'Inherently dangerous' tourist lookout closed after going viral

An iconic lookout in the Blue Mountains has been closed after the local council claimed a growing number of visitors were ignoring safety warnings.

Lincoln's Rock is located in Wentworth Falls, west of Sydney, and features uninterrupted views of the World Heritage Blue Mountains National Park.

With the site being unfenced, visitors are able to sit on the edge of the rock and look out towards Mount Solitary and the Jamison Valley, making it a popular picture spot and giving the location a growing reputation on social media.

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There was a particular surge in visits to the rock after K-Pop star Jennie posted a video of herself sitting on the edge of the rock in 2023.

The singer and actress has over 89 million followers on Instagram.

Some people have also carved their names or initials in the rock over many decades, causing degradation concerns.

However, the Blue Mountains City Council announced it was closing the lookout until April, on the grounds that the site is not equipped to safely deal with the massive increase in visitors.

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Mayor Mark Greenhill claims some visitors are ignoring basic safety warnings.

"Lincoln's Rock is a stunning but inherently dangerous clifftop location within a World Heritage-listed area," he said.

"While we understand how much locals and tourists value this site, we cannot in good conscience keep it open while people ignore basic safety precautions at an unfenced cliff edge."

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Greenhill said Lincoln's Rock would be closed until April 30 at least as the Council reviews options to make the site safer, as well as protecting the local environment.

"As the popularity of the site has grown, visitors have ventured further into intact bushland which significantly impacts upon native vegetation and wildlife," he claimed.

Greenhill said the Council would look to address several issues during the closure, including illegal parking, littering and traffic congestion.

The popular site didn't have a car park for years, with a small, basic one created in 2021.

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