The scenic Pool of Siloam and Lyrebird Dell Circuit Walk in Leura takes in two small waterfalls amidst beautiful forest scenery.
This quiet and unpretentious walking trail is located in the Leura area of the Blue Mountains, close to the Gordon Falls Lookout and picnic area.
It’s a great way to enjoy some unspoiled natural scenery in the Blue Mountains, with various lookouts nearby to explore.
| Pool of Siloam and Lyrebird Dell Circuit Walk | |
|---|---|
| Distance: | 1.8 km (circuit) |
| Duration: | 1 hour |
| Grade: | Easy / moderate (steep sections) |
| Dogs: | Not allowed |
Getting There
The walk starts at Gordon Falls Reserve on Lone Pine Avenue in Leura.
To get there, head into Leura Mall from the Great Western Highway, then take a left onto Olympian Parade.
The spacious parking area at Gordon Falls Reserve is located on the corner of Olympian Parade and Lone Pine Avenue (see map).
Track Notes
The circuit walk is an easy to moderately challenging trail, with a few steep sections and some parts that are a bit overgrown.
As it’s a circuit, you can walk it clockwise or anti-clockwise, but we recommend going anti-clockwise and visiting the Pool of Siloam first.
Map
The map below shows the two highlights and the parking area:
P: Parking at Gordon Falls Reserve.
1: Pool of Siloam.
2: Lyrebird Dell.
Start of the Walk
The circuit walk starts near the eastern end of the picnic area.
Look for the large Pool of Siloam Track signpost, where the track heads straight into the bush.
It begins nice and easy but soon descends steeply into the gully. This part of the path is well-maintained and easy to follow.
After a while, the track reaches an intersection with Lyrebird Dell. Keep going straight here to continue to the pool.
Pool of Siloam
As the track approaches the pool, the sound of streaming water grows louder.
The Pool of Siloam is a natural waterhole and waterfall on Gordon Creek, which drops into Jamison Valley via Gordon Falls a bit further south.
The small waterfall is at its best after rain, when more water runs through the creek, making the pool cleaner as well.
The best views of the waterfall are from the sandstone steps in front of the pool, where you can also look across to the gully on the other side.
From the waterfall, the track continues past the sandstone steps (part of the Grand Cliff Top Walk), climbing up to the Golf Links Lookout and connecting with Sublime Point Road.
If you have time, we recommend visiting that lookout because the views are quite good, though it’s a steep climb. Otherwise, you might prefer to leave that lookout for another day and continue on the circuit walk to visit Lyrebird Dell.
Lyrebird Dell
From the Pool of Siloam, retrace your steps to the intersection and turn right to follow the path towards Lyrebird Dell.
A small signpost will help you identify the intersection.
Lyrebird Dell is a valley-like area with a large sandstone cave and a small waterfall with a pool. The cave is of Aboriginal significance and now has a couple of picnic tables inside.
The waterfall here is smaller than the one at the Pool of Siloam, but it’s still a nice spot. If there’s enough water in the pool, feel free to dip your feet in.
From the waterfall, keep following the track, which from that point slowly climbs out of the gully until it reaches the road.
At that point, you can return to the car park via the road or by taking a short bushwalk that reconnects with the Pool of Siloam Track.
Lookouts Nearby
There are several lookout points nearby that are well worth a visit. Two of them are very close to each other and can both be accessed via Olympian Parade.
The Gordon Falls Lookout is the most obvious one to visit, as it’s signposted from the car park. To get there, follow the short walking trail from the information board into the bush.
The views from Gordon Falls Lookout over the Jamison Valley are excellent. The Gordon Falls waterfall is also visible, though you typically won’t see much water dropping into the valley.
A bit further down the road is the access trail to Elysian Rock, which offers similar views from a different angle. Elysian Rock features two sandstone viewing platforms connected by the historic Buttenshaw Bridge, an attraction in its own right!
Read more about Elysian Rock Lookout.
