down into the gully where it come to the taller and slender Linda Falls.
After passing Linda Falls the walk follows the wooden steps down through the gulley, crossing the creek again before heading down to the Marguerite Cascades.
Marguerite Cascades
Alt = 684 m
Marguerite Cascades are a series of small cascades finishing with a taller waterfall of a few metres height, dropping into a shallow sandy pool. The cascades are on Linda Creek and a small bridge crosses the creek at the base of the falls as part of the Federal Pass walking track. The cascades are a nice place to sit and listen to the water running and the local birds in this cool shady area.
(0.83 km)
Marguerite Cascades
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Leura Forest Track: Moderate - bushtrack
Length = 321 m
Time = 11 mins
Climb = 50 m
Descent = -14 m
From the Cascades, this walk follows the wooden steps heading down the hill, winding steeply for a short while before turning right and crossing the creek. The walk then continues along the bush track that winds along the valley floor, to the signposted 'Leura Forest'. From here, the walk continues along the wide bush track, passing a few picnic tables, and winding through the forest to an open area with a large gazebo and an information sign at the intersection of the Federal Pass and the Dardenelles tracks.
Leura Forest
Alt = 721 m
Leura Forest is a great picnic area in the Jamison Valley at the junction of the Federal Pass and Dardenelles Tracks. This place was home to a popular tea house (also known as 'Lady Carrington Dining Hall') from the late 1800's. Today walkers can still enjoy the historic rotunda and the foundations of the original tea house. The picnic area provides a great rest spot under the shade of the lilli pilli and coachwood forest.
Catch the bus from Carrington Park
You can phone 131500 (the transport info line) for up to date running times. Use these links to plan your Bus (and train) trip from the end of this walk.
Fire Danger This walk passes Greater Sydney Region fire area which currently has a LOW-MODERATE rating and No Ban in place. (Checked 54 minutes ago) Please Note: Each park may have its own fire ban status, this rating is based on information from the RFS and BOM.
Attracting over 3 million visitors annually, Blue Mountains National Park holds some of Australia's most spectacular and diverse wilderness areas. Explore the Grose Valley, with its sheer sandstone cliffs, waterfalls and scenic walking, or enjoy the famous views of the Three Sisters. Easy access makes a day trips very worthwhile, but with such diversity it would be great to stay in one of the many B&B's and spend a few days soaking up the region.
Current Park Closure information for Blue Mountains National Park Closure information last checked Tuesday 16th of March 2010 06:00 AM
Closed areas
Breakfast Point Lookout
Breakfast Point Lookout at Wentworth Falls is CLOSED until further notice.
Grand Canyon Track
Due to track restoration works the Grand Canyon track is completely CLOSED whilst major resoration works take place.
From January 11th until further notice:
There is no access for canyoners (7 days)
There is no access for walkers (7 days) from either end of the track.
There is no access to the Grose Valley from Evans Lookout via Grand Canyon
Current works will be completed by end of June 2010.
Other closure information
Burralow Picnic and Camping Area has RE-OPENED. Access is 4WD only, please take care using this trail.
The Giant Stairway and Dardanelles Pass (between Leura Forest and Federal Pass/Dardanelles Junction) will be CLOSED for trackwork for approximately two hours on Monday 15 March 2010. An exact time for the closure cannot be given at this stage, but please expect the delay from approximately 9am.
The Braeside Fire Trail at Blackheath, is CLOSED for a pest management program, until approximately Friday 19 March. There is no access for vehicles, walkers or bike riders.When the pest management program has been completed the fire trail access will be restricted to 4WD until we can upgrade the causeway, due to flood damage.
The Braeside walking track is OPEN - access is from the Cliff Top Track only – return by same route.
Due to storm damage and flooding areas of the park are CLOSED. Visitors are advised not to enter canyons or attempt to cross flooded creeks and rivers. The following areas are CLOSED until further notice:
Mt Hay Road
Undercliff track from Den Fenella to Princes Rock
Darwins Walk
For updates and further information please contact the NPWS Heritage Centre at Blackheath, ph:4787 8877, open 7 days 9:00am to 4:30pm