The spectacular Katoomba Falls Night-lit Walk is now complete and open to the public to view.
The 1.3km walk gives visitors access to a unique, night-time viewing experience of outstanding natural features such as Orphan Rock, Witches Leap, Katoomba Falls and Katoomba Cascades. At certain vantage points you can also see the Three Sisters lit up.
The experience connects other previously lit areas, and has new lighting from the top of the Katoomba Falls Kiosk car park, around Reid's Plateau and down to the Duke and Duchess Lookout.
Watch the video for some highlights here: https://youtu.be/xkpSoKRmJ8Y.
A map of the Night-lit Walk can be downloaded here: https://www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/katoomba-falls-reserve-night-lit-walk.
Blue Mountains City Council Mayor Mark Greenhill said: "This project provides a wonderful new experience for locals - and visitors - to experience our World Heritage Area at night. I strongly encourage you to take your family and friends to see it."
Flood lights were originally installed at the site in 1932.
Thirteen spotlights now highlight the main focal points at the site with another 390 individual lights illuminating the footpaths. All lighting now turns on at dusk and spotlights are turned off at 10.30pm, while path lights turn off at 11pm.
All lights are energy efficient LEDs. The total connected energy load at the Reserve is also now well below that of the original lighting on the site and this type of lighting also requires substantially less maintenance and repairs which translates to a significant cost saving for Council.
Due to the usage and location, Reid Plateau has not been part of Council's current solar roll out. However, as part of Council's commitment to become a carbon neutral organisation by 2025 we are actively working towards a renewable electricity Power Purchase Agreement that will deliver 100% renewable energy for all of Council's electricity use.
A huge amount of planning and development work has also gone into creating sympathetic lighting in the area to highlight spectacular natural features, without causing unnecessary light pollution for wildlife or local residents.
The project began its preliminary phase of development six years ago with subsequent construction phases such as the installation of hand rails and lighting cabling taking place over the past 2-3 years.
The project was completed this year after the 2019/2020 bushfires caused delays.
Workers who were installing lights in December 2019 had to evacuate as the Ruined Castle bushfire threatened Katoomba. The remediation of natural reserves after extensive damage occurred during bushfires, and then flooding in 2020, resulted in the project being completed only recently.
