Join a special Transit of Venus guided walk at Woodford, followed by refreshments and a viewing of the oldest building in the Blue Mountains.
This historic walking track was opened in 1991 in commemoration of the 1874 observation of the Transit of Venus from a temporary observatory located in the grounds of Woodford House, now Woodford Academy.
Listen to stories about the Transit of Venus expedition that inspired the trail, while taking in the natural beauty of the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains.
The guided walk includes a visit to Mabel Falls, a charming waterfall named after the daughter of Alfred Fairfax, owner of Woodford House from 1867. Originally, it was a private track owned and maintained by Woodford House and advertised as ‘Safe Bathing for Ladies & Children’. Years later, when the estate became Woodford Academy for Boys, students would run 1.5km to the falls and back each morning to bath in its waters (pictured below).
The tour concludes at Woodford Academy, where guests can enjoy refreshments and a viewing of the oldest building in the Blue Mountains.
Image: Broadhurst Postcard, Mabel Falls, c 1910, Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW.
