Regulations Australia Blue Mountains National Park
Blackheath Special Area (Schedule 1)
Hiking
Regulations on 30 October 2026
Signs at the site and later resolutions prevail; check the source.
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Prohibited all year
Hiking · All year
In force on 30 October 2026
The majority of the Special Areas are off-limits or restricted to the general public. But across the catchment there are many spectacular natural places open to the public for a range of recreational activities. This brochure provides details of these places in the ‘Visiting dams and reservoirs’ section.
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Restrictions do not apply to privately owned land and public roads within the Special Areas.
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Special Areas – No entry
ENTRY IS NOT ALLOWED
These areas include the water storages and surrounding land with the exception of Fitzroy Falls Reservoir and part of Lake Yarrunga, which are classed as restricted access.
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National Parks in Special Areas
The Special Areas overlap with large areas of national parks. The Special Areas restrictions apply to national parks within the Special Areas however the following sites are accessible to the public. Activities at these sites are restricted unless specified and access beyond any locked gates is not permitted.
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Walls Cave, Blackheath
You can walk to Walls Cave (C1), a significant Aboriginal heritage site, via the Walls Cave walking track beginning at Evans Lookout Road in Blackheath.
Published by WaterNSW · What you can and can’t do in Sydney’s water supply catchments
In Blue Mountains National Park
Regulated zone
Blue Mountains National Park
These hold everywhere inside the boundary, whether or not a site is marked.
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Regulated
Climbing · All year
In force on 30 October 2026
5.7 Adventure recreation
The adventure recreation activities of rock climbing, abseiling, canyoning and white water paddling are permitted in the parks where they are undertaken in accordance with the provisions in Table 6 in Section 8 of this plan.
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Table 6 Permissible activities
Note: refer to Table 5 for overlay/zone code descriptions
Activity, S1, S2, W, V, G, Comment
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Abseiling and rock climbing, x, ✓, ✓, ✓, ✓, Allowed except at the locations identified in Appendix C and any other site or location identified as closed for this activity by park signage and/or routine park visitor notification channels.
Participants in these activities are solely responsible for their own safety.
The group size limit for abseiling is 8 people*.
The group size limit for rock climbing is 5 people (including a guide to client ratio of 1:4)*.
NPWS will not assess or maintain bolts or other fixed protection points, except where this infrastructure has been installed by NPWS. Depending on circumstances the installation and maintenance of bolts and other fixed protection points may be allowed by consent.
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* Larger groups may be considered and authorised on a case-by-case basis.
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Appendix C: Restrictions on adventure activities
The following areas are closed to rock climbing and abseiling:
- - Jamison Valley cliff line from Rocket Point to the Valley of the Waters
- - Grose Valley cliff line from Horseshoe Falls to Barrow Lookout (50 m south-east of Bridal Veil Falls)
- - declared Aboriginal places
- - any cliff line where on-cliff activities may pose an unacceptable risk to other park visitors and no other mitigation strategy is feasible
- - limestone cliffs in karst areas (except when a caving permit authorises surface abseiling to access a cave)
The following areas are closed to abseiling:
- - Glenbrook Gorge from Glenbrook Creek downstream from the causeway
- - Jamison Valley cliff line from Giant Stairway to Furber Steps
- - Mount Banks main cliff line
- - all formal lookouts, except if specifically permitted by signage (e.g. Mount Portal).
Note: Abseiling only closures do not apply to abseiling undertaken as access to or as part of accessing climbing routes.
Published by NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, 30 Jul 2024 · Blue Mountains National Park and Kanangra-Boyd National Park Plan of management
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Regulated
Canyoning · All year
In force on 30 October 2026
5.7 Adventure recreation
The adventure recreation activities of rock climbing, abseiling, canyoning and white water paddling are permitted in the parks where they are undertaken in accordance with the provisions in Table 6 in Section 8 of this plan.
[…]
Table 6 Permissible activities
Note: refer to Table 5 for overlay/zone code descriptions
Activity, S1, S2, W, V, G, Comment
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Canyoning, x, ✓, ✓, ✓, ✓, Canyoning is allowed unless sites have been identified as closed for this activity by park signage and/or routine park visitor notification channels.
Overnight camping in ‘slot’ canyons is not permitted.
The group size limit for canyoning in wilderness areas is 8 people*.
The group size limit for canyoning (without abseiling) elsewhere is 10 people*.
NPWS will not assess or maintain bolts or other fixed protection points, except where this infrastructure has been installed by NPWS. Depending on circumstances the installation and maintenance of bolts and other fixed protection points may be allowed by consent.
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* Larger groups may be considered and authorised on a case-by-case basis.
Published by NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, 30 Jul 2024 · Blue Mountains National Park and Kanangra-Boyd National Park Plan of management
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Regulated
Camping & bivouac · All year
In force on 30 October 2026
Table 6 Permissible activities
Note: refer to Table 5 for overlay/zone code descriptions
Activity, S1, S2, W, V, G, Comment
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Camping, x, ✓, ✓, ✓, ✓, Allowed at designated camping areas (see Table 3).
Bush camping (outside of designated camping areas) is also allowed without consent, except under the following circumstances:
- - within 200 m of a public road, constructed walking track, designated camping area, picnic area, formalised lookout or other visitor facility
- - within a limestone outcrop or karst area
- - within any ‘slot’ canyon
- - anywhere it is signposted that camping is not permitted.
Published by NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, 30 Jul 2024 · Blue Mountains National Park and Kanangra-Boyd National Park Plan of management
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Regulated
Hiking · All year
In force on 30 October 2026
Table 6 Permissible activities
Note: refer to Table 5 for overlay/zone code descriptions
Activity, S1, S2, W, V, G, Comment
Public access, x, ✓, ✓, ✓, ✓, In Schedule 1 areas, public access to McMahons Point Lookout and parts of the Woodford Special Area is allowed without further consent. Public access elsewhere within Schedule 1 is not allowed (Figure 2).
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Bushwalking and trail running, x, ✓, ✓, ✓, ✓, Allowed unless an area has been identified as closed for this activity by park signage and/or routine park visitor notification channels. Events may be allowed under a consent. Commercial tours are subject to licensing requirements.
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Group activities, non-commercial events and functions, x, ✓, x, ✓, ✓, In wilderness areas groups of 8 people or less are allowed without consent*.
Elsewhere, all group gatherings and private functions involving more than 40 people may be allowed under a consent.
Organised public events of any size (such as public ceremonies, and club and sporting events) require consent.
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* Larger groups may be considered and authorised on a case-by-case basis.
Published by NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, 30 Jul 2024 · Blue Mountains National Park and Kanangra-Boyd National Park Plan of management
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Prohibited all year
Paragliding and via ferrata · All year
In force on 30 October 2026
Table 6 Permissible activities
Note: refer to Table 5 for overlay/zone code descriptions
Activity, S1, S2, W, V, G, Comment
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Other adventure activities, x, x, x, x, x, Adventure activities (other than those detailed above) are not allowed unless authorised by this plan. The following activities are not authorised by this plan: base jumping, bungy jumping, hang-gliding, parachuting, paragliding, parasailing, via ferrata and zip lining.
Published by NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, 30 Jul 2024 · Blue Mountains National Park and Kanangra-Boyd National Park Plan of management
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Prohibited all year
Caving · All year
In force on 30 October 2026
5.6 Caving
Access to caves is not allowed without a permit. Permits include conditions on access to ensure sensitive areas are carefully managed.
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Table 6 Permissible activities
Note: refer to Table 5 for overlay/zone code descriptions
Activity, S1, S2, W, V, G, Comment
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Caving, x, ✓, ✓, ✓, ✓, Consent from NPWS is required for each occasion or series of occasions. The group size limit for caving is 8 people*.
Seasonal closure of caves containing maternity or overwintering bat colonies (e.g. Colong Cave) will occur.
Public access to caves in Blue Mountains National Park will only be for authorised scientific purposes.
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* Larger groups may be considered and authorised on a case-by-case basis.
Published by NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, 30 Jul 2024 · Blue Mountains National Park and Kanangra-Boyd National Park Plan of management