Support continues to grow for plans to create an iconic walking track, stretching more than 150 kilometres along the Illawarra escarpment.
A former Kiama mayor, Neville Fredericks resurrected the proposal, first raised in the early 1970s, to connect the Royal National Park with Cambewarra Mountain in the Shoalhaven. Last week the plan received the enthusiastic support of newly elected Shellharbour Mayor Chris Homer, who said: "I am a huge supporter of this project and having something which takes you through our bushland along the escarpment I think would be phenomenal."
Chris plans to table a motion of support for the Illawarra Escarpment Track at the first meeting of the region's mayors who form the Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation (ISJO), which he chairs.
Photographers lend their support
Leading Illawarra photographers, Damon Smith and Chris Edmond have added their voices to the growing campaign to bring the escarpment track vision to reality.
Damon Smith, who lives at Broughton Vale, can look up to the escarpment where the walking track would pass. He is a member of the working group created by Neville Fredericks to move the project forward.
As a photographer and lover of nature, Damon gets daily inspiration from the bushland environment on his doorstep. He strongly believes the escarpment track will put the region on the map, nationally and internationally, for fellow nature lovers and hikers.
"The more we explore this part of the world, the more we discover all these special places that people don't know about," Damon said. "This wild country is relatively unknown except for a small number of locals."
'Breathtaking'
While Damon has walked in many of the most beautiful places in the world, he says the Illawarra escarpment is "breathtaking".
"The more exploring and walking I do in this area the less inclined I am to go anywhere else. My eyes are continually refreshed by what they see."
Damon owns a small guest house, Wllderberry cottage, which provides a natural haven for guests who visit from all around the world. The proposed escarpment track would run along the cliff line behind Wilderberry.
Gobsmacked by amazing views
"People are gobsmacked when they visit. Typically, visitors say the views are amazing and they've never seen anything like this. They get great access to wildlife and bird watchers come from all over the world just to twitch.
"People are continually surprised by the sheer cliffs, waterfalls, rainforests and rivers – the reality is there is too much natural beauty to choose from.
"Here we are just two hours from Sydney and it's largely unknown that right here are some of the wildest places on the planet."
Mesmerised by the beauty
To the north, Corrimal-based photographer Chris Edmond walks sections of the soon to be completed Great Southern Walk every week, mesmerised by the beauty he beholds.
Chris praises the NSW Government for its investment to date providing a link between the Royal National Park and Sublime Point above Austinmer.
"The new boardwalks that are in place in the Royal National Park are made from recycled plastic and aren't as slippery as the previous wooden boardwalks. They also make the walks more accessible for the not so fit walkers who can enjoy this magnificent place," Chris said.
Through his lens Chris captures a stunning landscape, providing the sort of views and vistas which will be on offer as the track extends to the south.
"The escarpment track proposal is fantastic, and Neville Fredericks and his team deserve congratulations for reigniting what will be a truly wonderful, world-class track. I hope the NSW Government, local councils and landowners get right behind it. We have the opportunity to create something very special."
