Narrow Neck Plateau

Narrow Neck Plateau in the rain at sunset, Blue Mountains National Park.
Looking south along the Narrow Neck Plateau from the Narrow Neck Lookout in Katoomba. Megalong Valley is on the right, and Jamison valley on the left. One can see Glenraphael Drive climbing the plateau.

The Narrow Neck Plateau is the eroded remnant of a sandstone layer 1,000 m above sea level situated immediately south-west of Katoomba, New South Wales, Australia in the Blue Mountains. The neck separates the Jamison Valley (to the east) from the Megalong Valley (to the west).

Description

From Cliff Drive, Katoomba, the Narrow Neck is accessed via a dirt road (Glenraphael Drive) as far as a locked gate. It is a popular walking, bike riding and climbing location and offers several walking descent routes to the adjacent valleys. Beyond the gate is walking/bicycle access only for the general public. One of the most popular walks is the Golden Stairs, a rough descent of approximately 200m to join the Federal Pass. This opens up the Jamison Valley for popular day walks to sites such as Mount Solitary and the Ruined Castle. The neck juts southwards from Katoomba for a distance of some ten kilometres and ends at Clear Hill, overlooking the Wild Dog Mountains. Castle Head promontory points towards the Ruined Castle, a small rock formation between Castle Head and Mount Solitary.[1]Arguably one of the best views on the eastern seaboard of NSW is from Narrow Neck Fire Tower. On a day of high visibility it is possible to see from Mittagong in the south to Toronto in the north and everything in between. It also has excellent views back towards the escarpment at Katoomba.

Missing person

Nineteen-year-old British backpacker Jamie Neale was found after 12 days lost in the Blue Mountains. Two bushwalkers alerted emergency services who were conducting an extensive search using the Police Rescue Squad, police dogs, State Emergency Service and Rural Fire Service.[2] Mr Neale was found at around 11.30am on Wednesday, 15 July 2009, reportedly well.

Fauna

Upland swamps on Narrow Neck Plateau have been identified as potential habitats for the rare Blue Mountain Water Skink.[3]

Points of Interest

References

  1. ↑ Sydney and Blue Mountains Bushwalks, Neil Paton (Kangaroo Press) 2004, pp.222-228
  2. ↑ (15 July 2009). Missing for 12 days: backpacker Jamie Neale found. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  3. ↑ "Reptiles" (PDF). Terrestrial Vertebrate Fauna of the Greater Southern Sydney Region - Fauna of Conservation Concern & Priority Pest Species. Environmental and Heritage. Retrieved 28 May 2014.

External links

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