The new 19-kilometre Grand Cliff Top Walk has been officially opened, providing bushwalkers with a seamless journey all the way from Wentworth Falls to Katoomba.
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NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe launched the walk at Wentworth Falls picnic area on Sunday, March 24.
"The Grand Cliff Top Walk provides visitors with a new, adventurous opportunity to connect with nature while exploring this track through the Blue Mountains National Park," she said.
"The walk will boost the economic value of nature-based-tourism in the region by attracting more domestic and international visitors and more overnight stays."
The Grand Cliff Top Walk links existing tracks to form a continuous route from Darwins Walk at Wilson Park in Wentworth Falls to Scenic World in Katoomba, while still allowing people to join the walk from different locations to make it as short or long as they choose.
Missing links have been completed and new tracks, high-quality sandstone steps and handrails have been installed. The tracks are designed to last up to 100 years.
The walk is designed to take two days, with an overnight stop in one of a variety of accommodation options in the villages of Leura, Wentworth Falls or Katoomba.
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) spent four years creating the Grand Cliff Top Walk and has opened each section to the public upon completion, but it is now available as one continuous walk. The $10 million project is funded by the NSW Government and delivered by NPWS and partner Blue Mountains City Council.
Blue Mountains MP Trish Doyle said: "We're fortunate to have this magnificent new walk in our Blue Mountains backyard.
"Locals such as visionary Norm Harris know the work that has gone into making this a world class attraction and I congratulate NPWS and Blue Mountains City Council teams for their work.
"We urge visitors and walkers who experience the Grand Cliff Top Walk, on a guided tour or self-guided walk, to explore our villages along the way with their unique art deco buildings, colourful boutique cafès, restaurants and shops."
Blue Mountains mayor Mark Greenhill said: "Blue Mountains City Council has invested significantly in key locations along the Grand Cliff Top Walk, including Darwins Walk which was devastated by natural disaster and flooding in 2020 and 2021.
"Tourism and recreation areas along the southern escarpment attract significant visitation, but they are also much-loved by the local community as they provide spectacular views of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area... The Grand Cliff Top Walk will provide a more immersive experience and encourage visitors to stay overnight, which in turn will benefit our local economy and create employment."
Visitation along the Grand Cliff Top Walk is anticipated to increase by 50,000 per year.
