Location: Start
at Woodbury Street, Woodford
Duration: 1.5
hours
Grade: Easy
Features: waterfalls,
lookout,
Trip Notes:
The smell of eucalyptus called us into the bush as we
entered the track of this unusually named Woodford walk. The golden wattle
shone in the sunlight and the long white arms of the scribbly gums waved and welcomed
us as we walked along the sandy track, a lonely path, but one not forgotten – a
notice board heralding its start and a few informative signs along the way.
As we made our way down the hillside we soon came to the
first of three pretty little waterfalls. A short 5 minute detour took us to Mabel
Falls and a lovely pathway of old stone slabs across a marshy section of the
track led us to its base. Maybe these were some of the sandstone blocks that
once lined this old swimming hole. The pool’s edge is no longer outlined by the
blocks but the shimmering clear green water still beckons.
We started this walk at Woodbury Street in Woodford. The
signs tell us that part of the land that this track passes through was donated
in 2005 by the Johnson family to NSW National Parks, while the track also traverses
over land owned by Sydney Water. The astronomical wonder, the Transit of Venus,
was viewed in 1874 from a telescope stationed at Woodford and this walk was named after
it by the Blue Mountains Conservation Society. They also donated a footbridge
which provides the way across a bubbling stream where a sea of golden wattles
rise and surround the creek bed.
We soon cross a fire trail and start the loop walk to the
other two waterfalls. We can already hear Edith Falls and catch the view of the
top of the falls from a lookout (formed by a safety fence). The old stone
barbecue here is a reminder of bygone days and this is a good spot to stop and
enjoy the peacefulness of this bushland. A detour to the right at the end of
the lookout gives us a short but steep descent to the base of Edith Falls where
we are rewarded by glass like pools that reflect the orange and green colours
above as the water tumbles over the red-brown rocks.
Further down the main
track is Hazel Falls, different from the other two since we can walk behind it
and watch the water dripping veil-like in front of us. Part of the track
between Edith and Hazel Falls is covered by a boardwalk to protect a small
hanging swamp and a big sandy overhang provides an interesting place to rest
before completing the Edith-Hazel Falls loop. We now head back to the car, past
flowering grevilleas and gnarled banksias, back through the avenue of golden
wattles to complete this 1.5 hour walk.
DH
This article has been published in the October 2010 edition of The Mountains Blueberry.
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