In 1974, entry was closed a mudslide "obliterated" the access track. By 1936, Orphan Rock was floodlit at night. Previously, it had only been scaled by enthusiastic climbers but the hazardous work being completed meant many more tourists could behold a "magnificent view" of the Katoomba Falls. In 1934, this isolated rock was of such interest to tourists that Katoomba Municipal Council spent part of its £5000 development-money on the track and stairs to the summit. Dash's Department Store in Leura flew advertising banners from it. By 1924, the Simos Brothers used Orphan Rock as the logo for their Paragon Restaurant. Despite rumours about deaths and suicides, this seems the only accident reported in Trove. A passer-by found him and took him to hospital. He began to crawl slowly to safety, with a broken arm, cuts over his body and face and hip injuries. On November 1, 1920, Sydney Webster fell over the cliffs at Orphan Rock, luckily landing on a ledge only 40 feet below. There she stands to this day, awaiting her people's return.
A good spirit rescued her before she could be re-captured, turning her into a pillar of rock. A young girl, seized by another tribe, bravely escaped her captors who chased her relentlessly. In 1910, the Sunday Times (April 17) and the Blue Mountain Echo (30 April) explained Orphan Rock's formation. Orphan Rock, standing alone, was once connected to the cliff face in this way. The Three Sisters today show these strong vertical joint planes between them. Geologically, Orphan Rock was formed around 170 million years ago when erosion followed the planes of weakness called joints. Until the early 20th century, its lure was stronger than the Three Sisters, perhaps because it was more easily visited as Echo Point remained part of Sir Frederick Darley's Lilianfels estate until 1908 and tourists had to negotiate private access. (Blue Mountain Echo Saturday )." This mystery attracted late 19th century Mountain visitors who came to see Orphan Rock, Katoomba Falls and the coal mine at the base of the cliffs. What mystic bodies created this prehistoric structure? It is 'a picturesque pillar of grey, time-worn stone, detached from the main mass, towering above the coal mines'. Secondly, Blue H-28 proved that deep water drilling could be efficiently performed in an operationally difficult area characterized by high seas and numerous icebergs."A brooding monolith, isolated, menacing, Orphan Rock excites the imagination. Firstly, Blue H-28 provided a wealth of stratigraphic, paleontological and geochemical data pertinent to the geology of the Orphan Basin. Accordingly, Blue H28 represented a true pioneering effort to drill in an almost unexplored basin as well as to extend drilling technology beyond its proven capability.īlue H-28 did not prove to be an oil or gas discovery well, however the well did achieve two significant accomplishments.
#ORPHAN BLUE ISO#
The closest control well for Blue H-28 was the BP et al Bonavista C-99 well located ISO km southwestwards (Fig. Only two oil and gas exploration wells and a Joides DSDP core hole had been drilled in the Orphan Basin prior to the Blue H-28 drilling project. John's, Newfoundland in the Orphan Basin. The Blue H-28 well was drilled 340 km northeast of St.
Blue H-28 obtained additional distinction since it was drilled to a total depth of 6,103 m (20,023 ft.) there by setting a new Canadian onshore and offshore drilling depth record (Fig. The Blue H-28 well also established a new Canadian water depth record for oil and gas drilling. Prior to the drilling of Blue H-28, the world water depth record for oil and gas exploratory drilling had been held by a well drilled offshore Spain in early 1979 in 1,354 m (4,441 ft.) of water (Fig. In mid-1979 the Texaco Shell et al Blue H-28 wildcat well was drilled on the continental slope of Newfoundland in 1,486 m (4,876 ft.) water depth and established a new world record water depth for oil and gas drilling.