Vale of Avoca lookout

Perched 250m above the wild Grose River, Vale of Avoca lookout is only 15mins drive from Richmond or Kurrajong but feels worlds away. Soak in the wild landscapes of the Lower Grose Valley on the 140m walk from the carpark to the lookout.

From the unfenced sandstone rock platforms admire the natural amphitheatre of forest-clad mountains plunging into deep, v-shaped gorges. The round hump of Mount Hay, near Katoomba, can be seen in the distance.

Bring a picnic, meditate, indulge your inner artist, or spot the local wildlife, wedge-tailed eagles are common here. You might glimpse the rare glossy black cockatoo, or even a koala.

The lookout is also home to many uncommon plants, including the native cranberry and critically endangered scrub turpentine. One of the world’s rarest species of heath, sparse heath, grows below the lookout and by the Grose River. Look for its cream, tubular bell-shaped flowers from April to June.

To make a day of it, enjoy a bushwalk to the Grose River, via nearby Waterboard fire trail. Allow 3 hours for the 5km return walk. In spring and summer, you can cool off in the pristine river, or try your…