Butterbox Point walking track

Start at the information board in Mount Hay Carpark. After about 200 metres, keep left at the signed split for Butterbox Point; Mount Hay goes right. At the next signed junction, stay on the point track and leave the Butterbox Canyon access spur alone. The early path crosses an open ridge, so views arrive quickly. Look down for pale-green patches of hanging swamp: water seeps through the sandstone, collects over underlying clay and leaves waterlogged, peat-forming ground.

The track climbs a small rocky rise toward The Butterbox, a blocky sandstone plateau roughly 30 metres high and 100 metres across. Local bushwalker Cyril Byles named it in 1918 because it looked like a butter box. Paths skirt both sides and meet again. The right-hand line runs close to the cliff for a short stretch; the left stays farther back and passes eroded caves and overhangs. I’d take the left side if it’s windy or if exposed edges make you hesitate.

The route drops toward a rocky outcrop above the Grose Valley. From there you can pick out Walford Wall, Lockleys Pylon, Mount Banks and the winding line of Rocky Point Creek below. Reaching the lowest ledge means stepping down a couple of rocky steps, but you can stop above it and still get the view. Keep away from the unguarded edge, especially in strong wind. For a photo, include a little of the ledge or ridge in front of the wall so the scale reads.

The ridge has broad sandstone slabs striped with hard, iron-rich layers. Erosion has left rings, swirls and sharp wave-like shapes beside the escarpment. The circular bands are commonly called Liesegang rings; iron carried in groundwater precipitated into the rock, and the softer sandstone wore away around it. The deeper origin of the iron is less certain, so the patterns themselves are the story worth looking for. Give yourself a few minutes to wander among the formations, then return to the signed track rather than following faint lines toward the canyon.

Most of the walk is short and fairly straightforward, but expect uneven rock, an exposed ridge and a climb back to the carpark. The final roughly 12.5 kilometres of Mount Hay Road are unsealed and can worsen after heavy rain; reports differ on what vehicle can manage it, so check current road advice before setting out. The carpark is small and there’s no public transport. No toilets, potable water or food service were identified at the lot. Pets aren’t permitted in this national park.