Jill and Rhondda led 12 walkers in an exploration along some of the network of tracks opened long ago by the Hydro Majestic Hotel Medlow Bath. In
1901 Mark Foy the Sydney retail magnate a noted sportsman committed to health and fitness and a devotee of European Spas purchased 3 properties including a small cottage owned by a local solicitor Alfred Tucker which formed the basis of what was to become his Hydropathic Centre at Medlow in the Blue Mountains. Later the settlement was renamed Medlow Bath. Over the years the hotel and especially its healthy activities which included an extensive network of bushwalking tracks expanded considerably.
These were the tracks we followed however they were far from the well groomed and fenced tracks of earlier days when ‘ladies’ in long skirts and bonnets accompanied by guides descended the tracks for picnics. From morning tea at Tuckers Lookout with views over the Megalong Valley and Shipley Plateau we descended the Colosseum Track down the cliff face on narrow rocky tracks, steps cut through the rock faces and ladders which we descended one at a time to the floor of the Colosseum where encircled by high perpendicular walls we had some reviving chocolate before retracing our steps back up the cliff face. Along a track traversing high above the Megalong Valley we passed the ‘sunbath’ a walled area which was once fenced and used to sunbathe. An ascent to a higher level much climbing over and crawling under fallen trees led to a firetrail just below the back of the Hydro Majestic. Continuing on across a landslide and creek we ascended to another firetrail where we inspected the remains of what was once a 500 metre flying fox used to supply the hotel with fresh meat, eggs, milk, fruit and vegetables daily from the Valley Farm. Lunch was at the Three Brothers a similar outcrop on their rocky promontory to the Three Sisters at Katoomba but much less known.
Wattles were the wildflower of the day. The weather was perfect cold with a clear blue sky. Afternoon tea was at the cafe and souvenir shop just past the hotel.
On this walk Jill and Rhondda led Clive, Elaine E, Kas, Christine C, Sue S, Barbara, Ros G, John G, Margaret P, Claude, Helen A and Anne G. Jill and
Rhondda would like to acknowledge and thank Clive for his help at the more difficult sections on the walk.
".... morning tea at Tuckers Lookout with views over the Megalong valley and Shipley Plateau"
".... ladders and steps cut through rock faces"
Leaders Rhondda (left) and Jill in the Colloseum, "encircled by perpendicular walls".
"perpendicular walls"(2)
We passed the 'sunbath', a walled area once .... used to sun bathe" and walked a firetrail " just below the back of the Hydro Majestic"
"Lunch was at the Three Brothers", this group on Middle Brother. "Wattle were the wildflower of the day." (Black wattle Acacia decurrens here.)
"The weather was perfect with a clear blue sky". The view from a spot below the Three Brothers.
".... and thank Clive for his help at the more difficult sections on the walk."
Words by Jill, photos by Barbara (3-7,9,10) and by Sue S(1,2,8).
More photos from this walk are in the article '14 August - Plus Walk: Photos from Medlow Bath Tracks'.