The Bush Club Inc. - Upper Blue Mountains Bushwalking Club -The Greater Blue Mountains National Park-

Blue Mountains National Park-Bald Head and Bennett Lookout– Monday 11th March 2019- Track Notes

Short title Bald HeadDate Monday 11th March 2019Leader Brian FoxMaps, etc. Department of Lands topographic map, 1:25000, Mount Wilson, 893) -1N,

Third edition. GPS setting WGS 84.Walk description and route

From Hat Hill carpark (opposite Hat Hill) Hat Hill Road, Blackheath climb Hat Hill and then follow the Bald Hill Ridge to Bennett Lookout then thread our way to Bald Head. Return directly via Bald Head Ridge. About 6km

Rating 4, Gear issues First aid kit, 2 litres of water. GPS, PLB, appropriate head and footwear,

electrolytes, maps, compass, have clothes to change into in the car for afterwards.

Numbers Maximum 10 Meeting point Pymble 0600, Blackheath for coffee 0800, Hat Hill Car park 0830Transport Member cars.Comments This walk was last done by Brian Fox and Michael Keats 27th March 2006. If

you have a copy of The Upper Grose Valley- Bushwalkers Business, it is walk 25 on page 252.

Close of Bookings

ASAP

Enquiries Brian Fox, brianandelaine@aapt,net.au 041 067 081 63322590 or Michael Keats mjmkeats@easy.com.au 9144 2096

The Party

Brian Fox, leader, Michael Keats, John Cooper, David Dash, Berenice Torstensson, Harold Thompson, Linda Eggington, Kaye Birch, Warwick Pearse, Keith Maxwell and Rob Powell, 11.

The Weather

A bright sunny day with light breezes from time to time. Some small scattered clouds. Temperature range 16 to 23 degrees C.

Local Place Names

Hat Hill is a rocky hill about 6.5km north east of Blackheath. It is the highest point on the Blackheath Plateau. The name is attributed to the large isolated tor of sandstone on the summit, vaguely resembling a hat. From the top, there are extensive views over Govett Gorge and the Grose Valley. On top of Hat Hill is Hat Hill Trig Station, elevation 1035.17m above sea level. Ref: William Govett's Plan of the Western Road, November 1831. MW 518 782.

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Hat Hill Creek is a perennial creek rising on the Blue Mountains Range near The Campbell Rhododendron Gardens, Bacchante Street, Blackheath. It flows for 7.5km generally north east and north over Hat Hill Falls into the Grose River. Named after Hat Hill. This creek is one of the major tributaries of the Grose River from the Blackheath area. Ref: Australian Survey Corps topographic map 1:63360, 1935. K 482 759 to MW 516 815.

Bald Head is a bluff at the northern end of Bald Head Ridge, approximately 2.4km north of Hat Hill, Blackheath. Named due to this high treeless headland having windswept heath vegetation with reduced and stunted growth. From the bluff, there is an extensive view over the Grose Gorge. Previously called Mount Haystack. Ref: Oral history, Lewis Hodgkinson October 1998. Dunphy, Myles. Central Blue Mountains Map, 1965. Also called Bald Hill. MW 515 804.

View north along Bald Hill Ridge from Hen and Chicken Rock. Photo: Brian Fox.

Bald Head Ridge is an extension of Hat Hill trending 2.4km generally north to Bald Head, Blackheath. Named after Bald Head, the northern termination of this ridge. Named by Myles Joseph Dunphy (1891-1985). This ridge includes Hat Hill Trig Station and Hen and Chicken Rock. Ref: Dunphy, Myles. Central Blue Mountains Map, 1965. MW 514 782 to 521 801.

Mount Krubi refers to Rock Hill, a small rise north of Hat Hill Road, Blackheath. Named after a mistaken Aboriginal site on Rock Hill. An Aboriginal legend about an Aboriginal girl called Krubie, who turns into the Waratah. Ref: Bates, Geoff. Legend Walk, 1979, p. 33-36. Abbottsmith, Frank Alexander. Mount Krubi Aboriginal Area Plan, July 1966. Also known

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as Rock Hill. Lewis Hodgkinson's mother frequently visited this area from the 1930s as a family picnic spot. She took a fancy to the area and arranged small rocks around the trees in an imaginary layout of a house and paths. Years later, after a fire had burnt the vegetation, some people thought this was the remains of an old Aboriginal site and surveyed the area for this purpose. Ref: Oral and written material from Lewis Hodgkinson, January 1998. MW 515 777.

The fake Aboriginal site known as Mount Krubi surveyed by FA Abbottsmith in July 1966

Old Mans Hat, The See Hat Hill, Blackheath. A colourful local usage name. Ref: name recorded by Henry James Mylne licensed surveyor, in a letter to the Surveyor General, April 1878. Mylne marked a 20ac reserve at Hat Hill. Caney, Ebenezer Edmund. Photograph, c.1880, titled “Old Man’s Hat, Blackheath.” Held by the Local Studies Library, Springwood. MW 519 782.

Bennett Gully is an intermittent creek rising on the northern side of Hat Hill, Blackheath. It flows for 2.4km generally in a northerly and north easterly direction through a small canyon, then as a waterfall over the escarpment between Bald Head Ridge and Anvil Ridge into the Grose River. Named after Roy Frederick Bennett (1896-1972), conservationist, active member of the Freemasons and social worker. There is no walking access to the Grose River via this gully. Walking access to the canyon within Bennett Gully is via Wind Eroded Cave,

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Blackheath. Ref: Dunphy, Myles. Central Blue Mountains Map, Kurrajong Heights to Mount Victoria Northward of Western Railway Line, 1965. MW 521 785 to 535 804.

Bennett Lookout has extensive views over the Grose Gorge and is located at the northern end of a small spur on top of the cliff line off Bald Head Ridge, 600m east of Bald Head, Blackheath. Named in honour of Roy Frederick Bennett (1896-1972), conservationist, social worker, General Secretary of The Boy Scouts Association of NSW. He was also President of the Blue Gum Forest Trust, 1933-1961.

View north west from Bennett Lookout up the Grose Valley towards Bell. Photo: Brian Fox

A member of the Wild Life Preservation Society of Australia, 1930-1936 and president, 1934-1935, Secretary Millions Club, and member of four lodges with the Freemasons. Ref: Dunphy, Myles. Grose River Territory, 1961. MW 523 801.

Hen and Chicken Rock is the descriptive name given to a rock formation on the skyline of Hat Hill, Blackheath. Best viewed from Hat Hill Road at the base of Hat Hill. Ref: Batty & Chalcraft. The Blue Mountains Tourist Guide, 1887 records, “The Rooster.” The Rotary Club of Blackheath. Historic Blackheath, 1975-1976, p. 80 records, “The Hen & Chicken Rock.” MW 520 784.

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The beak of the Chicken at Hen and Chicken Rock. Photo: Harold Thompson.

Berenice at Hen and Chicken Rock. Photo: Brian Fox.

Mount Haystack is a bluff at the northern end of Bald Head Ridge, about 2.4km north of Hat Hill, Blackheath. A descriptive and very localised usage name from the 1930s. Ref: Oral

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history, Lewis Hodgkinson to Brian Fox, October 1998. Now known as Bald Head, Blackheath. MW 515 804.

Rock Hill is a low, rounded hill on the northern side of Hat Hill Road opposite the turn off to Pulpit Rock, Blackheath. The rocky outcrop on top of this small hill gives the hill its name. Surveyor Henry James Mylne marked out a 20ac (8ha) reserve at Rock Hill in April 1878, and this was gazetted on 30 September 1878 as R62. This hill provides 360degree views of the surrounding area. Ref: Village of Blackheath County of Cook 1877. Also called Mount Krubi. MW 515 777.

Mount Cecil is a small hill on Bald Head Ridge, 900m west of Anvil Rock, Blackheath. Possibly named after Cecil Ray Chad, born on 9 September 1906, school teacher and later headmaster of Blackheath Public School 1948-1954, President of the Rotary Club of Blackheath 1949-1950, Elder of Blackheath Presbyterian Church. Ref: Gregory’s Map of the Blue Mountains, NSW, c.1952, shown as, ‘Mt. Cecil 3309.’ Also State Library ML M2 812.17/1952?/1. MW 521 797.

Square Cave refers to the hand hewn modified natural cave at Anvil Rock Picnic Area. Named by Erik Halbert, 5 April 2102. Ref: The Journal of the Sydney Speleological Society. Vol. 57, No. 7; July 2013, No. 689, pp. 199-200. The Blue Mountains Advertiser, 7 September 1945, p. 3 records, “a high rock near Anvil Rock be named, Little Gibraltar, because of the cave which has been cut into the rock.” Also known as Little Gibraltar. MW 531 794.

Below: Dave Dash at the water tank adjoining Square Cave below Anvil Rock. Photo: Brian Fox.

Anvil Ridge trends 1.5km north, north east from Hat Hill towards Anvil Rock, Blackheath. Named after Anvil Rock. The end of this ridge also has the feature, Wind Eroded Cave, as well as an old picnic area. Ref: Dunphy, Myles. Central Blue Mountains Map, Kurrajong Heights to Mount Victoria Northward of Western Railway Line, 1965. MW 514 782 to 531 795.

Anvil Rock is a rock formation located at the northern end of Anvil Ridge. It overlooks the Grose Valley. Access is via side road 850m before the end of Hat Hill Road, Blackheath. Named by the Blackheath Council in 1938 due to this weathered sandstone rock formation resembling the shape of an old blacksmith’s anvil. c.1948 an anvil was donated by Stan Millar, Company Secretary, Bradford Kendall Industries Ltd. Millar was an ardent bushwalker, who used to take his holidays at Blackheath. The anvil disappeared c.1970 when it was pushed over the cliff edge. Ref: Keith Wilson, former employee Bradford Kendall Industries and The Rotary Club of Blackheath. Historic Blackheath, 1975-1976, pp. 79-80. The anvil was located below the cliff line by Matthew

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U'Brien and Dave Browne of the Police Rescue Squad, 26 February 2005 and Brian Fox, May 2005. The reinstallation of the Anvil and a Replacement Directional Plate ceremony took place 23 February 2008. MW 531Anvil Rock Picnic Area is located directly south and below Anvil Rock, Blackheath. Named after Anvil Rock. The Blackheath Sights Reserves Committee on 7 May 1946, determined a "picnic area be established by clearing undergrowth and construction of a table and seats." This site is a unique example of an early picnic area, containing a handhewn cave complete with the remains of a table, a 44gallon drum with tap (replaced c.1958); rain water being collected in it from the rock it stands against by means of a gutter that funnels the water into the drum. There is also a fireplace. The Blue Mountains Advertiser, 7 September 1945, p. 3 records, “catching drinking water from the rock face.” Within this area is Little Gibraltar and Square Cave. MW 530 794.

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Plot of two walks both commencing at the Hat Hill Road carpark. The one to Clarke Head was 4th March 2019 and the one to Bennett Gully 11th March 2019. Image recorded and prepared by Harold Thompson

Mount Banks from Bennett Lookout. Photo: Brian Fox.

Track Notes

Leader Brian drew attention to the fact that we were in one of the oldest visited and most densely named areas of the Blue Mountains National Park. In part this is due to the key role that Round Hill (now known as Mount Hay)1 played in the surveying of NSW in that it was a key trig station along with Mount Jellore in the south highlands. Surveyor, Sir Thomas Mitchell, used these key trigs in developing his 19 counties map. This map set the scene for all the County and Parish Maps that followed.

Walking was underway at 0858 from the Hat Hill Road carpark, 519 780. Walking up the old worn track to the top of Hat Hill is to follow in the footsteps of tens of thousands of others.

1 Round Hill was the early name for Mount Hay. Access is via Mount Hay Road, Leura. Named due to the distinctive round shape, making it an easy hill to identify from a distance. The top is 945m above sea level. In 1789, Lieutenant William Dawes with Lieutenant Johnston and John Lowes, surgeon’s mate of HMS Sirius, set out from Emu Plains to travel to Round Hill, but they only reached as far as Mount Twiss, Linden. Ref: Dawes. A Map of the hitherto explored Country Contiguous to Port Jackson, March 1791. MW 597 768.

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Extensive low herbage on either side of the track means that the views are extensive in nearly 360 degrees once the trig is reached, 0904 518 782.

View north from Bennett Lookout. Pearces Pass is the deep ravine. Photo: Harold Thompson.

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Mount Hay and part of the Grose Valley from Bennett Lookout. Photo: Harold Thompson.

The deeply incised catchment and watercourse of Hat Hill Creek parallels Bald Hill Ridge for its entire length. Indeed, Hat Hill Creek extends almost to the Great Western Highway. The view eastward is dominated by the Explorers Range, which reaches its highest point at Mount Banks. Subtended below the Explorers Range is Banks Wall with sheer cliffs exceeding 500m. The terminal southern end features the dramatic Frank Hurley Head and in the shadows Edgeworth David Head.

To the south is Rock Hill, one of the first named features appearing on the map for the Village of Blackheath County of Cook in 1877. In springtime the foreground area would be a blaze of colour. In places where I was alone on the track through the low herbage areas the amount of wild life was significant. Large ant species, wasps and small dragons were abundant. A soon as you entered areas of tree canopy, bird life was thriving.

Our next stop was Hen and Chicken Rock,519 783. This rocky eminence has been used as a photo backdrop often. Brian continued the tradition. Berenice became a willing partner.

Shallow saddles still with low growing herbage revealed ever changing views of the Grose Valley and all the surrounding features. Small gusts of breeze added to our appreciation of a great location.

At 1006, GR 520 800, a small cairn marks the crest of a ridge and the take off point to head east towards Bennett Lookout. The faint pad soon is lost, and we pushed through fairly open los scrub country for about 300m to emerge at the cliff edge 523 801. Bennett Lookout is on a small isolated cliff edge knoll that is reached by descending about 30m, crossing a very narrow neck of land and then climbing up 30m. The views are stunning, so we chose this place for morning tea, 524 801 1025 to 1048. This break was followed with local exploration to try and see whether better views could be obtained from a position slightly to the south east. Every spot was stunning. I was particularly taken with the view of Pierces Pass that is home to the Hungerford Track.

At 1050 we began retracing our steps. A visit to Bald Head was abandoned as there were time constraints. On the return trip 1146 I led a small group down to Hat Hill Road on a link track that starts at 519786.

A decision was taken to visit the Anvil at Anvil Rock, have lunch in the area and visit the historic Square Cave. At 1229 we were in the Square Cave and noted that the water supply arrangements had remained unchanged since we last visited. See the picture above. From 1246 to 1256 we were up on top of the Anvil Rock where Brian summarised the history. The full story is documented in Keats, Michael and Fox, Brian, The Upper Grose Valley- Bushwalkers Business, pp. 100 -107.

The walk finished here at 1258.

Michael KeatsBushexplorers12th March 2019

BCSNW Bennett Lookout 110319- Track Notes/ MK

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