Located just below Beauchamp Falls, Popes Falls cascades over a stepped series of ledges: “…Pope’s Falls, shows the foaming white water rushing over a bed of shaly coal, the effect produced being very pretty.” (Lithgow Mercury, 24 Apr 1900, p.2).
An earlier photograph of the waterfall dates back to 1902-1904, just after the Rodriguez Pass was opened (Platinotype by the Rev. E. G. Moberly, 1846-1920, Blue Mountains Library).
A series of waterfalls along Greaves Creek (listed in descending order below) were named after people involved in the promotion and construction of the Rodriguez Pass track. Popes Fall was named after Parke William Pope who donated significant funds to support the new track; he was the son of John Pope, the first mayor of Ashfield in 1872.
- Beauchamp Falls
- Popes Falls
- John Harris Falls
- Bettington Falls
- Foy Falls (not shown on 1908 map)
- Campbells Falls
Getting to Popes Falls
The waterfall is most easily reached from the top, by descending to the Grand Canyon Track from Evans Lookout at Blackheath (or taking the lesser-used Pilcher Point Track from Medlow Bath) and then following the historic Rodriguez Pass walking track down the falls. A longer route down the Horse Track and then up the Rodriguez Pass walking track takes you up Greaves Creek to the waterfall.
More information
- David Noble blog – Blackheath Waterfalls
- Brian Fox, Michael Keats & John Fox – Blue Mountains Geographic Encyclopedia
- Trove – Tourist’s sketch map of Blackheath and Medlow Bath 1908 / Download JPG
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