Jamison Valley is the main stage of the Blue Mountains, framed by towering sandstone cliffs and scattered with waterfalls, forest and stories that go back to the Jurassic period. I first stood at Echo Point, looking out to Mount Solitary and the valley floor and felt the mix of wilderness and history that is this place. This isn’t just a lookout tick-box — it’s a living part of Gundungurra Country, tied to Dreaming stories, colonial tracks and today’s network of bushwalking trails.
Jamison Valley is part of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, carved from sandstone laid down approximately 250 million years ago during the Triassic period. Over millions of years, water erosion, landslides and tectonic uplift shaped the wide U-shaped valley you see today.
Unlike the V-shaped valleys you might know from alpine regions, Jamison’s wide floor is a clue to its slow, steady geological story. Sandstone cliffs — weathered, fractured and capped with ironstone — now tower above rainforest pockets. Mount Solitary sits like an island in the middle, its flat top catching the morning sun like a beacon.
The valley’s human story is as layered as its geology. The Gundungurra Aboriginals — including the Burra Burra tribe — walked these ridges and valleys for tens of thousands of years. Their stories connect places like Kedumba Valley and Mount Solitary to Dreaming Law.
European intrusion came in 1813 with Gregory Blaxland, William Charles Wentworth and Lieutenant Lawson crossing the Blue Mountains. Just a year later, Governor Lachlan Macquarie ordered Cox’s Road built, and everything changed. Later, Sir John Jamison, a wealthy landowner and doctor, gave his name to the valley. Logging, grazing and mining followed and then conservation movements and the creation of Blue Mountains National Park (NP) turned the tide.
Today, the valley is inside the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, protected for its biodiversity and cultural significance.
Looking into the valley from above is easy — but the descent is where you really feel it.
Many visitors cram this into 1 Day Blue Mountains Tour, but I reckon you’ll want more time if you plan to walk the tracks properly.
There are dozens of ledges and platforms where the valley opens up. A few of my faves:
Jamison Valley is a bushwalker’s playground, with trails to suit every mood. Here’s a breakdown of some classics:
| Track Name | Distance (km) | Difficulty | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Pass | 4.5 | Hard | Historic cliff-carved path, Wentworth Falls |
| Darwin’s Walk (Charles Darwin Trail) | 2.4 | Easy | Creeks, cascades, and historical links to Darwin |
| Valley Of The Waters | 4.5 | Moderate | Empress Falls, Vera Falls, rainforest pockets |
| Overcliff–Undercliff Track | 4 | Easy | Shady forest, sandstone cliffs views |
| Grand Cliff Top Walk | 19 | Moderate | Multi-day option linking lookouts and tracks |
| Federal Pass | 13 | Moderate | Base of cliffs, lyrebirds, rainforest |
| Nature Track | 3 | Easy | Loop near Conservation Hut, picnic stops |
Track notes: Always check with the Blue Mountains Heritage Centre or National Parks Contact Centre before heading out. Landslides, bushfires and track closures are common.
The Blue Mountains can be brutal.
Bushfires and flooding can close tracks quickly. Always check NPWS alerts or apps like All Trails before you go.
The valley is full of Australian wildlife:
The Bush Trackers program runs walks for kids to learn about the bush and its critters, so family trips are educational as well as fun.
I once led a group of walkers down Slack Stairs from Echo Point to the valley floor. A storm rolled in at Federal Pass, and the cliffs turned into waterfalls all around us. By the time we hit Kedumba Valley, our boots were squelching like sponges.
At Fletcher’s Lookout, we were soaked and steaming like a herd of wallabies and spotted a lyrebird belting out its routine — camera clicks, kookaburra laughs, even the beep of a reversing truck. The group went silent, dripping wet, spellbound by a bird taking the mickey. That’s the magic of Jamison Valley: humbling, unpredictable and unforgettable.
The valley was named after Sir John Jamison by Governor Lachlan Macquarie.
Yes, in designated areas near Kedumba Valley. Permits are required through the National Parks.
Darwin’s Walk or the Nature Track near Conservation Hut — short, scenic and not too steep.
No. You’ve got multiple descents: Giant Stairway, Furber Steps or old bush tracks like Slack Stairs.
Picnic, camping and toilet facilities at trailheads and huts, not in the valley. Always pack in and pack out.
