The Blue Mountains Lookouts & Waterfalls
Episode 5
First Shown: 6 September, 2020 on YouTube
Adam's Lookout, Terrace Falls & Victor Falls
This lookout and two waterfalls are on the southern side of the Great Western Highway at Hazelbrook, in New South Wales.
Adam's Lookout is similar to Bluff Lookout (Ep.1), Martin's Lookout (Ep.1) and Lawson's Lookout (Ep.2) in that they all face west and have views that go deeper into the Blue Mountains. Walking access starts at a locked gate 2.2kms from the Great Western Highway at the end of Lake Road off Valley Road.
The lookout is within Terrace Falls Reserve and was named and opened in 1938. It was named in recognition of Mr Frederick Thomas Adams' 30 years' service as a trustee and also of the fact that Mr Adams and his family were among the oldest residents and pioneers of Hazelbrook. In the late 1800's, Mr. Adams was a railway fettler and gatekeeper at Hazelbrook Station. His wife, Margaret, was the Post Mistress. It therefore seemed only right and fitting that the name of the family should be perpetuated by being attached to a local landmark. Mr Adams died in 1940 at the age of 75.
The lookout was previously known as Bedford Lookout or Bedford Creek Lookout, the panorama there provides 200 degree views of Kings Tableland, Wentworth Falls, Hazelbrook and Lawson.
Terrace Falls is also in the Terrace Falls Reserve. In the Government Gazzette of 1897 the area was called "The Terraces". In 1903 the Hazelbrook & Woodford Progress Committee gave Victor and Terrace Falls the collective name of "Woodford Falls”. Prior to 1897, the area was known as “Hazelbrook Recreation Reserve” and “Smiths Creek Reserve.” Current signage, however, reads “Terrace Falls Park”.
As to why this fall is called Terrace Falls, it was named for its series of eight cascades that plunge into a sandy pool at the base of the lowest fall.
Walking access to these falls is obtained from either a gate at the intersection of Valley Road and the southern end of Terrace Falls Road, a gate from the northern end of Terrace Falls Road, or a walk from Adam's Lookout (the way we walked). A side track off the main track leads down to a rock pool at the foot of Terrace Falls.
Victor Falls are again in the Terrace Falls Reserve. It was named after the son of a local resident who went to fight in World War One. His name was Victor Frederick Cecil Levitt who was born in 1893. He enlisted in 1915 and while he was overseas the falls were officially named and the track opened on 25 April 1916. Victor returned from the war and lived on until 1967. He died at the age of 74.
Walking access is the same three alternatives as to Terrace Falls. However, there is confusion as to the start of the track from the northern end of Terrace Falls Road. We missed the track shown on the park map at Carpark 3 because there is no sign to the falls on Terrace Falls Road and the built up embankment along the road hides the track. On our the way out from Terrace Falls to Victor Falls to Carpark 3 we found that the track exited into the South Lawson Trail just behind the park sign. A 30m side track off the main track leads down to a sandy pool at the foot of Victor Falls.
