Blue Mountains City Council will start upgrading the Lapstone Zig Zag Walking Track, including Siding Lookout and the parking area at the Knapsack Street cul-de-sac, in late May 2023, providing the first accessible bushland track in the Lower Mountains.
During the works, the Zig Zag Track and Top Points Lookout will be fully closed to the public. There will be no alternative route to connect to the Zig Zag track during the works which are expected to be completed in late 2023.
The upgrades include a range of accessibility improvements that will open-up this beautiful and historic recreational area to more members of the community:
• An accessible, shared, asphalt pathway approximately 850 metres long along the alignment of the existing Zig Zag Track to the Top Points Lookout.
• An accessible, elevated platform at the Top Points Lookout at the northern end of the pathway, which will provide views over the Cumberland Plain.
• A formalised parking area in the Knapsack Street cul-de-sac providing five angled parking spaces, and including two accessible parking spaces, for the community.
• Improved landscaping next to the parking area and trail head, including a small rain garden for stormwater treatment.
• Seating at intervals along the pathway.
The work is part of the $2 million upgrade being made to almost two-and-a-half kilometres of walking track along the Scenic Eastern Escarpment.
A site compound for the work will be established at the cul-de-sac at the end of Knapsack Street. The cul-de-sac will be fenced-off for safety.
The project will be constructed in stages. Works will commence on the earthworks, slope stabilisation, and drainage works in June, with the path, lookout structure, parking area and landscaping works taking place in July and August.
Currently, less than four per cent of bushland walking tracks in the Blue Mountains are wheelchair accessible and this will be the first fully accessible bushland track in the lower Blue Mountains.
Blue Mountains Mayor, Cr Mark Greenhill said: "Upgrading our walking tracks and making them accessible in key places is an important priority for Council, so that our whole community can enjoy our World Heritage area.
"While these accessibility upgrades are especially important for people with limited mobility, there's also immense value here for visitors of all abilities.
"Following delays due to the pandemic and extreme weather events, we're now ready to start on these much-anticipated upgrades. We recognise that closing the track and lookout is inconvenient, but please be patient as we're operating within a sensitive bushland area, with great historical value."
The works are in line with the Scenic Eastern Escarpment Masterplan, which was adopted by Council in May 2018 after a year of extensive community engagement. The Masterplan guides the future use of the whole Scenic Eastern Escarpment area.
To meet the Australian standards for accessibility, the track needs to be paved and while a concrete path was proposed, Council amended this to an asphalt path following community feedback and evaluation against essential design criteria.
"These designs balance the need for a compliant accessible pathway while retaining the natural bushland and heritage values.
"As the Lapstone Zig Zag was previously a railway, it is already wide and flat which suits an accessible pathway and means the design will have minimal impact on the surrounding bush."
The upgrades are funded under the Western Parkland City Liveability Program, which is part of the Western Sydney City Deal (WSCD). The WSCD is a 20 year-agreement between Australian and NSW governments, and the eight local Councils of the Western Parkland City.
For more information visit: https://yoursay.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/scenic-eastern-escarpment
