Frank Hurley Head & Mount Banks - Blue Mountains National Park

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Route: Mount Banks picnic area, Mount Banks One Trail, Banks Wall, Mount Banks Road Extention, Frank Hurley Head, Mount Banks, Mount Banks picnic area

Date: 28/02/2021
From: Mount Banks Road

Parking: Mount Banks Road
Start Point: Mount Banks picnic area
Finish Point: Mount Banks picnic area
Region: Blue Mountains

Route length: 7.8 miles (12.5km)
Time taken: 03:55
Average speed: 2.3mph
Ascent: 437m
Descent: 435m

Points of Interest: Frank Hurley Head, Mount Banks

Mount Banks dominates the background views of the Grose Valley, particularly if you visit either of the lookouts close to Blackheath. Its distinctive domed shape is its defining feature. This is the result of ancient volcanic lava flows forming a tough layer of basalt that erodes at a slower rate than the surrounding sandstone. A track leading to the summit can be found in the quieter northern area of the Blue Mountains, accessed along a short unsealed road branching off Bells Line of Road (the unusual name stems from the fact this was the second successful route across the Blue Mountains, having been surveyed by Archibald Bell in 1823 - it is Bells Line of Road).

After arriving early from Sydney, the summit of Mount Banks wasn't our first objective. Instead, we set off in the direction of Frank Hurley Head which promised exceptional views of the Grose Valley. To add to the area's majesty, we drove up through a thick bank of fog that promised a stunning valley cloud inversion if we made it in time.

A glimpse of the Grose Valley from the parking area below Mount Banks

A close up of the inversion in the Grose Valley

Below Mount Banks is a small parking area where a gate blocks vehicle access to a fire trail. The trail (simply called the Mount Banks One Trail) would be our means of getting around the base of Mount Banks and along to Frank Hurley Head. The trail weaves its way through the high Eucalyptus bushland of the Blue Mountains. The trail passes a fire-damaged sign which marks the point where the southern track towards the summit leaves the main fire trail - we'd be returning to this point later on.

Mount Banks

Heading along the Mount Banks Trail

The trail rounds the head of a small creek valley, one of the hundreds, if not thousands of creeks that form a labyrinth of valleys across the Blue Mountains - most of them entirely unspoiled (and largely inaccessible). One particular location is located in the Wollemi area of the national park and is home to an exceptionally rare species of tree, thought to be extinct until 1994, when it was discovered in a remote series of narrow, steep-sided sandstone gorges.

Heading through the trees along the Mount Banks Trail

The trail emerges from the trees

Looking across the creek valley towards Frank Hurley Head

The business end of Mount Banks

The track passes close to the edge of the 300m cliffs of Banks Wall, providing a sensational view of the Grose Valley. Luckily for us, the cloud inversion had lasted and provided a spectacular sight,

The beautiful cloud inversion

The view across towards the Blackheath side of the Grose Valley

The north arm of the Grose Valley, looking towards Asgard Head

Frank Hurley Head

Lockley's Pylon and Fortress Ridge

We continued a short distance over a rise at the edge of Frank Hurley Head to another point on the cliff tops, gaining a differing view of the inversion in the valley. As we loitered, the clouds were visibly starting to break up, proving our timing had an element of fortune.

The trail leads to Frank Hurley Head

The Grose Valley

A glory - halfway to becoming a brocken spectre

Looking down into the cloud

Fortress Ridge

Grose Valley

The clouds begin to break

We backtracked a fair distance along the firetail, finding a damaged signpost that marks where a small side trail leaves the main fire trail, bound uphill for the summit of Mount Banks.

Heading back along the trail towards Mount Banks

Beginning the climb to the summit

A view of the expansive bush in the northern Blue Mountains

Reaching the rich vegetation which lives atop Mount Banks

Mount Banks is part of the Explorers Range which encompasses the northern arm of the Grose Valley. Most peaks along the ridge are named after the famed explorers who documented the range in the 1800s. At over 1,000m it is no small peak, but the total ascent to the summit is fairly modest. 

The mountain was named after Sir Joseph Banks by George Caley, an English botanist and explorer and the first European settler to reach the Mt Banks summit in 1804. Joseph Banks was an English naturalist and botanist who employed George Caley as a botanical collector in New South Wales at the end of the 18th century.

Mount Banks

A trig pillar with a metal 'lollipop' sits atop the summit, though views are shrouded by trees. The basalt that forms the summit creates a fertile soil that supports rich vegetation different from other parts of the Blue Mountains. We took the opportunity for a few snacks before being driven off by the flies which inhabit the area.

A view through the trees

Summit trig pillar

A path leaves the summit in a northerly direction, first cutting across the slopes near the top of the hill before descending towards the parking area. As the trees open up, the path down to the car park has some sweeping views of the Greater Blue Mountains wilderness.

The Blue Mountains wilderness stretches on

Mount Banks

A distant view of Hanging Rock

The descent back towards the fire trail

Docker Head

Mount Banks

It wasn't long before we were back at the car and heading back towards Sydney. The Bell Line of Road area is famed for its orchards and there are several cider makers to stop at along the way. Being such a glorious day, it would have been rude not to sample some of their wares.