Fairfax Heritage Circuit Track

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Safer Bushwalks Tips on staying safe on track
Before you start any bushwalk ensure you;
• Tell someone you trust where you are going and what to do if you are overdue
• Have adequate equipment, supplies, skills & knowledge for the whole journey
• Consider the impact of weather forecasts, park/track closures & fire dangers
• Can respond to emergencies & call for help at any point
• Are healthy and fit enough for this journey
If not, change plans and stay safe. It is okay to delay and ask people for help.

Getting There Transport options and directions

Start	(-33.6305082,150.3067277)
Mode	Bus Car (There is free parking available.)
Directions	From Great Western Highway, A32 Turn on to then drive for 40 m Turn slight right onto Govetts Leap Road and drive for another 2.3 km At roundabout, take exit 1 and drive for another 50 m

Track Notes Turn by turn instructions & maps

Getting started
From the front of the NPWS Heritage Centre, Blackheath, this walk heads along the concrete footpath gently downhill keeping the car park (and Govetts Leap Rd) to your right. The path leads to a 'Fairfax Heritage Track' sign at the lower end of the car park. The track leads left (following the sign), then immediately turns right at the 'The Fairfax Heritage Track' map signto follow the asphalt path. After 40m the path leads past a faint intersection with a dirt track and continues straight ahead winding through the wooded forest for another 100m to find a bench seat. The path bends sharply right and leads gently downhill for 140m where the track bends sharply left. The walk continues to gently meander for about 125m to another bench seat (on your left). Then the track bends sharply right and gently undulates up and down for another 330m to find another bench seat (on the left), just before a three-way intersection with a small dirt track (on the left) and a 'Woodland Retreat' sign. (The 'Woodland Retreat' side track leads about 15m to a small seat, this is a rough dirt track).
From the intersection, this walk leads down along the footpath, leaving the seat, sign and sidetrack behind (on the left). The path soon bends left and after 70m passes through (ignoring) a four-way intersection with a dirt trail. The path leads on for another 75m, bending a few times, to find another bench seat (on the left). From here the path continues to lead (gently undulating) through the forest for another 140m to find yet another bench seat (on your left). Here the track bends sharply to the right and leads gently downhill for 230m to passes through (ignoring) another four-way intersection with a dirt trail marked with a 'Rehabilitation Area - Please Keep Off' sign. The walk then continues downhill along the path for another 220m to find a few picnic tables, a stone picnic shelter at an intersection with a short ramp leading down to the signposted 'George Phillips Lookout' (on your left).....

Turn map	Directions & comments
	Start. After 15 m pass the "Blue Mountains Heritage Centre". W:www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au Then find the "Free Beacon Hire" (15 m on your left). Free Beacon Hire A Personal Locating Beacon is a hand-held device that, when triggered, sends a message to the emergency services with your location. The emergency services staff can then look at your trip intention forms and decide how best to help you. In the Blue Mountains, you can hire these for no charge, just complete this Trip intention form, and a borrowing form. The device can be picked up from: NPWS Office - Govetts Leap Rd Blackheath - 9am to 4pm 7 days Ph: 02 4787 8877 Katoomba Police Station - 217 Katoomba St Katoomba - Anytime Ph: 02 4782 8199 Springwood Police Station - 4 Jerseywold Avenue Springwood - Anytime Ph: 02 4751 0299 Then find the "Toilet Accessible" (15 m on your left). Toilet Accessible Signposted accessible and general use male and female toilets inside the National Parks Visitor Center. Access (whilst the center is open) via concerete ramp. After another 20 m find the "Picnic Table" (10 m on your right). Picnic Table A series of picnic tables on flat grassy area behind the Visitor centre. No shade. Ramp access via back door of visitor centre. Seats are about 45cm high and tables are 75cm high.
	After another 30 m turn right.
	After another 10 m continue straight.
	After another 6 m turn left.
	After another 30 m turn left.
	After another 25 m continue straight.
	After another 380 m continue straight. Then to find the car park. After another 30 m find the "Wheelchair Rough" (15 m on your left). Wheelchair Rough This walk leads through a gravel carpark for about 60m. The surface in unevean and erroded in places. The gravel is mostly compressed but the surface may soften after prolonged rain.
	Turn left. After another 15 m find the "Picnic Shelter" (8 m on your left). Picnic Shelter Picnic shelters at the end of Govetts Leap Road. Seats are ~45cm high and benches 75cm high. Most shelters have an entrance ~1.2m wide with, and similar gap between table and wall. The largest shelter has an entrance wider than 4m, bench seating but no tables.
	Continue straight. After another 15 m find the "Toilet Accessible" (15 m on your right). Toilet Accessible Signposted accessible and general use male and female toilets. Access via concrete ramp, however, the top of the ramp is accessed via loose gravel carpark with some steep eroded sections. After another 8 m pass the water tap (15 m on your right). After another 60 m find the "Parking Accessible" (15 m on your left). Parking Accessible There are two signposted parking places at the lower end of the sealed Fairfax track. Specific parking bays are not marked with lines. The carpark has a loose gravel surfaces with some eroded sections. Then find the "Trip Hazard" (7 m on your left). Trip Hazard A 5 to 10cm step between carpark and track. Access is between bollards that are 110cm apart. After another 210 m find the "Picnic Shelter" (10 m on your left). Picnic Shelter Stone shelter at George Phillips Lookout. Timer slat bench seat (46cm high) around the inside wall. Two picnic tables (75cm high) with wheelchair access (no seats on one side). Access to shelter via 1.37cm gap in concrete wall. Then find the "George Phillips Lookout" (9 m on your left). George Phillips Lookout George Phillips Lookout, Blue Mountains National Park, provides stunning views east into the Grose Valley. The lookout offers views to Pulpit Rock, the horseshoe-shaped gorge and over the deep, green gorges of the Grose Valley to Mount Banks. The lookout is fenced and has a wheelchair accessible ramp. There are a series of picnic tables including a stone shelter just behind the lookout.
	After another 200 m continue straight. After another 275 m find the "Seat" (20 m on your right). Seat Timber slat bench seat on outside bend of path. The seat is 41cm high (2.1m wide, 30cm deep) with a 39cm high backrest. After another 90 m find the "Seat" (on your right). Seat Timber slat bench seat on outside bend of path. The seat is 41cm high (2.1m wide, 30cm deep) with a 39cm high backrest.
	After another 130 m continue straight. After another 45 m find the "Seat" (6 m on your right). Seat Timber slat bench seat on outside bend of path. The seat is 41cm high (2.1m wide, 30cm deep) with a 39cm high backrest. After another 275 m find the "Seat" (on your right). Seat Timber slat bench seat on outside bend of path. The seat is 41cm high (2.1m wide, 30cm deep) with a 39cm high backrest. After another 270 m find the "Seat" (on your right). Seat Timber slat bench seat on outside bend of path. The seat is 41cm high (2.1m wide, 30cm deep) with a 39cm high backrest.
	After another 85 m continue straight.
	After another 40 m veer left.
	After another 10 m continue straight.
	After another 6 m turn around.
	After another 6 m come to the end.

Terrain Know the Hills, grading & facilities

Fairfax Heritage Circuit Track

Grading

	Class 1/6 Smooth & flat
Length	2.3 km
Time	50 min to 1 h

Quality of track	Smooth and hardened path (1/6)
Gradient	Flat, no steps (1/6)
Signage	Clearly signposted (1/6)
Infrastructure	Generally useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats) (1/6)
Experience Required	No experience required (1/6)
Weather	Weather generally has little impact on safety (1/6)

Some facilities on route

Seat: There are 5 on route, on average they are 380 m apart with the largest gap of 1.3 km.

Order of key facilities on route

Item	From Start	Name & link to notes
Seat	1.3 km	Seat
Seat	1.4 km	Seat
Seat	1.6 km	Seat
Seat	1.9 km	Seat
Seat	2.1 km	Seat

Articles Discover more details to thrive on track

NPWS Heritage Centre
National Parks and Wildlife Service Heritage Centre, Blackhealth, is a hub for the Blue Mountains National Park. It is signposted on Govetts Leap Road (past McLean Cr). Drop into the Heritage Centre to get advice and learn about the history of the park. You will also find information displays about the traditional owners, thing to do and the local flora and fauna. The heritage centre also has 2 signposted accessible car parks, a shop with souvenirs, toilets and snack food. There is a picnic area out the back and plenty of general parking.

George Phillips Lookout
George Phillips Lookout, Blue Mountains National Park, provides stunning views east into the Grose Valley. The lookout offers views to Pulpit Rock, the horseshoe-shaped gorge and over the deep, green gorges of the Grose Valley to Mount Banks. The lookout is fenced and has a wheelchair accessible ramp. There are a series of picnic tables including a stone shelter just behind the lookout.

Govetts Leap Lookout
Govetts Leap Lookout is named after the first European man to have enjoyed this view, William Govett, as an assistant surveyor in June 1831. Govetts Leap Lookout offers wonderful views over the Grose Valley and the spectacular Bridal Falls. The word `leap` is an old Scottish word meaning waterfall. The lookout is easily accessed from the car park, there are also toilets and picnic shelters nearby.

Get more information
Wildwalks

Weather & Alerts Check forecasts & closures
Weather Forecast
- Katoomba Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon
  
  Monday 28 April
  
  Mostly clear.
  
  Mostly clear. Slight chance of a shower about the Blue Mountains early this evening. Near zero chance of rain elsewhere. Light winds.
  
  Tuesday 29 April
  
  10°C → 18°C
  Showers. Possible storm.
  80% chance of rain
  1 → 15mm
  
  Partly cloudy. The chance of fog in the early morning. High chance of showers, most likely from the late morning. The chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening. Light winds. Overnight temperatures falling to between 7 and 11 with daytime temperatures reaching between 18 and 23.
  
  UV Alert: Sun protection 9:30am to 2:20pm, UV Index predicted to reach 5 [Moderate]
  
  Wednesday 30 April
  
  8°C → 12°C
  Shower or two.
  70% chance of rain
  0 → 7mm
  
  Cloudy. High chance of showers, most likely in the late morning and afternoon. The chance of a thunderstorm in the north. Winds south to southeasterly 15 to 25 km/h. Overnight temperatures falling to between 7 and 12 with daytime temperatures reaching between 13 and 19.
  
  Thursday 1 May
  
  6°C → 12°C
  Showers.
  80% chance of rain
  1 → 10mm
  
  Cloudy. High chance of showers about the Blue Mountains, medium chance elsewhere. Winds southeasterly 20 to 30 km/h. Overnight temperatures falling to between 4 and 9 with daytime temperatures reaching between 12 and 19.
  
  Friday 2 May
  
  6°C → 14°C
  Shower or two.
  60% chance of rain
  0 → 4mm
  
  Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers about the Blue Mountains, slight chance elsewhere. Winds southeasterly 15 to 25 km/h. Overnight temperatures falling to between 3 and 8 with daytime temperatures reaching between 14 and 20.
  
  Saturday 3 May
  
  6°C → 15°C
  Shower or two.
  60% chance of rain
  0 → 4mm
  
  Shower or two.
  
  Sunday 4 May
  
  8°C → 16°C
  Possible shower.
  40% chance of rain
  0 → 1mm
  
  Possible shower.
  
  Monday 5 May
  
  9°C → 17°C
  Cloudy.
  30% chance of rain
  0 → 1mm
  
  Cloudy.
  
  Forecast data thanks to © Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Alerts
- Blue Mountains National Park alerts
  Closed areas: Glenbrook Causeway closed due to flooding
  Due to heavy rainfall, Glenbrook causeway is now closed. There is no access to Euroka Campground, Red Hands Cave, Nepean Lookout, or the Oaks firetrail.
  
  Closed areas: Parts of Blue Mountains National Park closed
  Many roads, fire trails and walking tracks in Blue Mountains National Park are closed due to infrastructure upgrades or damage caused by wet weather including subsidence, rockfalls, landslides and fallen trees.
  The following tracks are closed:
  Katoomba and Leura
  
  Honeymoon Bridge is closed due to rockfall risk.
  
  Prince Henry Cliff walk (part of Grand Cliff Top walk) is closed between Gordon Falls picnic area and Elysian Rock lookout, due to a landslide. Visit the Blue Mountains City Council website for information. Detours will also be in place via Olympian Parade.
  
  Gordon Falls picnic area is closed due to upgrades. Detours for walking tracks are in place. Visit the Blue Mountains City Council website for information.
  
  Fern Bower track between Prince Henry Cliff walk and Amphitheatre track is closed due to landslides. Access to Leura Forest and Jamison Valley is via Amphitheatre track.
  
  Golden Stairs walking track is closed due to landslides and rock fall. There is no access from Glenraphael Drive to Ruined Castle, Federal Pass or Scenic World. Ruined Castle and Mt Solitary can be accessed from Federal Pass (via Furber Steps) or Kedumba Pass.
  
  Lone Lyrebird track is closed between Gordon Road and the War Memorial, due to subsidence. Detour is in place.
  
  Part of Lindeman Pass is closed due to a major landslide below Gladstone lookout. Roberts Pass is closed due to rockfall and landslide hazards.
  
  Six Foot track is affected by closures at Jenolan Caves.
  
  Wentworth Falls and Woodford
  
  Charles Darwin walk (part of Grand Cliff Top walk) is closed between Fletcher Street and Weeping Rock. Detours are in place to provide directions to Wentworth Falls picnic area. Visit the Blue Mountains City Council website for information.
  
  Part of National Pass (west of Wentworth Falls middle crossing) is closed due to a major landslide and ongoing risks.
  
  Wentworth Pass and Slack Stairs are closed due to multiple landslides. No access to Roberts Pass and Vera Falls. Valley of the Waters track is closed below Sylvia Falls.
  
  Blackheath, Mount Victoria, Megalong Valley and Bells Line of Road
  
  Pulpit Rock Reserve, lookouts and walking track are closed. For more information visit the Blue Mountains City Council website. Pulpit Rock walking track from Popes Glen is open as far as the NPWS boundary (as shown on Google maps).
  
  Govetts descent and Rodriguez Pass are closed due to rockfalls and landslides. The Grose Valley can be accessed from Blackheath via Perrys Lookdown or the Horse track.
  
  Pierces Pass road and picnic area will be closed for road maintenance from May 5th to 9th, 2025. Parking will be available at Walls Lookout carpark and all walking tracks remain open using a short access track from the Walls Lookout carpark.
  
  Adventure recreation, canyons, abseiling and rock climbing
  
  Some adventure recreation areas and routes may be closed where the access or exit road/track is mentioned above.
  
  Penalties apply for non-compliance. For more information, please contact the Blue Mountains Heritage Centre.
  
  Closed areas: Burralow Creek Campground closed
  Burralow Creek campground and picnic area will be closed from 28 April to 15 May 2025 for upgrade works to Bulcamatta Falls walking track.
  The following connecting fire trails will also be closed:
  
  Paterson Range fire trail
  
  Tabaraga Ridge fire trail
  
  Burralow fire trail
  
  There will be no public access during this time including walkers, bike riders, horse riders and vehicles. Penalties apply for non-compliance. For more information, contact the local NPWS office 02 4720 6200.
  
  Closed areas: Red Hands Cave & Walking Tracks temporarily closed
  The following areas and walking tracks are closed from 1 April 2025 until further notice:
  
  Red Hands Cave
  
  Red Hands Cave walking track
  
  Campfire Creek walking track
  
  the Link walking track
  
  This is to allow for works on the elevated platform at Red Hands Cave. For your safety, please follow all signs and instructions of NPWS staff.
  Penalties apply for non-compliance. For more information, contact the local NPWS office (02) 4720 6200.
  
  Other planned events: Notice of ongoing 1080 baiting program
  NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is conducting an ongoing ground baiting program from Thursday 2 May 2024 to Monday 5 May 2025 in the following areas:
  
  Abercrombie River National Park
  
  Abercrombie River State Conservation Area
  
  Kanangra-Boyd National Park
  
  Blue Mountains National Park (southern section)
  
  Wollemi National Park (Wolga)
  
  Gardens of Stone National Park
  
  Jenolan Karst Conservation Area
  
  Turon National Park
  
  Marrangaroo National Park
  
  The operation will use 1080 (sodium fluoroacetate) poison for the control of wild dogs and foxes.
  The program is designed to minimise predator impacts on wildlife, especially threatened species, and to minimise impact of wild dogs on neighbouring stock.
  Signs will be placed at the entry to the baiting location. Domestic pets are not permitted in NSW National Parks managed lands. Pets and working dogs may be affected (1080 is lethal to cats and dogs). Pets and working dogs must be restrained or muzzled in the vicinity and must not enter the baiting location. In the event of accidental poisoning seek immediate veterinary assistance.
  For more information, contact the NPWS Kanangra area office at Oberon on 02 6336 6200.
  
  Closed areas: Fern Bower walking track closed
  Fern Bower walking track in Blue Mountains National Park is closed until further notice due to multiple landslides. There's no access to Leura Forest and Leura Cascades via Fern Bower. Alternative access is via Amphitheatre track.
  For more information, call the NPWS Blue Mountains Heritage Centre on 02 4787 8877.
  
  Closed areas: Euroka walking track closed for repairs
  Euroka walking track in Blue Mountains National Park is closed for track repairs from Monday 1 February to Monday 30 June 2025.
  Penalties apply for non-compliance. For more information, contact the local NPWS office.
  
  Safety alerts: Remote walking track conditions
  Remote routes within the Kanangra Wilderness Area including Kanangra to Katoomba (K2K) trail have been impacted by heavy fire regrowth and flood damage.
  In some places, tracks are no longer visible and are not easy to navigate, taking longer to traverse than expected. Limited to zero water sources are currently available along routes.
  If you plan to walk in the area, please ensure you have an appropriate level of experience, navigation skills and equipment including Personal Locator Beacon (PLB).
  Mobile reception is limited so alternative communication methods are strongly recommended.
  For more information, contact the NPWS Blue Mountains Heritage Centre on 02 4787 8877.
  
  Closed areas: Waratah Native Gardens picnic area closed
  Waratah Native Gardens picnic area is closed until further notice. This includes Gorge walking track. No access to the area is permitted.
  Penalties apply for non-compliance. For more information, please contact the NPWS Hawkesbury-Nattai area office on 02 4720 6200.
  
  Alert kindly provided by © NSW Nataional Parks and Wildlife Service

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