Yileen Spur wasn’t the intended destination for today, but when our group converged at Mount Banks for the Traverse of the Gods bushwalk we were met by a closed gate – and a huge number of police and emergency services. We found out a week later that the police were searching for a body, and tragically located missing mother Sandra Popovic buried in a shallow grave later that day. A hasty discussion and consultation of maps resulted in us driving down the Bells Line of Road for another 3km to the start of the bushwalking track along Yileen Spur.
After about a kilometres we stop to look a a small rock platform above the track, which has over fifty Aboriginal axe grinding grooves.
The narrow but fairly distinct bushwalking track continues along Yileen Spur; this first section is fairly well-trodden as it provides access to Yileen Gully and Yileen Canyon. It’s been suggested that the term “yileen” after which the spur (and gully) is named comes from an Aboriginal word meaning “dream’’’ or “to dream” – but there is no authoritative linguistic source for this.
After about 1.7km the track starts descending into Yileen Gully, while we continue along Yileen Spur. Looking west there are views across the Grose Valley to the imposing cliffs on the other side.
Not far away to the east is Mount Banks, where we’d planned to be today… although there’s no longer a track along Yileen Spur, the undergrowth is fairly light and there are some very open, grassy sections.
Towards the end of the spur is a series of small pagodas, which offer an elevated spot for more views over the Grose Valley and back up Yileen Spur .
As we approach the end of the spur there are some great views to Rigby Hill to the east (where we can just make out some small figures making their way along the track to the summit) over Yileen Gully to the west.
The best views are from the end of Yileen Spur, with Yileen Gully one one side and Pierces Creek on the other, and the Grose Valley stretching out directly ahead with Mount Hay and Hay Wall in the distance.
Perched above Yileen Gully on the opposite side is a dramatic rock formation, and on the other side of the Grose Valley is Bald Head, Hanging Rock and Burra Korain Head.
This is far as you can go – without abseiling! The Yileen Canyon exit route is almost directly beneath us, buit there tall cliffs and a significant drop on all sides. We re-trace our steps back up Yileen Spur, but this time after about 4.5km we head straight down into a gully formed by a truibutary of Pierces Creek. Within fifteen minutes, the scrub and eucalptus forest has changed into dark, semi-rainforest.
Our destination is an enormous, natural amphitheatre along a small creek; I’d read about this on a recent Upper Blue Mountains Bushwalking Club trip report, and with huge thanks to Bill Beck (who also shared his panoramic photo below) we managed to confirm with him the location of this spectacular cavern.
Reminding me slightly of Dr Darks Cave which is on the opposite side of the Grose Valley, the Yileen Amphitheatre has a waterfall which drops down in front of the enormous overhang, and huge Coachwood trees towering above the amphitheatre in seach of sunlight.
It’s especially special being such a contrast to the spur above: darker, much cooler and offering a sense of isolation. Eventually and reluctantly we head back to the top of the spur, not quite re-tracing our steps but following the gully formed by the unnamed creek. Once back on Yileen Spur we again mostly re-trace our route, taking a small detour to visit a small rock platform that offers a nice view down Yileen Gully and over the Grose to Bald Head and Docker Head (Perrys Lookdown) at the north-eastern end of the Blackheath plateau.
It’s a easy finish to our half-day walk as we pick up the track again for the final stretch back to Bells Line of Road.
There are not doubt more variations of this bushwalk which you could do, including following the canyoning track down into Yileen Gully (you’d need to return the same way, with multiple abseils required if continuing into the canyon) – but even just the walk down the spur to the end is worth it for the outstanding Grose Valley views.
Getting to Yileen Spur
The bushwalking track that goes part way along Yileen Spur before descending into Yileen Gully starts opposite Mount Wilson Road along the Bells Line of Road – parking is available on both sides of the road. It’s about 55km (45min) drive from Richmond via Bilpin or 7.5km (5min) from Bell.
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