Locals and visitors love Cahill's Lookout - which boasts clear views to the West over the Megalong Valley. Situated a short drive from Katoomba (but not walkable from Katoomba), this lookout sits alongside the famous Boar's Head Lookout with its precarious sandstone rock platforms. Cahill's Lookout has recently undergone a refit in recent years and the old dirt/gravel track has been sealed & cemented with guide rails - and and new safety rails and fencing wire have been installed - with a few scattered benches for the sunset watchers. Unfortunately, Council have placed a parking meter system at the carpark and 'no-parking' signs now litter the roadside nearby.
This was previously a nearly unknown location but now we see multiple busloads of tourists arriving at sunset who crowd the viewing platforms, trample the plants off the track and who can (on occasion) be spectacularly rude. The viewing platform becomes crowded several times each day, especially near sunset and even more so when celestial events like Comets and Lunar Eclipses occur... with a surprising number of Korean, Japanese and Chinese tourists that are bussed to this location at sunset every single day, filling the platform to capacity - trying to capture images on their phones for Social Media. Fortunately, most are polite, courteous and friendly. Quite a few of the more serious astrophotographers enjoy shooting from this lookout due to the unencumbered view directly West.
For those who are there after sunset, watch your feet as local wildlife and harmless geckos will come out to feed on the pathway at night and some are so well camouflaged against the cement that they are easily missed, even when you're watching for them.
Last month I observed a party that was threatened by a Korean "tour guide" who menacingly demanded everyone turn off their phones and cameras because the light from the LCDs was allegedly affecting his 10-second exposures of each of the 20+ people in his group that were standing on a podium for selfies with the Milky Way behind them. He had been photographing them in the dark for over an hour and was counting backwards from ten-to-one in Korean as the timed exposures took place. Listening to his droning voice for over an hour counting down from ten in Korean again, and again, and again really crushed the atmosphere. Others at the podium applauded loudly when he eventually left. This is a public place and such demands are ridiculous.
I've taken numerous visitors here, including locals and travelers from overseas - and they just can believe the views at daytime. A recent sunset I attended here last month saw over 120 tourists arrive and many jostled for standing room. All of them posing for selfies or portraits on the pathways, making it hard to get from the carpark to the viewing platform. Knowing this, plan your visit to enable you to arrive ahead of the crowds.
RATING:
I'd love to give this location review 5 stars - but the constant crowding, car parking prices, limited available parking and poor tourist behavior demands otherwise. I'd rate this location 5 Stars for the Views alone, and just 3 Stars for the overall Experience.
PROS:
Internet/Phone signal.
Breathtaking and remarkable views West.
Superb location for viewing the Sunset.
Popular location for Astrophotographers.
CONS:
No public bathrooms anywhere nearby.
Irritated locals living opposite the carpark.
SHARP metal fence fittings hidden behind rails.
The small viewing platform often becomes crowded.
Tourist bus drivers double-parking, blocking parked cars.
This area is better shaded from wind and therefore attracts mosquitoes towards dusk.
Not all of the international tourists are polite.
Venomous snakes routinely seen on the path and also at the lookout (to be expected in a National Park of course!)
No disabled access to the outer lookout platforms, though a ramp and a distance of flat walkway exists, allowing access to the first seat...
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