Vera Falls – Hippocrene Falls
TWO DAZZLING WATERFALLS IN THE JAMISON VALLEY
VERA FALLS AND HIPPOCRENE FALLS
GRADE 5
Time: 5-6 hours
Distance: 9 km loop
Total Ascent: 580 m
Map: 8930-1S Katoomba
Start: Conservation Hut - 92 Fletcher St, Wentworth Falls or
Wentworth Falls Picnic Area: Sir H Burrell Dr
A journey to the upper reaches of the Jamison Valley and two waterfalls!
The track from Vera Falls to the bottom of the bottom of Wentworth Falls was completed in 1913. It was supposed to be called the Prince Regent’s Glen track but somehow it did not stick!
This is a more interesting track than Wentworth Pass but it requires some navigation skills and bush sense (your GPS will not work there)! Hikers have been lost in this area so bring a PLB!
ACCESSING HIPPOCRENE AND VERA FALLS
The falls are accessed by walking either through the Valley of the Waters (Conservation Hut start – counterclockwise circuit) or National Pass (Picnic Area start – clockwise circuit).
Clockwise: down the Grand Stairway and up the Valley of the Waters.
Enjoy the climb back up in the shade of the Valley of the Waters but you will climb down the steep Slack Stairs ladders.
Anticlockwise: down the Valley of the Waters and up the Grand Stairway.
Climb the Slack Stairs ladders rather than descending them. On hot days, the climb up the Grand Stairway in the afternoon is hot as the sun heats the cliff faces.
My preference is starting at the Conservation Hut as I prefer climbing the ladders!
CONSERVATION HUT
100 m down from the Hut, on the left side, note the Shortcut Track: this is your return track!
VALLEY OF THE WATERS
Take the steps down between the platform and the café: many steps await you in this walk!
The track below the Hut on the left is the Shortcut Track: this is your return track. Continue down along the Valley of the Waters track to the intersection with Wentworth Pass.
A Full Description of the Valley of the Waters walk can be found here!
VERA FALLS TRACK START
The track to Vera Falls and Hippocrene Falls is unmarked and not maintained. The track in the valley between the two waterfalls is vague at times and confusing due to the presence of markers, tape, etc and side tracks. If you miss the track, you may end up in the Jamison Valley!
The high cliffs interfere with the GPS signal making a it useless. Many bushwalkers have lost their way in this area and had to be rescued!
BRING A DETAILED MAP OF THE AREA AND A COMPASS AND KNOW HOW TO USE THEM!
The Vera Falls track is a continuation of the Valley of the Waters track and starts at the intersection with Wentworth Pass.
Ignore Wentworth Pass on the left and continue to the next track intersection 100 m further. Ignore the track to the right (Robert’s Pass) and continue down the track paralleling the Valley of the Waters creek.
CREEK CROSSING
The track ends: it is time to cross the creek! A marker is visible on a rock on the other side of the creek. Two large boulders help with the task.
FOREST
The track winds through a sclerophyll forest.
TOP OF VERA FALLS - SIDE TRACK
After crossing a small gully, a track to the right appears: it leads to the top of Vera Falls.
You get similar views of the cliffs at the the bottom of the falls.
BOTTOM OF VERA FALLS - SIDE TRACK
The track goes down until you reach another side track: this leads to the bottom of Vera Falls. This is the second tallest fall of the Valley of the Waters Creek.
The waterfall is named after Vera Gascoigne Murray née Moore. Her father was a trustee of the sub committee formed to name the waterfalls.
Return to the trail.
UPPER JAMISON VALLEY
The Valley of the Waters Creek meets the Jamison Creek. The trail becomes indistinct from time to time. Follow the yellow metal markers, keeping the Jamison Creek on your right at all times. Cross Den Fenella creek, a small stream. Continue along the Jamison Creek and let the sound of Hippocrene Falls guide you.
HIPPOCRENE FALLS
These 25 m falls are on the Jamison Creek.
Walter Weeks used to walk in the area in the late 1880’s. He named the waterfall Hippocrene Falls after a Greek myth. These falls were also known as Abbotts Waterfall .
Return to the track: it climb steeply to the level of the top of the falls. From there the track follows the Jamison Creek through a beautiful forest.
WENTWORTH PASS TRACK INTERSECTION
INFORMATION
BEST TIME TO GO
Expect people (especially large groups) going slowly up and down the Valley of the Waters track and the Grand Stairway.
GETTING THERE
EXTRA SAFETY NOTES
Mobile Reception: can be patchy but there is none in the Jamison Valley! Carry a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB).
PLB/Satellite Messenger: not many people walk this track and there is no mobile reception in the valley. For your safety, carry a PLB/satellite messenger!
You can borrow a PLB free of charge from the Springwood or Katoomba Police Stations or the Blue Mountains Heritage Centre in Blackheath.
GPS: the signal is affected by the cliffs and the canyon-like topography. Do not rely on GPS navigation! Take a map (and a compass} and know how to use them!
What should I pack for the day? Check this page for further information.
