The Blue Mountains Lookouts & Waterfalls
Episode 2
First Shown: 17 July, 2020 on YouTube
Lawsons Lookout, Eleanor Falls & Clarinda Falls
Lawsons Lookout in Springwood, is an unfenced rockshelf overlooking Springwood Gully where the Magdala Creek flows south into Glenbrook Creek. The Fairy Dell walking track that starts behind the Springwood Shopping Centre on Springwood Avenue follows the creek and ends at the Victory Track a little north of Martins Lookout that we visited in Episode 1. The lookout is most easily accessed from Raymond Road.
"It is gratifying to find that, although somewhat late in the day, the Minister for Lands, has recognised the importance of making reserves near to the Western Railway, for the purposes of public recreation... There are many beautiful spots in proximity to the line of railway and the Government has done well to secure such areas as were still available, and were likely to be valuable to the community. There can be no doubt that in future years the Blue Mountains will be resorted to largely by the citizens of Sydney; and the proposed reserves if now secured to the public will prove invaluable as a means of health and recreation." - The Sydney Morning Herald, Sat 7 Oct 1876.
It took 50 years for milage direction boards at Lawson's lookout and local walking tracks to be envisaged when in 1936, the newly formed Springwood Development League notified Mr Scanlon, the secretary of the Park Trust, the need for signage.
The lookout was named in honour of the achievement of William Lawson (1774-1850), who along with Blaxland and Wentworth crossed the Blue Mountains in May 1813.
Eleanor Falls are located near the headwaters of Sassafras Creek just outside what was once the boundary of Sir Henry Parkes property, called Faulconbridge. It is a relatively unknown fall that is on the Victory Track between Faulconbridge and Clarinda Falls. It is strongly believed the waterfall is named after the second wife of Sir Henry Parkes, Eleanor Dixon, since it is located so near to Parkes’ former property. However, the name may be connected to the family of Sir James Martin, who’s daughter Eleanor Emmeline Martin (1864-1880), died at the age of seventeen, while at Numantia.
The only reference to the name is recorded on a postcard dated c.1910 in historian Jim Smith’s collection. The date on this postcard is nearer to the date of the death of Eleanor Dixon than Eleanor Martin.
I have made an approach to Google to have this waterfall included in Google Maps.
Clarinda Falls is a charming waterfall on Sassafras Creek, 1.2 kms down the Victory Track, past Eleanor Falls, from Sir Henry Parade, Faulconbridge. The water cascades over a near-vertical wall, into a sandy pool below. The falls are signposted from the main track and provide a nice cool detour, especially on warmer days.
The falls are named after the first wife of Sir Henry Parkes, Clarinda Varney (1813-1888). She was the mother of twelve children, only six of whom were living at the time of her death, her only surviving son, being Mr. Varney Parkes, M.L.A. for Central Cumberland.
Sir Henry Parkes is known as the "Father of Australian Federation".
After returning to my car, parked on Sir Henry Parade, near the start of the Victory Track, I drove west 440m further along the Parade to visit a small cemetery that contained Sir Henry Parkes and the first Lady Parkes graves on the left.
