Three Sisters Walking Track

Client

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service

Location

Blue Mountains National Park, NSW

Award

2017 NSW AILA Award Tourism (Landscape Architecture Award)

Date

2014-2015

NewScape Director John Newman played a pivotal role in the enhancement of lookouts and walking tracks at the Three Sisters precinct in Katoomba. The project involved consultations with Aboriginal groups, Darug and Gundungurra Elders, who are the traditional owners of the site. The completed works, including a 600-meter walking track with three viewing platforms, signify a significant capital improvement for NSW’s most popular short walk, accommodating approximately 600,000 annual visitors. The upgraded lookouts and regraded track enhance visitor accessibility while maintaining the rustic aesthetic of the Blue Mountains Walking Track region. Additionally, the inclusion of animal sculptures along the track serves as cues for Aboriginal guided interpretation, adding to the cultural significance of the site.

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Three Sisters Walking Track

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NewScape Director John Newman played a significant role as an in-house designer and project manager in the improvement of lookouts and walking tracks at the Three Sisters precinct in Katoomba during his tenure with the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service.

The Three Sisters is a highly significant site to Aboriginal people in Australia. It is located on the border of the Gundungurra and Darug lands along a historic pathway through the mountains. It is also significant to the Wiradjuri who visited the site when passing through the Blue Mountains. Consultation with all three groups was undertaken initially and then additional consultation was undertaken with the Gundungurra Elders who are the traditional owners of the site.

The 600m long walking track with three viewing platforms runs from Echo Point to this iconic Australian landmark. The walk also comprises of a series of animal sculptures which have placed along the track as cues for Aboriginal guided interpretation.

The completed works represent a major capital improvement for NSW’s most popular short walk, which receives approximately 600,000 visits annually. The project involved significant upgrades to three lookouts and the regrading of the walking track to enhance visitor accessibility. The design features incorporated the construction of new lookouts and adjustments to the track’s longitudinal gradient, all chosen to complement the rustic aesthetic that characterises the Blue Mountains Walking Track region.

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