The Transit of Venus & Horseshoe Falls Reserve

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Route: Woodbury Street, Transit of Venus Walk, Mabel Falls, Edith Falls, Hazel Falls, Mountview Extension (L4) Trail, L5 Trail, Winbourne Road, Burgess Falls Walking Track, Burgess Falls, Horseshoe Falls, Oaklands Road

Date: 22/09/2022
From: Woodbury Street

Parking: Woodbury Street / Oaklands Road
Start Point: Woodbury Street
Finish Point: Oaklands Road
Region: Blue Mountains - Horseshoe Falls Reserve

Route length: 6.7km
Time taken: 01:54
Average speed: 4.4km/h
Ascent: 277m
Descent: 231m

Points of Interest: Edith Falls, Mabel Falls, Hazel Falls, Burgess Falls, Horseshoe Falls

The award for the strangest track name probably goes to the Transit of Venus, a short Blue Mountains hike close to the village of Woodford. Like many of the trails in this area, the hike makes its way around a series of small, pretty waterfalls. Not content with just the Transit of Venus, I managed to concoct a link up with the neighbouring Horseshoe Falls Reserve to create a 'best of Woodford Waterfalls' hike (we used two cars for this).

The Transit of Venus Walk treks through Waterhouse Park, a small reserve on the north side of Woodford. It gets its unusual name from the actual Transit of Venus, a rate celestial event where Venus passes between the earth and the Sun. It was an important means to measure the distance between Earth and the Sun, so much so, that an observatory was set up not far from the Woodford Academy, to house a telescope needed for the observation of the 9th December 1874 Transit of Venus.

The hike begins by heading downhill through the park for a short distance to Mabel Falls, the first of three waterfalls along the Transit of Venus. Like many of the minor waterfalls in the area, these are best seen after some rain and may dry up during particularly dry periods. Following Mabel Falls is Edith Falls, which is partially hidden among the trees. Climbing over the prominent boulder to the left of the falls will bring you to the very bottom of the cascade.

Edith Falls

Mabel Falls

Some steps have been cut into the rock adjacent to the waterfall

The two waterfalls (Mabel and Edith) are named after the daughters of Alfred and Frances Fairfax  - the owners of Woodford House during the later 1800s. At this time both of these falls were on the grounds of the estate.

Mabel Falls

After Edith Falls the path makes its way downhill, following the valley for a short while before rounding a corner into the neighbouring valley. It treks uphill from here to Hazel Falls. The waterfall here is formed by a small shelf of rock and you can easily get behind the tumbling water.

Mable Falls Reserve

Transit of Venus Walk

Behind Hazel Falls

Hazel Falls

Hazel Falls is the final waterfall along the Transit of Venus. A link track provides a route between the waterfall and a nearby fire trail, one of many that cross the Blue Mountains. We took this opportunity to link up a couple of the fire trails, crossing to the adjacent valley vai Winbourne Road and into Horseshoe Falls Reserve where more charming waterfalls await.

We dropped downhill along the Burgess Falls Walking Track to the falls themselves. A plaque attached to a rock overhang near the falls explains they are dedicated to the memory of E.A. Burgess, a soldier killed in Belgium in 1917.

Hazelbrook Creek

Burgess Falls Walking Track

Approaching Burgess Falls 

Burgess Falls

Burgess Falls

From Burgess Falls, the walking track makes its way along the creek to Oaklands Falls and the small (and less accessible) Lena Falls. Following on from these, you'll emerge at Horseshoe Falls, the largest and most impressive of the waterfalls in the reserve. Like Hazel Falls, you can stand behind the curtain of water.

Oaklands Falls

The path along Hazelbrook Creek

Hazelbrook Creek

Horseshoe Falls

Horseshoe Falls

Horseshoe Falls

Horseshoe Falls stands only a short distance from a small parking area on Oaklands Road where we had left a car earlier in the day. This is a useful place to park if you intend on exploring Horseshoe Falls Reserve as it is free, like many of the car parks that are not in the main Blue Mountains National Park.