Rachmartee

Hole in the Wall is an epic canyon off Waratah Ridge Road in the Newnes Plateau area. It is the most popular canyon in this part of Newnes due to its easy access and incredible scenery. There are many more epic canyons down this way, but require a bigger commitment and are harder to reach, many requiring overnight camps.

I first visited HITW Canyon in 2022 during a good wet season in the Blue Mountains, it’s incredible how different the same canyon can look and feel across different seasons or before and after big weather events.

These photos are of the same waterfall abseil, 2 years apart.

It is one of the most beautiful canyons in the Blue Mountains, IMO.

Full of plenty of epic caverns and cavey slot sections. And yes, that is a legitimate description for a canyon.

The second time I visited in 2024 there was so much more sand build up in the floor of the canyon, likely due to numerous flooding events we had that year. You had to be careful where you stepped as there was plenty of quick sand!

We also found this sweet little nest that must have fallen down into the canyon in a recent storm. We decided to place the nest in an elevated spot that got plenty of sun during the day, we didn’t want to move the nest too far away incase the mum was searching for the little one.

Did I say beautiful scenery?!

Right at the end of the canyon you drop into a dark, deep, wet cavern. You need a head torch to swim through the dark cavern as it’s pitch black! You’ll reach a VERY small tunnel just above the water line that you need to crawl, squeeze and climb through. I was quite anxious about this on my first trip as I don’t love tight spaces but with a group of friends it was easy. As soon as you crawl through you end up right at the exit of the canyon with plenty of space around you. I always thought this part was where the canyon got it name from but apparently not!

The canyon actually gets its name from these literally holes you see in the canyon walls right at the exit into Dingo Creek!