This was one walk where our plans went awry due to a number of reasons. I headed up to the Blue Mountains with Bob, Nipper and Airdrie and our destination was Mt Victoria. We were hoping to take advantage of the Great Western Highway being closed on Victoria Pass to have a close examination of the old convict causeway. It’s due to earth movement associated with the convict bridge that the Highway has been closed. We wanted to have a look at the structure and also try and find some nearby very old inscriptions made in nearby cliffs.
However, when we arrived at Mt Victoria, we found we had a major problem. Work had already started on fixing the highway. There was a barrier across the highway at the opof the pass, and lower down were workers huts and drilling was taking place (by the sound of it). The weather was also very misty.
We were able to visit Mitchells Lookout at the top of Victoria Pass. But the views were rater restricted –
We then followed down a ridge towards the Highway.
On the Highway, few infected this old monument –
Work was going on, not far down the road, so we descended down the slope to Berghofers Pass. This was built early last century as an alternative to the steeper Victoria Pass, and was used by motor vehicles from 1912 to 1920.
This old road features a number of culverts –
And here is a large inscription marking the shire boundary –
We could look up and see the old convict causeway on Victoria Pass.
Sawfly Larvae –
Berghofers Pass –
Here you can see old drill marks. Holes were drilled and then explosives places inside the hole.
On the pass, there is also an old horse trough –
Another drill mark –
Returning to Mt Victoria, we were surprised to see a Kangaroo in the middle of the Great Western Highway –
Nature claiming back its own?
We then headed to Mt York to have lunch and look at the many plaques.
