Monday 3/08/2020 Kembla Lookout – Mount Kembla Ring Track – Mount Kembla Summit Track
Illawarra Escarpment State Conservation Area, NSW
Tharawal country
Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos, Report), Sue Davies
Sitting on the edge of the Illawarra Escarpment directly above Farmborough Heights and Mount Kembla this combination of walks gets you into the bush very quickly from anywhere in the Wollongong area. Two or three hours should be enough to see most people have an enjoyable walk, taking in the bush, some history and fantastic views.
Max elevation: 538 m
Total climbing: 796 m
Total descent: -793 m
Average speed: 4.28 km/h
Total time: 03:20:50
Electing to walk the Mount Kembla Ring Track in a clockwise direction after always previously doing it the other way we headed off along the road. Our first port of call was the Windy Gully Cemetery where we paused and thought about the horror of the events of 31st July 1902 when there was a series of explosions in the Mt Kembla mine which killed 96 people, Australia’s largest ever industrial accident. Many of those killed were young men, some just out of adolescence.
Windy Gully Cemetery
From the cemetery we continued along the road past the start of the Mount Kembla Ring Track, simply because we didn’t notice where it started. Checking with the map a bit further along we soon hit the bush and shortly thereafter ended up on the track before continuing. From here following the track was straightforward, even for us!
The small pond to the south-east of the summit is now quite overgrown by trees around it’s perimeter with water plants covering about half of it’s surface. Further along there is a nice stand of palms. Once on the final climb back to Kembla Lookout the steps and chain fence keep you on the track and safe.
From Kembla Lookout we followed the Mount Kembla Summit Track to the top of Mount Kembla (534m) and a little beyond, though the bush, to the north-eastern corner for a little explore. On our return we checked out all the lookouts and viewpoints for their outstanding views over the southern Illawarra Coastline.
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