The Catchment

The Catchment page presented here describes the various streams, tributaries and sub-catchments of the Leura Falls Creek catchment, south Katoomba–Leura. A range of maps, and contemporary and historical views of the catchment, assist with the identification and analysis of these features.

Leura Falls Creek and the catchment

South Leura and the adjoining environs of south Katoomba are home to a number of streams. A major stream is Leura Falls Creek. Minor tributaries of the creek rise in Kingsford Smith Park and Waratah Street (east), Katoomba, and in swamps and forests located north of Megalong Street, south Katoomba–Leura.

A catchment is an area of land, usually surrounded by mountains or hills, over which water flows and is collected…When water reaches the lowest point in a catchment, it eventually flows into a creek, river, lake, lagoon, wetland or the ocean.
McDonald G (2018) Streamwatch Australian Museum https://australian.museum/get-involved/citizen-science/streamwatch/streamwatch-what-is-a-catchment/

Major tributaries of Leura Falls Creek are Gordon Creek, Linda Creek, Banksia Streamlet and several small streams located on the Sublime Point plateau. As tributaries, their respective catchment areas are sub-catchments of the broader Leura Falls Creek catchment. Embracing all of these various sub-catchments, the Leura Falls Creek catchment extends across urban south Leura and Katoomba, and south to the creek’s junction with the Kedumba River.

Leura Falls Creek catchment localities Source: Google Earth Pro 2021 Image © 2021CNES/Airbus

Note: the maps and aerial views presented here only approximately represent the catchment’s watersheds i.e. the perimeters of the catchment.

The Leura Falls Creek catchment is approximately bounded to the north by the Great Western Highway and Main Western Railway transport corridor; to the east by Moola Trig Station (Benjamin Lane) and Sublime Point Road; to the west by Katoomba and Lurline Streets and to the south by the escarpments, valleys and ridges that extend to the Kedumba River. Unregulated storm-water flows, urban rubbish and weeds damage the natural areas of the catchment.

For a map of the precise Leura Falls Creek urban sub-catchment, see

Leura Falls Creek urban catchment Source: BMCC 2016 Download

This view reveals the urban and intact natural area components of the Leura Falls Creek catchment, and the creek’s junction with the Kedumba River.

Leura Falls Creek to Kedumba River Source: Google Earth Pro 2021 Image © 2021CNES/Airbus

Gordon Creek’s various tributaries rise in the commercial and residential areas of south Leura. They merge in the Blue Mountains National Park to form a single stream, which plunges over the escarpment at Gordon Falls. Adverse urban impacts are also degrading Gordon Creek, the adjoining swamps and woodland riparian areas: weeds, erosion and urban rubbish such as plastic bottles and bags.

Linda Creek, although barely a few kilometres in length, has many spectacular cascades and waterfalls. Despite a relatively small, urbanised catchment, much of it located on the south Katoomba plateau, Linda Creek is permanently supplied with water by a surrounding network of valley-side (also known as hanging) swamps. Protected within the National Park, the beautiful swamps and their ferns are in a relatively good condition. Sewage spills, weeds and urban rubbish are major negative impacts.

Banksia Streamlet also rises on the predominantly urbanised south Katoomba plateau, cascading over the escarpment and gliding through Leura Forest on its way to Leura Falls Creek. The sedge and fern swamps that line Banksia Streamlet along its upper reaches have been significantly damaged by concentrated storm-water flows and weeds. Sublime Point plateau also contributes a network of minor streams and intermittent flows to the Leura Falls Creek catchment.

The eastern side of the Three Sisters at Katoomba, from Sublime Point Reserve, south Leura Source: David Coleby 2021 — The eastern side of the Three Sisters, Katoomba, viewed from the restored Sublime Point Reserve, south Leura Source: David Coleby 2021

Historical views of Ngurra and Leura Falls Creek catchment

From time immemorial Australian First Nations communities occupied, managed and nurtured Ngurra, Country, also now referred to as the Blue Mountains. Despite historical processes of ongoing dispossession and discrimination that resulted in extensive social disadvantage, these vital connections to Ngurra continue (see References).

The waters of the upper tributaries of Leura Falls Creek come together at Meeting of the Waters, then tumble down Leura Cascades to Bridal Veil Falls and Leura Falls. Although an engaging piece of art, the stream network displayed on this tourist map is not an entirely reliable depiction of reality!

Blue Mountains from Lawson to Lithgow - topographical features, pleasure resorts & points of interest approximately 1909 Source: Blue Mountaiuns City Library — Blue Mountains from Lawson to Lithgow approximately 1909 Source: Blue Mountains City Library

This 1956 map nicely illustrates the approximate urban bounds of the extended Leura Falls Creek catchment. The rail and highway transport corridor (top), Katoomba Street and Kingsford Smith Park (centre left), Lurline Street (centre right), and the golf links and Sublime Point Road (right) are distinctive catchment perimeter areas. The mapping of Leura Falls Creek is reasonably accurate!

Map Katoomba - Leura, Upper Blue Mountains NSW 1956 Source: Blue Mountains City Library — Map Katoomba – Leura, Upper Blue Mountains NSW 1956 Source: Blue Mountains City Library

A 1930s aerial view (below) reveals extensive fragments of the catchment’s original forest and swamp communities. The Blue Mountains rail and highway corridor (left), Katoomba urban area (foreground), Megalong Street connecting Katoomba and Leura, and Leura Mall (upper centre) are visible. Several tributaries rise in forests and swamps (left of Megalong Street) to form Leura Falls Creek, which flows south through the wooded Leura Park (right of Megalong Street) to Meeting of the Waters and Leura Cascades.

Looking East Over Katoomba Leura approximately 1930 Source: Government Printing office State Archives NSW — Looking east over Katoomba and Leura approximately 1930 Source: Government Printing office State Archives NSW

From the same series of aerial shots, here is a view of south-east Katoomba, and the Katoomba plateau. The vegetation of the Leura Falls Creek tributaries that rise in Katoomba is visible (foreground and centre right to left), and also Leura Park (far left). Mount Solitary is in the background (left).

Looking South over Katoomba and Jamison Valley approximately 1930 Source: Government Printing Office State Archives NSW — Looking south over Katoomba and Jamison Valley approximately 1930 Source: Government Printing Office State Archives NSW

Another informative aerial view, looking to the west this time, reveals the Sublime Point plateau (foreground), Gordon Falls Reserve (lower right), then Leura Park with Leura Falls Creek (centre right), and the south Katoomba plateau.

'Looking west over Leura Jamison Valley and Katoomba' approximately 1930 Source: Government Printing Office State Archives NSW — ‘Looking west over Leura, Jamison Valley and Katoomba’ approximately 1930 Source: Government Printing Office State Archives NSW

A 1930s view of the Leura Falls Creek valley catchment reveals the Three Sisters, and the extended Echo Point watershed (foreground centre and right). The Sublime Point escarpment and extended watershed are visible in the background.

'Katoomba and the Three Sisters New South Wales' Leura Falls Creek in valley Approximately 1930s Source: E.W. Searle National LIbrary Australia — ‘Katoomba and the Three Sisters New South Wales’ Leura Falls Creek in valley 1930s Source: E.W. Searle National LIbrary Australia

This is a 1940s view of the catchment, looking towards the south-east, and revealing south Katoomba–Leura. A major tributary of Leura Falls Creek forms in Kingsford Smith Park, Katoomba (foreground). The catchment group has recently conducted environmental repair works in the park (see Archives).

Kingsford Smith Memorial Park approximately 1940 Source: Blue Mountains City Council

Here is an undated (approximately 1940–50) aerial view of the urban catchments of Leura Falls Creek (left) and Gordon Creek (right), looking north. A comparison with the same scene in 2021 reveals that in recent decades much of the open space of the upper Gordon Creek catchment has been converted to housing. The extent of the vegetation in Leura Park and Gordon Falls reserve appears to have remained reasonably stable; possibly the quality has diminished, due to weed infestation.

'Aerial view, Leura' undated (approximately 1940-50) Gordon Falls reserve right, Leura Park left Source: Springwood Historical Society Blue Mountains City Library — Left: ‘Aerial view, Leura’ undated (approximately 1940-50) Gordon Falls reserve (right) Leura Park (left) Source: Blue Mountains City Library Right: Aerial view Leura 2021 Gordon Falls reserve (right) Leura Park (left) Source: Google Earth Pro 2021 Image © 2021CNES/Airbus

Aerial view Leura 2021 Gordon Falls reserve right, Leura Park left Source: Google Earth Pro 2021 Image © 2021CNES/Airbus — Left: ‘Aerial view, Leura’ undated (approximately 1940-50) Gordon Falls reserve (right) Leura Park (left) Source: Blue Mountains City Library Right: Aerial view Leura 2021 Gordon Falls reserve (right) Leura Park (left) Source: Google Earth Pro 2021 Image © 2021CNES/Airbus

A 1960s view of the catchment reveals that the natural vegetation of Sublime Point plateau is still relatively intact, with the exception of the now restored quarry. The Rest Park tributary of Gordon Creek appears to be still free flowing, with intact swamps, in contrast to its current piped condition. The major tributaries of Leura Falls Creek are clearly visible: Kingsford Smith Park and its vegetated tributary (far left); a further tributary and its associated swamps to the north-east of the park; an upper tributary with cleared areas possibly utilised for dairy farming (left upper).

Leura Falls Creek catchment 1966 Source: NSW Government Spatial Services © Department of Customer Service 2020 | Esri, HERE, Garmin, USGS, METI/NASA | © Department of Customer Service 2019 | — Leura Falls Creek catchment 1966 Source: NSW Government Spatial Services © Department of Customer Service 2020 | Esri, HERE, Garmin, USGS, METI/NASA

Nearly thirty years later, further incremental housing and industrial development, and consequent diminution of the natural areas within the catchment can be observed. The industrial area of the upper tributary of Leura Falls Creek is steadily being developed. Residential development of the Sublime Point plateau has commenced.