Beautiful Govett's Leap in Blackheath, New South Wales, Australia.
Sent by Barbara, a postcrosser from Blackheath, NWS, AUstralia.
"A talk by Brian Fox on the place names of the Blue Mountains entitled "Why is it called Govett's Leap?" was held on Wed, Dec 3, 2003, at Lawson Mid-Mountains Community Centre.
Forty Bushcare volunteers and friends attended. Brian revealed some fascinating information on the origins of many place names in the Blue Mountains, and showed how they revealed much knowledge on our Aboriginal and European ancestry.
So "Why is it called Govett's Leap?" Well the name is controversial, as the waterfall feature of Blackheath has also been called Bridal Veil Falls - thought to be more attractive to tourists. "Govett" was a surveyor under the direction of Mitchell. He was involved in the early survey work of that area. The word "Leap" is Scottish for waterfall or cataract. Brian was also keen to point out that the local myth is just that, another tourist industry story. The story involves a supposed Bushranger "Govett" who robbed a bank in Blackheath, was chased to the end of the ridge and then rode over, the gold apparently never being found. The monument on the Great Western Highway refers to this." (Source)
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