Did Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth really carve their names into the tree at Pulpit Hill ?
The Explorers Tree at Katoomba, through its perceived association with the expedition of Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth in 1813, has achieved the status of a national symbol. For many it stands as one of the few surviving tangible links to the early period of Blue Mountains exploration and, in particular, to the first major triumph of land exploration in Australia. Periodically, however, its authenticity is questioned and lively debate erupts in the correspondence columns of the press. Strong feelings are aroused. This occurred, for example, in August / September 1905 in The Sydney Morning Herald and, more recently, in The Blue Mountains Echo in June 1983 when it was suggested that the marked tree was a deliberate fabrication of the early tourist operators. It is somewhat uncertain when the tree first came to public notice as an historical site. There is no mention of it in the journals of Blaxland, Lawson or Wentworth although they, like George Evans after them, blazed many trees to m
