Sublime Point track to reopen once landslip repair works are complete

The track is finally being repaired so people can once again scale the Illawarra Escarpment, National Parks and the local State MP have said.

This will be cheered by the thousands of people who turned the track into one of the Illawarra's most popular walking tracks before it was closed after heavy rains in March 2022.

Many had not known National Parks NSW had made the decision to complete the work needed and reopen the track, which starts from Foothills Rd in Austinmer.

But how long the works will take, and when the track will reopen, are still unknown.

National Parks NSW confirmed to the Mercury that the job had started, with the first section to the Gibson Track completed.

"NPWS is working to reopen the total length of Sublime Point Walking Track," a NPWS spokeswoman said.

"The geotech report indicates the work needed to address the rockfall risk is extensive and this will take time to complete.

"NPWS cannot provide a completion date at this stage but will do so when known."

On Thursday there was no shortage of people wanting to scale the ascent. Milly James and Patrick Nadoll were visiting from Berlin and had Sublime on their list of must-see sights.

Mr Nadoll had bought a book on walks in the Sydney region and this one stood out.

"We know the area quite well but we haven't done this walk," Mr Nadoll said.

"It's obviously an iconic track to be in a book, right? I was looking forward to the views, a bit of exercise."

"The photographs looked really amazing," Ms James said.

For most of the year it had been unclear whether the Sublime Point track would be reopened.

For months National Parks and Wildlife NSW had said it was awaiting the results of a geotechnical study to see whether the track could be made safe.

Then, a decision had to be made about whether the extent and expense of the work needed would be acceptable.

In August Member for Heathcote Maryanne Stuart said the NSW Government and NPWS were "determined to reopen the Sublime Point walking track as soon as possible".

She said the NPWS geotechnical report had identified "more than 90 individual landslide risks along the track", and the track would remain closed while "works take place to reopen the track as soon as possible".

Last week Ms Stuart put out a media release titled "Sublime Surprise as Track Opens for Christmas" - but it was actually the nearby Gibson track which was open.

The walk to Sublime Point remained closed, but the lower section had been repaired and upgraded with more than 170 sandstone steps installed.

This part leads to both the Gibson Track and the Sublime climb but only the Gibson was open - walkers have to turn south along a 1.5km loop rather than heading up the steep incline to the top.

Ms Stuart said the NPWS report had identified more than 90 individual landslide risks along the track.

A "trigger action response plan" was to be developed based on "rainfall thresholds", suggesting the track may be closed for periods in response to heavy rains.