Six Foot Track

Infobox Hiking trail
Name=Six Foot Track
Photo=nellysglen_sixfoottrack02.jpg
Caption=Overlooking the Megalong Valley at Nellies Glen lookout
Location=New South Wales, Australia
Length=Convert|45|km|mi|0
Start/End Points=Explorer's Tree (Katoomba), Jenolan Caves
Use=Hiking
ElevChange=Convert|800|m|ft|-2|abbr=on approx
HighPoint=Black Range, Convert|1200|m|ft|-2|abbr=on approx
LowPoint=Coxs River, Convert|400|m|ft|-2|abbr=on approx
Difficulty=Medium
Season=All
Sights=Caves, Escarpments, Wilderness, Fauna
Hazards=

The Six Foot Track was originally a bridle trail from Katoomba (New South Wales, Australia) to the Jenolan Caves, and is now a walking trail of approximately forty-five kilometres.

History

The Jenolan Caves are a tourist attraction that first became popular in the mid and late nineteenth century. The journey to the caves from Sydney was a long one, though, and even after the western railway was completed to Bathurst in 1870, the journey involved a lengthy horse ride from the nearest station at Tarana.

In 1884 a New South Wales government party marked out a new horse track from Katoomba across the Coxs River to shorten the journey. The track was constructed to be six feet wide, and was completed at a cost of 2500 pounds, although it was not until 1937 that the track became known as the Six Foot Track, by which time it was already close to impassable.

The first recorded journey on the track was in 1887 by the NSW Governor, Lord Carrington, and his wife. [Cite book |last=Bain |first=Andrew |coauthors=et al. |title=Walking in Australia |publisher=Lonely Planet |edition=5 |year=2006 |month=October |isbn=1740593103 ] The journey from start to finish took approximately eight hours and was very popular until motor vehicles gradually took over in the twentieth century.

Track Description

Starting on the western outskirts of Katoomba at the Explorers Tree, the track descends via steep steps through the temperate rainforest of Nellies Glen to the Megalong Valley floor. Here in the valley the track passes the historical site of the abandoned shale mining Megalong village and continues on through farmland past the Megalong Cemetery (this is off the track).

The track winds along the steep sided banks of the Cox's River. The river is crossed either via ford or by using a suspension bridge, called Bowtells Bridge, built by the 1st Field Squadron of the Royal Australian Engineers in 1992. A dedicated campsite is available where most people camp the night before the demanding climb up to Mini-Mini Saddle the next morning and then the descent to Alum Creek.

Another challenging uphill climb is then tackled with the rise to the top of the Black Range ridge. This is followed by a level walk along the ridgeline to the next dedicated campsite. From here the track hugs close to Jenolan Road before a final descent to the limestone caves at Jenolan. [Sydney and Blue Mountains Bushwalks, Neil Paton (Kangaroo Press) 2004, pp.240-245]

The track is best walked in spring or autumn due to the heat and bush fire hazards of summer and the cold nights and rain of winter. The track can be walked in either direction. There is a popular running race, the Six Foot Marathon, along the length of the trail each March.This race has become iconic, one of the premier long distance events in the world and due to celebrate it's 25th anniversary on March 8th 2008.

Relevant topographic maps for the track are available from the NSW Department of Lands, maps "Katoomba" (8930-1S), "Hampton" (8930-4S) and "Jenolan" (8930-3N) cover the entirety of the track. Or [http://www.wildwalks.com/bushwalking-and-hiking-in-nsw/blue-mountains-katoomba/six-foot-track.html Download and print the full map set on the PDF from wildwalks]

Images

References

"NSW Heritage Walks", G McDougall, Kangaroo Press, 1992

External links

: [http://www.lands.nsw.gov.au/recreation/six_foot_track Department of Lands website] : [http://www.wildwalks.com/bushwalking-and-hiking-in-nsw/blue-mountains-katoomba/six-foot-track.html Detailed maps and track notes for walking the Six Foot Track] : [http://www.sixfoot.com Six Foot Track Marathon Website] : [http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/utravel On Track Accommodation and Support]