Cliffs and Coal Mines

60^thAUS Trip Blog 3

Blue Mountains Redux

Today was another wonderful day in the Blue Mountains. After a bracing bowl of steaming porridge, prepared by Dianne, we headed off to Peter’s little mountain church – Holy Trinity of Wentworth Falls. We found that they were serving a pancake breakfast, so to be obliging I sat down to a second meal of pancakes, strawberries and the wonderful thick whipped cream that Aussies like to serve up for such things. Bishop Glenn seemed to know half the congregation, and Dianne knew the rest. I basked in the glow of being the houseguest of a celebrity.

Following a surprisingly (for me) informal service given it was an Anglican church, we were all feeling a bit peckish, as it had been at least an hour since our last meal. Peter took us to one of his favorite haunts –The Blue Mist. I am on kick of trying to eat things that I only eat when in Australia, so I ordered the steak and kidney pie. I was disappointed. It was dried out and the kidneys had stones (joking about the last bit.)

After lunch we said adieu to Glenn and Dianne, who were heading back to Sydney.

Peter suggested that we work off our several meals by taking a stroll down the Golden Stairs and up the Katoomba Scenic railway. That sounded relaxing to me. Right.

The Jamison Valley, Katoomba NSW

We started on top of a steep sandstone cliff named Cyclorama Point. It hangs directly above the great landslide of 1930, an historic event which would have more meaning for me about two hours later when we found our path blocked by it. Our hike commenced tamely enough on a dirt road running along a ridge called Narrow Neck. Great views of sandstone cliffs and thick bush on every side. After about a mile we found the Golden Stairs – what false advertising! I had pictured a commodious and gently sloping set of stairs winding serenely through the bush. Well the truth is that it is a very steep path of dubious footing underneath. We clambered over tree limbs, slid down rocks, jumped from stone to stone and found the occasional stair that had been installed sometime over a century ago. Even more amazing to me is that the stairs descended dizzyingly for over a mile into the valley below.

Golden Stairs. Hikers Beware!

If you are wondering why the “stairs “, I should mention that this was a thriving coal mining region from the 1880s until the 1940s. Problem was that it was inaccessible by road, due to the fact that The Jamison Valley is a very deep bowl surrounded by vertical cliffs of sandstone. To access the coal seam, the miners had to climb down the cliffs, and tunnel in from the bowl side. We were following the miners’ daily work route – the Golden Stairs! Eventually they built a tram from the top to get the miners down and the coal up, so the stairs were abandoned by everyone except me and Peter. That tram (now called the Scenic Railway) hauls tourists at $11 a ride down to the old mines.

 

Cliffs above the Landslide of 1930

In other words, Peter conned me into a five mile hike when there was a five minute tram ride that would have accomplished the same thing!

 

Encountering the Rock Fall of 1930

Once down the stairs we passed a tunnel – still barely passable-which had supplanted the Golden Stairs by allowing miners to walk under Narrow Neck to work. The going got easier here as we were on an old railway bed. This railway had been powered by pit ponies. The easy bit lasted about half a mile and then we encountered the results of the great landslide of 1930. This was a section of the 500 foot cliff above which had fallen into the valley and was now a 100 foot high pile of rubble which we needed to climb over. Good thing we had brought some water with us, for this was hot work.

 Boulders below the Landfall of 1930

Once aver the rubble, it was a short walk to the entrances to the old mine. My family should note that there were heaps of HISTORICAL MARKERS and other artifacts to capture my attention. I now know everything there is to know about mining in Katoomba’s Jamison valley. Just ask me.

 Robbo in front of Historical Markers at Katoomba Mine

The ride up the Scenic Railway was breathtaking. NOTE: this is NOT a ride which would be legal in America. With no seatbelts you race up (or down) in an open sided car at a 52% grade. That’s a 45 degree angle plus 7. You must hang onto the bar in front of you or you will perform a front somersault. A helpful sign in the car advises you not to put children on your lap.

 After our rather strenuous bushwalk, it was my turn to set the agenda. I requested that we head into nearby Blackheath to the pub for a schooner of VB. And then to the Fish n Chips shop. 

Much needed comfort foods.