Thread: Blue Mountains, Sydney, Australia

I recently had the pleasure of heading out of the city for an overnight jaunt out to the Blue Mountains and was instantly reminded of how varied Australia is. From the largest city in Australia, the hustle and bustle and trust me as I headed out along the highway there was definitely hustle and bustle, to within 2 hours being out to one of Australia’s World Heritage listed wonders the Blue Mountains, and finding peace, quiet, fresh air and an instant holiday destination.

The Blue Mountains is one of Sydneyites favourite getaways for a weekend or a day trip, which makes it the perfect option for a shore tour or a pre or post cruise destination. For those short on time Katoomba is the place to head to. This gorgeous little historic township dates back to 1879 when the Katoomba Coal mine was opened. It quickly became a little economic ‘gold’ mine and with the opening of the ‘Grand Western Hotel’ in 1882 more people made their way out west. Many of these stately homes and shops from this boom still exist today and give the town plenty of character now in the form of fabulous little restaurants, classic antique shops or some beautiful accommodation.

The highlight and the reason that most head to the Blue Mountains is the unusual rock formation fondly known as ‘The Three Sisters’. On the edges of Katoomba, a two minute drive from the town centre you will find yourself at the edge of a massive gorge. From there you have a spectacular view of this unique formation, surrounded by the Eucalypt forests, that provide the this area with the Blue Haze that gives the area its name. How long you spend at the ‘Three Sisters’ is entirely up to yourself. It can become quite crowded as everyone get their Happy Snaps, but you definitely want to get these great pictures (handy hint: for those staying overnight, they light up the ‘Three Sisters’ at night so you can see it from a unique perspective without the crowds). There are a number of options then of how you may spend your time in this area. For a easy, relaxed more type of sightseeing perhaps you would like to take the Scenic Skyway, Australia’s first cable car for some spectacular views. Or for those who enjoy a little adventure and have no qualms about heights, the Scenic Railway is the steepest railway incline in the world and will take you down into the valley. From there enjoy some easy walking through the forests, with interesting posts about the wildlife and history of the area, almost like a grown up Eye Spy.


For those who are enthusiastic walkers and relatively fit there is always the challenge of the Giant Staircase, more than 861 steps down into the gorge. Now I don't mean the challenge bit lightly :-) It is a fantastic walk with amazing views, but and this is especially if its warm, you do want to make sure you are up for the challenge. I had to admit I am not as fit as I like to think I am and I suffered the next day with some sore muscles as well as had a few choice words around the 700 step mark. Once you reach the bottom it is a very nice easy walk, through some beautiful forests, past some lovely waterfalls and you end up by the start of the Scenic Railway to take you back up the hill again. The recommended time to complete this walk is 2.5 hours, although once you reach the bottom, if you are a fast walker you will find you can complete it in less time than this.


For those who will spend some extras days in the area there are heaps of other activities to keep you entertained. Many focused around these amazing forests and the natural beauty of the area. Head out to the Jenolan Caves,take another bush walk, kayaking, see some of the other small towns in the area and enjoy the beautiful architechture, antiques and art galleries.


Places to stay are abundant, for all types of accomodation from hotels to B&Bs, to motels, to self-contained cottages. For those who are looking at treating themselves the world-renowned Lilianfels has stunning gardens and is just 300m from the Three Sisters. With a spectacular menu,two pools and it is definitely a place to settle back and appreciate the finer things of life.



The Blue Mountains is a two hour drive from Sydney, unless you are staying overnight or under no time constraints a tour is highly recommended. Traffic in Sydney is at times challenging, and with many one way streets, frustrating. It is definitely preferable that someone else take over all that stress, after all you are on holiday and after a long day of walking, hot sun and an early start you may just find yourself a little weary. Both group tours and private tours provide a variety of options to see the highlights of the region.


For those travelling without a strict timeframe hire cars are available and a train also regularly travels to the Blue Mountains from Central Station, taking approximately 2 hours to reach Katoomba. There are bus tours that you can meet upon arriving to the Mountains.