Blue Mountains Icons 14

Today's Blue Mountains Icon is Hartley Vale, which is part of an area more frequently referred to as Hartley Valley - arguably that part of the Kanimbla Valley which is north of the Great Western Highway.

Hartley Vale came to prominence because George Evans (former Surveyor General of NSW) in following up the 1813 trail blazed by Blaxland Wentworth and Lawson, decided that the descent from the Blue Mountains ridge to the western slopeland should take place here at Mt York (elev. 1060 metres).

The old pioneer house, blipped a few days back, is on the valley floor below but a kilometre or so, out of shot, to the left. Evans' plan was for William Cox (in charge of construction) to run the Bathurst Road through the place where I am presently standing from left to right and eventually wind its way down to the lowland you can see!!! In a future "icon" shot I'll show you pictures of the old Cox's Road route. From the point of view of a coach traveller it's enough to make your hair stand on end - let me tell you.

Just to clear up one particular point. I have previously made reference to surveyor William Govett once or twice in connection with the Bathurst Road. His later contribution was to develop the route from this point west during the 1820s.