We started at the Wentworth
Falls Lookout. Here is Mt Solitary in the distance.
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Sheer cliffs line the valley.
We descend down these soon to get to the lower walking level.
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Again looking around the vast
view from the lookout
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Looking down at the lower
Wentworth Falls.
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3 photos (above) were used to make this widescreen
photograph. |
This is a map at the lookout.
We start at the 'You are here' sign and head left then down to
the National Pass walking track (Red), go all the way to the
right and walk up along side Empress Falls and up to the
Conservation Cafe and then back via the 'Shortcut' track to our
car at the Wentworth car park. If you have time the
Undercliff walk is a longer but more scenic way back.
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Past the falls one starts the
steep journey down the stairs. This is at the start in a rather
sheltered area.
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Moving further down we get to
the open steep area of the walk
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Looking back across at the
Wentworth Falls.
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A number of plaques are adjacent
to the track and give information on the tracks history.
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Added stairs and natural rock
stairs. The flats are good spots to rest if you're walking
up.
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The Wentworth area cliff face.
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This photo shows the cliff face
that the you descend down to the lower level (taken the day
before)
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A closer look.
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Another across the cliff face
view showing the interesting nature of the track in this area.
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If you look closely you can see
people on the Undercliff Walk, the National Pass is another 100
m down below them.
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Barriers are used to stop you
falling - over the vertical cliff face.
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Rough rock steps
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Going down rather quickly
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But the views are great.
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Another stunning panorama
taken half way down the staircase. |
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As you can see the stairs are
steep.
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Down the bottom - Keep on this
level Don't turn off and go down Slack's Stairs.
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We pass by Wentworth Falls again
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Just one of the many stages the
creek goes over
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on the way to the canyon floor.
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Hand
carved Sandstone spans the Wentworth
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Initially the walk heads out
into a wet cliff face.
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with steep drop-offs.
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A low spot - watch your head.
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There are many wonderful plants
on the walk - This is one of my favourite Sundew's - Drosera
binata.
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Looking back at the Wentworth
falls.
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Looking up - barren cliff face -
straight up for a 100 + m
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Drosera again.
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Epiphyte orchid leaves.
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Another waterfall - this one you
walk under/through.
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Again more vertical cliff faces.
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Even in high Summer - wet spots
along the way.
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Mt Solitary again - always out
there on this walk.
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Stepping stones in the really
wet sections of the path.
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Nice to know we have made it
half way.
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The habitat along the path gets
drier from here to near the ascent point.
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More vertical cliffs.
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Amazing stuff!
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A skink found along the way
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Yes another waterfall - quite
cooling
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The habitat gets wet again.
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A beautiful part of the walk
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I was surprised we had to go
down -
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But in doing so it open up some
great views.
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Yes we are here - Seems everyone
points to that an have rubbed out the detail.
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An orchid in flower - Rimacola
eliptica
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The turning point - up we go
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Spectacular views all the way
up!
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Rough steps
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Rounding a bend and about to
'jump' through the break in the rocks I saw a Water Dragon.
Safety shot
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A close up
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Then a bunch of excited tourists
who don't care about noise and Dragons
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Make the lizard scurry to safety
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To our surprise we saw a guy in
a wet suit standing in the water.
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It was an abseiling group
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Some went slowly - some looked
good
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Some had trouble
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But all got down safely.
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We were reminded later that 2 of our kids
had done this abseiling tour - and had a ball
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Up, up again
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We went out to a small
lookout
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Just as we were moving on out
popped an abseiler.
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It looks much higher than when
we were at the bottom.
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The final panorama - taken from the lookout. |
Last shot before we
'walked' up to the Conservation Cafe and back to the car via
the Short Cut track. This took another 25 minutes
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On the Short Cut
Track we did find a few common but still loveable orchids.
Left: Cryptostylis subulata -
Large Tongue orchid Centre: Caleana - major Flying Duck orchid
and Right: Dipodium variegatum - Common Hyacinth orchid
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