Mount York
Encyclopedia
Mount York is a 1061 metre high mountain in the western Blue Mountains of New South Wales
, Australia
, located approximately 150 kilometres west of Sydney. It is in fact a projection of the Blue Mountains plateau, creating a promontory of the western escarpment with a minor rise at its summit.
growth, mostly open canopied. Several small creeks that flow into the Coxs River system run down its side. A twin promontory to its immediate east branching from the southern origin of Mount York promontory is also an extension of the western escarpment. Lockley Promontory and Mount York Promontory both jut northwest from the western escarpment, and begin at Mount Victoria
, a small mountain village. Several bushwalking tracks are to be found here, including Berghofers Pass, Lockyers Road and Coxs Road. The tracks branch off from Mount York and descend into the valley below, or in the case of Berghofers, in the direction of Little Hartley, west of Mount Victoria. Atop the summit plateau near the lookouts are two wells used in early days, and remains of early settlement like walls are still visible on the tracks. Birdwatching is good here and many native species like the Yellow Cheeked Black Cockatoo and King Parrot reside here. Many termite mounds can be seen along the road. The mountain is about two to three hundred metres above the Hartley Valley.
, William Lawson and William Wentworth
viewed the Hartley Valley and the 'west' for the first time, although some Europeans had already reached the valley before them. However, their famous 'first crossing' and opening of the west to farming in 1813 is commemorated with several memorials atop the summit, one with their faces set in stone. There are two metal fenced lookouts here, a westward facing and northward facing one.
Mount York was the site of various attempts to build a pass to the plains west of the Blue Mountains. The first was Cox's Road, constructed in 1813. The next was Lockyers Road, which was begun not long after Cox's Road, but which was never finished. Still another was Lawsons Long Alley, which was a little east of Lockyers Road. These roads were all abandoned eventually, but in recent years they have been developed into walking tracks by the Department of Lands in New South Wales. Also still visible is Berghofers Pass, which was abandoned because of later developments, and which has also been turned into a walking track.
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, located approximately 150 kilometres west of Sydney. It is in fact a projection of the Blue Mountains plateau, creating a promontory of the western escarpment with a minor rise at its summit.
Description
Mount York is mainly forested in EucalyptEucalypt
Eucalypts are woody plants belonging to three closely related genera:Eucalyptus, Corymbia and Angophora.In 1995 new evidence, largely genetic, indicated that some prominent Eucalyptus species were actually more closely related to Angophora than to the other eucalypts; they were split off into the...
growth, mostly open canopied. Several small creeks that flow into the Coxs River system run down its side. A twin promontory to its immediate east branching from the southern origin of Mount York promontory is also an extension of the western escarpment. Lockley Promontory and Mount York Promontory both jut northwest from the western escarpment, and begin at Mount Victoria
Mount Victoria, New South Wales
Mount Victoria is a small township in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia. It is the westernmost village in the City of Blue Mountains, located approximately 120 kilometres via road from Sydney and 1043 metres above sea-level...
, a small mountain village. Several bushwalking tracks are to be found here, including Berghofers Pass, Lockyers Road and Coxs Road. The tracks branch off from Mount York and descend into the valley below, or in the case of Berghofers, in the direction of Little Hartley, west of Mount Victoria. Atop the summit plateau near the lookouts are two wells used in early days, and remains of early settlement like walls are still visible on the tracks. Birdwatching is good here and many native species like the Yellow Cheeked Black Cockatoo and King Parrot reside here. Many termite mounds can be seen along the road. The mountain is about two to three hundred metres above the Hartley Valley.
History
Mount York was the point where Gregory BlaxlandGregory Blaxland
Gregory Blaxland was a pioneer farmer and explorer in Australia.- Early life :Gregory Blaxland was born 17 June 1778 at Fordwich, Kent, England, the fourth son of John Blaxland, mayor from 1767 to 1774, whose family had owned estates nearby for generations, and Mary, daughter of Captain Parker,...
, William Lawson and William Wentworth
William Wentworth
William Charles Wentworth was an Australian poet, explorer, journalist and politician, and one of the leading figures of early colonial New South Wales...
viewed the Hartley Valley and the 'west' for the first time, although some Europeans had already reached the valley before them. However, their famous 'first crossing' and opening of the west to farming in 1813 is commemorated with several memorials atop the summit, one with their faces set in stone. There are two metal fenced lookouts here, a westward facing and northward facing one.
Mount York was the site of various attempts to build a pass to the plains west of the Blue Mountains. The first was Cox's Road, constructed in 1813. The next was Lockyers Road, which was begun not long after Cox's Road, but which was never finished. Still another was Lawsons Long Alley, which was a little east of Lockyers Road. These roads were all abandoned eventually, but in recent years they have been developed into walking tracks by the Department of Lands in New South Wales. Also still visible is Berghofers Pass, which was abandoned because of later developments, and which has also been turned into a walking track.