The Upper Blue Mountains Bushwalking Club Inc.,Greater Blue Mountains National Park – Blue Mountains

National Park- Castle Head Narrow Neck, Katoomba - Monday 15th June 2020- Track Notes

The view from Castle Head to Mount Solitary with Ruined Castle left of centre, Brian Fox at the very end of the spur below Castle Head. The gorge of Cedar Creek on the right hand side. Photo: Yuri Bolotin.

Title Castle Head and surrounding area, Narrow Neck, KatoombaDate Monday 15 June 2020Leader Brian FoxCo Leader John FoxMaps etc NSW Department of Lands topographic Map, 1:25000, Katoomba 8930-

1S and Jamison 8930-2N, third edition, GPS setting WGS 84.Walk description and route

From the locked gate on Narrow Neck walk towards Castle Head and also further along Narrow Neck checking a very old view point known in the 1930’s. Mostly on track, but a section will be off track. NPWS have approved this walk.

Rating and Membership

3MX

Gear issues First aid kit, 2 litres of water, electrolytes, GPS PLB, Appropriate head,

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and footwear Numbers Max 10, Meeting point Locked gate on Glenraphael Drive 0830.Transport Club Cars Close of Bookings

Contact leader

Enquiries Brian Fox brianandelaine@aapt.net.au

The Party

Brian Fox, leader, John Fox, co-leader, Kelvin Knox, Heni van der Hechti, Harold Thompson, Jen Buick, Michael Keats, John Anderson, John Cooper, Berenice Torstennson and Yuri Bolotin, 10.

The Weather

A brilliant day with an arrival temperature of 4 degrees C and a 25kmp wind making it feel more like zero. Out of the wind walking was delightful. About 1000 the wind dropped to a few puffs now and then.

Brian Fox photographing Pitts Amphitheatre Photo: Yuri Bolotin

Background Notes

Castle Head is a point of cliff bound land on the eastern side of Narrow Neck Plateau, overlooking the Ruined Castle, Katoomba. A descriptive name as this point looks directly down onto the Ruined Castle. Castle Cliff Trig Station at a height of 986m is located on this

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point. Walking access is from the locked gate, Glenraphael Drive, Narrow Neck, and it is about 2km in a south easterly direction. The Katoomba Daily, 2 February 1923, p. 2 records, "Take the wonderful walk to Castle Rock." Dunphy, Myles. Map of Clear Head Peninsula, May 1928 records, "The old trail to Ruined Castle via ladders down cliff," but no evidence found in 2016 to suggest this was correct. Esgate, Ben. Hand drawn map, August 1942 records, “Castle Point.” J 487 615.

Plot of the walk, recorded Brian Fox and prepared by Yuri Bolotin

Ruined Castle refers to a complex rocky pinnacle on Ruined Castle Ridge between Castle Head and Cedar Gap and is clearly viewed from Katoomba. Walking access is via the Golden Stairs at Narrow Neck or via the Federal Pass, Katoomba. Ref: Sydney Morning Herald, 15 April 1880, p. 6 records, “a

rocky pile, resembling the ruined keep of some gigantic castle." Russell, J. The Pictorial Guide to the Blue Mountains, Map of Katoomba, 1882 records, “Ruined Castle.” The Blue Mountain Echo, 31 October 1913, "two small heaps of stones show the way to The Golden Stairs, the miner's old track to the shale mine and Ruined Castle." J 494 608.

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Brian Fox and Michael Keats near Castle Cliff Trig. Photo: Harold Thompson.

View from the cliff line looking north. The hillock on Narrow Neck is Kure Trig. Photo: Yuri Bolotin

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Narrow Neck eastern cliff line above Kedumba River. Kings Tableland is on the horizon. Photo: Yuri Bolotin

Brian Fox below Castle Cliff Trig. Photo: John Anderson

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Narrow Neck promontory unnamed 247792E; 6262016N views to Castle Head. Ruined Castle is in the centre of the picture while Mount Solitary dominates the skyline. An old worn track, thoroughly overgrown leads to this promontory. Macqueen, Andy. A Century on Track, p. 28 Andy’s Mum and Dad visited and took a photo from this point in 1936. At the time there most likely was a clear track. Image Brian Fox collection. Below The same location in June 2020

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JF

Mount Solitary and Ruined Castle from the cliff line north eats of Castle Head. Photo: Yuri Bolotin

Ruined Castle Ridge is a narrow ridge from Narrow Neck Plateau to Cedar Gap. Castle Head is its highest point at 986m. This ridge separates Jamison Valley on the eastern side from Cedar Valley on the western side. Named after the main feature on this ridge, which is the Ruined Castle. Ref: Jamison topographic map 1st edition, 1963. J 481 622 to 499 605.

Ruined Castle Settlement was located near the mine site, on the northern side and below the Ruined Castle, Katoomba. This village was established to house workers for the local kerosene shale mine and associated works. Evidence of the settlement and the mines is still visible. The settlement, 1888-1903, was predominantly made up of quarters for single men. Ref: Nepean Times, 6 October 1888, p. 4 records, “The aerial tramway (Bleichert Ropeway to the shale mines near the Ruined Castle is rapidly approaching completion.” The Katoomba Times, 25 May 1889, p. 2 records, “Mr. (Henry) Parker has completed the horse track known as ‘Parkers Track,’ This track should also have a separate entry) leading from Narrow Neck to the shale mine (Ruined Castle).” The Mountaineer, 17 Feb 1899. p. 2 records, “Ruined Castle with the miners’ cottages.” J 492 613.

Narrow Neck is part of the Blue Mountains escarpment that extends generally south from Narrow Neck Lookout, Cliff Drive, Katoomba to Medlow Gap. This narrow, sinuous cliff lined plateau divides Megalong, Jamison and Cedar Valleys. A descriptive name for this land area, which has two constrictions in its width, often referred to as First and Second Narrow

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Necks. The fire trail along Narrow Neck is called Glenraphael Drive. The plateau width varies from 60m to 2km, and it is about 12km in length. There are 10 recognised passes off Narrow Neck, discovered and used by early prospectors and miners and later by bushwalkers. The First Narrow Neck was referred to as the Causeway in 1937. Ref: The Sydney Morning Herald, 9 February 1884, p. 14. Survey Plan No. C1373.1507, dated September 1885. Other names include Megalong Ridge, The Narrow Neck and The Neck of Land. K 491 648 to J 471 556. See also Keats, Michael and Fox, Brian Kenneth, The Passes of Narrow Neck,

2008.

Narrow Neck Peninsula refers to the flat expanse of land on top of Narrow Neck, Katoomba. In 1922, Myles Dunphy thought the word peninsula was more fitting than plateau. Name approved in 1931 for the Blue Mountains Tourist Map, 1932. The Geographical Names Board changed the word back to plateau in 1969. K 491 648 to J 471 556.

Resin balls, Xanthorrhoea at Macqueens Lookout. Photo: Harold Thompson.

Narrow Neck Plateau is the flat expanse of land on the top of Narrow Neck, Katoomba. A descriptive term to this feature. Narrow Neck extends for about 12km in a north - south direction. The walking tracks along the plateau date from the 1880s. The fire trail along Narrow Neck, constructed in 1961, is known as Glenraphael Drive. Ref: Australian Survey Corps topographic map of Katoomba, 1935. The NSW Geographical Names Board assigned this name, 25 July 1969. Previous names include Megalong Ridge and Narrow Neck Peninsula. K 491 648 to J 471 556. HT

North east cliff line Aboriginal grooves site, Narrow Neck. Photo: Harold Thompson

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Images above. Ironstone banding at Macqueen Lookout. Photo: Yuri Bolotin

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Aboriginal grinding grooves, cliff line north east side of Narrow Neck. Photo: Yuri Bolotin

Michael Keats examines an Aboriginal Grinding groove site, cliff edge, Narrow Neck. Photo: Yuri Bolotin

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Grinding grooves, cliff edge Narrow Neck. Photo: Kelvin Knox.

Harold Thompson examines a grinding groove and water well., cliff edge, Narrow Neck. Photo: John Anderson

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Graffiti at Castle Cliff Trig. “Hobbs, The Royal, Katoomba, 1/ 1/02” as it appears, 118 years later. Photo: Brian Fox.

\The Royal Palace Hotel, Katoomba in its glory days. Image thanks to Brian Fox.

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Track Notes

It was cold, very cold. It took some persuasion to winkle people out of their warm mobile cocoons to discuss the walk. A spot below the crest of the road and out of the westerly wind and amongst charred trees, that was where the briefing took place, GR 481 634.

The second last trig. Photo: Brian Fox.

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Inspired by Brian, five minutes later, 0835, we set off at a brisk pace along the Narrow Neck Fire Tower access road, an extension of Glenraphael Drive. At 0847, we stopped at the track head signage which reads ‘Castle Head, 2km,2 hours return’, 0847, GR 480 625.

Here leader Brian brought out a copy of an old photograph taken by Andy Macqueen’s father in 1936. Part of our walk today was to find the location where the photograph was taken. In taking on this challenge we had to remember that in 1936 there was no road along Narrow Neck. There was a meandering walking track which in many places is a long way from where the current road is located.

John A holds sone of the vanes from the third last trig. Photo: Brian Fox.

The track we took looked and felt old, but it is unlikely that it was the path followed by Andy’s parents in 1936. The track was formerly a road.

The track climbs gently to GR 482 673, 0902, where the Jamison

Valley suddenly bursts into view. Wow! From this point 200m vertically above the talus slope cliff junction the view is unimpeded all the way to Kings Tableland some 10km to the east. The lack of any cliff edge vegetation, the clarity of the air gave an almost helicopter view of the entire Jamison - Kedumba valley system. Mount Solitary to the south and the Three Sister- Sublime Point complex to the north complete the frame of the scene. It was special.

Moving south east a short distance to GR 483 623, 0904, there is a small rock platform and just the first glimpse of Cedar Gap and Ruined Castle. Pushing along through fire ravaged terrain we arrived at Castle Cliff Trig, GR 487 616, 0935. While all trigs have a great view almost by definition, Castle Cliff Trig has an exceptional panorama. Looking south east the watershed formed by Castle Head, Ruined Castle and Mount Solitary is one of the great views of the Greater Blue Mountains National Park. As well as the Jamison – Kedumba Valley already described, the view from this point includes Cedar Creek and part of Lake Burragorang, the body of water impounded by Warragamba dam.

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Looking around locally there are the remains of two former trigs, the most recent still attached to its wooden post (how did it survive the fire?), and lying on the ground, and separately the two rusted vanes of the trig installed even earlier.

From the trig site it is a short but interesting walk to the end of the Castle Head ridge before it drops spectacularly to Ruined Castle and Cedar Gap. Normally this track would be flanked by head high dense growth obscuring the view until you arrived. The 2019 fires were so intense that even now some 6 months later many plants show no sign of regeneration.

Brian and Michael at a rock platform before the Castle Cliff Trig. Photo: Yuri Bolotin

We took morning tea here and used the time to scan the cliff line to the south west searching for the possible site of the Macqueen photo of 1936. The was no shortage of contenders. At least half a dozen points looked possible.

Sitting down was also time to examine the graffiti. A significant find was, “Hobbs, The Royal, Katoomba, 1/ 1/02”. This was done 118 years ago. At home, Brian did some research. Hobbs was the proprietor of the Royal Palace Hotel, Katoomba. Speculating about this old graffiti, it is more than likely that Hobbs would have been involved in constructing the road to this spectacular location. He could offer his adventurous guests a wonderful days outing.

In conjunction with these thoughts are the issues of the surveyed coal mining leases, John Britty North the father of Katoomba, and more. There is an opportunity to do more research and piece the story together. It is possible that the road to Castle Head was built c. 1890s

It was hard to leave this location but at 1005 we began retracing our steps to GR 482 623. Here, partially obscured by fallen timber we picked up the faint, old wheeled vehicle track that follows a contour generally south west. In places both wheel tracks are easily seen, in

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others it disappears completely. The fire has made such a clearance of the understory that there was no problem about how to follow the track. It was at this point that we marvelled at the determination of Macqueen’s parents to forge a way through the usually dense bush to the cliff edge and find a viewing point.

At 1047, GR 481 622, there is a track junction. It is shown on both the second and third editions of the Jamison Map, so the track network must have been well used.

We kept going, taking the track that kept following the cliff edge. At GR 479 621, 1053, a very rough track descends steeply to the south. This we believe is the track to Macqueen Lookout which we recorded as GR 479 620, 1102. Andy Macqueen gives the GRs as 247792E; 6262016N. It is my contention that the point where the 1936 photo was taken is a bit further east, that is lower down the cliff face. No matter it is a great spot.

We spent 20 minutes here photographing the views a as well as some of the most wonderful examples of complex ironstone banding that I have seen anywhere. One piece looks like the best pork roast crackling.

The view point is also home to several magnificent examples of Xanthorrhoea. The oldest plant featured a good collection of resin exudate, otherwise known as resin balls. This resin shafts and secure bindings on axe heads to hafts. It readily melts and is known to have been used by Aboriginal people to secure spear points to

Leaving the site, we made our way generally west to the current road, GR 478 622, 1134 and started the return journey, happy with our discoveries. 1145 we stopped at “Liams Cave, GR 480 627 (named after prominent graffiti within it). This is an Aboriginal habitation site. On a previous visit we recorded flake tools here

Walking along the road we stopped at GR 480 628, 1149. I said to Brian, “We have never been up here, it is early, let’s explore.” And so we did. We were in for a surprise - a wonderful surprise. Four minutes later, we stood on the edge of a 200m vertical drop with stunning views of the Pitts Amphitheatre complex and more, GR 481 628, 1109. We shed packs and went exploring. The cliff edge is a stupendous location and, even better it features water wells and a significant grouping of grinding grooves, GR 481 628. Kel, who had gone on back to the car, was recalled to share our special finds. It was amazing. The site is less than 50m from the road; we have walked past this location perhaps 100 times each. If it were not for the fire removing all the vegetation, we would not have come up here. We spent the next 45 minutes here, exploring, recording, and having a quick lunch

Our walk had now reached a new level of satisfaction. Thinking about the area from an Aboriginal life style point of view it had everything. Diamond Creek is just 100m away, a great source of food, Liams Cave is shelter if it was needed is nearby while the cliff edge provided a tool workshop and a viewing spot to check on the neighbours. The walk finished at 1250. Total distance walked 6.3km, total ascents 250m,

Michael KeatsBush Explorers17th June 2020UBMBWC Castle Head 150620 track notes NN Project

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