Anvil Rock

Anvil Rock is a weathered sandstone formation on the cliff line above Grose Valley, near Blackheath. A real metal anvil stands on the broad stone lookout, which makes this more than another place to pull over for a valley photo. It’s a worthwhile stop on the Blackheath lookouts drive if you have time for the ten-minute walk from the car park. The approach along Hat Hill Road is unsealed, so leave room for slower travel. Visitors often describe this as a quieter stop than the better-known lookouts.

The view opens over Grose Valley and Grose Gorge toward Mount Banks and Mount Hay. The sandstone walls can pick up warm light late in the day, though the effect depends on the weather and sun. The lookout sits at an exposed cliff edge; if heights make you uneasy, stay back from the edge and enjoy the view from the paved area.

Blackheath Council named the rock in 1938 because its shape resembles a blacksmith’s anvil. The metal anvil’s first arrival date is unsettled: one account gives 1940, while a local history records a 1948 donation and also recalls it being carried in around 1940. It disappeared around 1970, was found at the foot of the cliffs in 2005 after a fall of roughly 300 metres, then restored and bolted back onto the rock in 2008.

Wind Eroded Cave lies about 400 metres west of the lookout. It’s a separate sandstone feature, so treat it as another short stop rather than part of the viewing platform. The two make a good pair if you’re already taking the Hat Hill Road spur.

Anvil Rock is one stop on the 30-kilometre one-way Blackheath lookouts drive, which NPWS estimates takes about two hours for the full route. The car park is at the start of the walk. Park roads in this area can close during poor weather or fire danger, so check current NPWS alerts before setting out.