Ruined Castle & Golden Stairs access post landslides

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Ruined Castle & Golden Stairs access post landslides

Postby hairyfoots » Tue 27 Sep, 2022 10:29 am

Hello,
Was thinking of doing the Castle Head abseil trip and heading back up the Golden Stairs.

According to the NPWS website, the Golden Stairs are open - if accessed on foot from the Narrowneck lookout - but the 'Ruined Castle walking track' is still closed, and the Mt Solitary loop is closed owing to landslides near Ruined Castle.

Has anyone been down the Golden Stairs lately and can confirm how far along the track is open/closed? If it's just right near Ruined Castle we should be ok. If it's closed at the base of the Golden Stairs and genuinely dangerous beyond that we might have to rethink.
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Re: Ruined Castle & Golden Stairs access post landslides

Postby johnw » Tue 27 Sep, 2022 11:53 am

Yes, some of those alerts can be unclear or ambiguous.
Unfortunately I haven't been along there since well before Covid and the current problems.
This sounds like one of those outlying exceptions that hopefully should be OK.
But my educated guess is that they will have it signposted closed at the bottom of the Golden Stairs.
If you're really keen to do the trip I suggest calling the office for approval. If they give the OK note the name of who you speak to.
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Re: Ruined Castle & Golden Stairs access post landslides

Postby jonnosan » Tue 27 Sep, 2022 1:32 pm

I went down the golden stairs a few weeks ago and the track to ruined castle was closed (i.e. roped off with a 'track closed' sign) right at the bottom of the stairs.
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Re: Ruined Castle & Golden Stairs access post landslides

Postby hairyfoots » Tue 27 Sep, 2022 5:00 pm

Thanks, sounds like what we feared is the case.

I wonder where the landslides actually are.
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Re: Ruined Castle & Golden Stairs access post landslides

Postby Neo » Tue 27 Sep, 2022 7:43 pm

hairyfoots wrote:Thanks, sounds like what we feared is the case.

I wonder where the landslides actually are.


The usual spot is above the track between the rail and ruined castle. There may be more or new areas too.
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Re: Ruined Castle & Golden Stairs access post landslides

Postby keithj » Wed 28 Sep, 2022 7:24 am

50m before reaching the steep step ascent to Ruined Castle there's a flat area where the toilet is. I believe that has been washed out.

I'd guess that flat area is loose packed spoil from mines and is therefore unstable to the point of being dangerous.

As others have mentioned the track is closed at the base of Golden Stairs.
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Re: Ruined Castle & Golden Stairs access post landslides

Postby Avidbushwalker » Wed 05 Oct, 2022 11:56 am

On the past weekend, I couldn't see any obvious landslides from Castlehead looking down on Ruined Castle but it may not be obvious from above perhaps?
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Re: Ruined Castle & Golden Stairs access post landslides

Postby Avidbushwalker » Tue 18 Oct, 2022 8:02 pm

Anyone know the scheduled time frame for repairs to be completed to allow access to Ruined Castle (and Mt Solitary) via Golden Stairs?
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Re: Ruined Castle & Golden Stairs access post landslides

Postby Neo » Tue 18 Oct, 2022 9:45 pm

Find the website for a National Park, click on the little yellow alerts tab then scroll hoping you don't find the spot you want to go is closed. Have to scroll the lot, usually timeframes are general such as closed until XX month, last reviewed xx month. Then often gets bumped along until the repairs have been able to be got to.

https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/th ... cal-alerts

This link doesn't mention the golden stairs specifically but the track at the bottom is closed...
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Re: Ruined Castle & Golden Stairs access post landslides

Postby jonnosan » Wed 19 Oct, 2022 9:07 pm

I think closures arising from landslides can be years, due to risk of further slips. The section of Cliff Drive above Leura Cascade I think has been closed for 2 years so far (for cars at least, I think the area was opened for walkers after maybe 1 year)
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