A single Instagram post by Blackpink’s Jennie in 2023 triggered a visitor boom so intense that the Blue Mountains lookout known as Lincolns Rock has been shut since January 2026. It will remain closed until at least 30 November.
On 26 May, Blue Mountains City Council unanimously adopted a low-visitation management plan for the Wentworth Falls site, cementing a strategy that drew on more than 250 community submissions.
The plan is a direct response to the overtourism crisis that transformed the once-quiet sandstone platform overlooking the Jamison Valley into a crowded hotspot. After the K-pop singer’s post, the site saw hundreds of visitors each day, leading to safety incidents, environmental degradation and complaints from locals.
Cr Mark Greenhill, Mayor of Blue Mountains City Council, said the community had been clear. “Lincolns Rock is a unique and much-loved place, but it is also a sensitive site that must be managed carefully,” Mayor Greenhill said. “Around 80 per cent of more than 250 submissions supported a low visitation approach, and that is what this plan delivers.”
“This is a responsible and balanced plan,” Mayor Greenhill said. “It allows the public to continue accessing this extraordinary place, while responding to the very real safety, environmental and amenity concerns that have been raised by residents and the broader community.”
The rock, named after mountaineer Lincoln Hall and previously known as Honeymoon Rock or Wedding Rock, sits in a World Heritage-listed area. Its sudden fame mirrored the way Instagram can catapult quiet places into overtouristed icons, a phenomenon the council has been battling with temporary closures, ranger patrols and, in 2021, a small car park with 16 spaces and an accessible bay.
Wentworth Falls resident Cam told CNN he supported the closure, saying Lincolns Rock should not reopen until visitor numbers can be properly managed. The Blue Mountains Conservation Society has also contributed to management discussions, while online forums on TripAdvisor and Facebook show locals debating the impact of Instagram-driven crowds.
If you are planning a visit, check the official BMCC website at bmcc.nsw.gov.au/lincolns-rock-reserve for reopening updates after November. Until then the site is closed and attempting access is both dangerous and illegal. When it does reopen, expect managed pedestrian access only. Parking will be restricted and tourist coaches will be limited, so do not plan a bus or coach tour.
The council says the extended closure through November will allow time to scope safety enhancements, roll out resident-consulted parking restrictions and install traffic measures. The plan is guided by five principles: respecting Country, protecting the environment, sustainable visitation, residential amenity and public safety.
The low-visitation model marks a deliberate shift from high-traffic lookouts like Echo Point, where infrastructure is expanded to accommodate crowds. Here, the council is capping numbers instead, prioritising the rock’s cultural and environmental fragility. As Mayor Greenhill said in January, the site had become “too much, too unsafe, and it’s degrading the environment.”
The full plan can be read on the council website.
Quick Facts
Blue Mountains City Council
Local government authority responsible for the City of Blue Mountains in New South Wales, Australia. It manages planning, environment, community services and tourism in a UNESCO World Heritage area popular with Sydneysiders.