NPWS keeps Fern Bower in Blue Mountains closed until 30 October

Blue Mountains in Katoomba are affected by a Fern Bower closure until 30 October 2026, with the track shut for repairs in the national park. The restriction changes access from Leura Cascades and Cliff Drive to Leura Forest and valley routes.

Fern Bower closure runs until 30 October 2026

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service lists the Fern Bower track as closed from the junction with Amphitheatre track to Leura Forest. The closure remains in force until Friday 30 October 2026, and the affected route cannot be used to reach Federal Pass through Fern Bower and Leura Forest.

The wider alert for the Katoomba and Leura areas also records closures linked to repairs, rockfall hazards, landslides and infrastructure works. Its current Fern Bower access notice identifies the route, the repair closure and the affected approaches on the same page.

Blue Mountains landscape puts the closure in context

The Blue Mountains National Park is a protected landscape of sandstone plateaux, escarpments, gorges and eucalypt forest around the Katoomba area. Walkers encounter a network rather than a single attraction, so the Fern Bower restriction affects a particular connection between lookouts, forest routes and valley access.

The UNESCO description of the wider Greater Blue Mountains Area records its eucalypt diversity, sandstone landforms and protected bushland. The UNESCO World Heritage listing explains why the landscape combines scenic walking terrain with internationally recognised natural values. In practical terms, the closure separates the Leura Cascades approach from the Federal Pass route while the surrounding park remains the setting for other walks and lookouts.

Visiting Blue Mountains: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The Fern Bower closure applies until 30 October 2026, from the junction of Amphitheatre track to Leura Forest in the Katoomba and Leura area.
• There is no access from Leura Cascades or Cliff Drive to Leura Forest or to valley tracks via Fern Bower, and Federal Pass cannot be reached through Fern Bower and Leura Forest.
• The affected routes are within Blue Mountains National Park, in the Katoomba area of New South Wales. Leura is the nearby reference locality named in the access notice.
• The closure concerns walking tracks and forest-to-valley connections, so visitors planning a route through Fern Bower should check the current National Parks alert before setting out.
• Other restrictions listed for the area include Honeymoon Bridge, parts of Lindeman Pass and Roberts Pass, as well as access associated with Mount Hay works.

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Frequently asked questions about Blue Mountains

What has changed at Blue Mountains?

The Fern Bower track is closed for repairs until 30 October 2026. Access from Leura Cascades or Cliff Drive to Leura Forest and valley tracks via Fern Bower is unavailable.

Where is Blue Mountains and how do you get there?

The affected routes are in Blue Mountains National Park in the Katoomba and Leura area of New South Wales, Australia. The access notice identifies Leura Cascades and Cliff Drive as the approaches affected by the closure.

What is Blue Mountains?

Blue Mountains is a protected Australian mountain landscape around Katoomba, known for sandstone landforms, escarpments, gorges and eucalypt forest. The wider Greater Blue Mountains Area is recognised on the UNESCO World Heritage List.