Blue Mountains

Blue Mountains National Park

The Blue Mountains area consists of 1.03 million hectares of largely forested landscape on a sandstone plateau 60 to 180 kilometres inland from central Sydney, New South Wales. The Blue Mountains area is accessible within two hours by rail or road from Sydney. The view of this area is breathtaking. It offers pure nature, fascinating rock formations, numerous lookouts, waterfalls, caves, panoramic views, untamed bush and native wildlife. This is one of the most visited locations and it was designated in 2000 as a World Heritage Region. The Blue Mountains were named by the early settlers because of the bluish haze that rises from the dense eucalyptus forest. This haze contains very fine drops of eucalyptus oil which cause the special colour.

Blue Mountains is part of the World Heritage

The most famous sight is the Three Sisters at Echo Point near Katoomba. They are 240 million years old huge formations of sandstone that have been formed by slow erosion. Interesting that the Three Sister were once seven sisters and there will be one sister in a few million years later like the Orphan Rock. Their heights are 922, 918 and 906 metres. The name comes from an Aboriginal legend. Once there was a witchdoctor who had three daughters courted by three young men of another tribe. Marriage between these tribes was forbidden. The young men persisted and caused a tribal battle. As the battle endangered the sisters, their father turned them into stone to protect them from any harm. However he was killed before he could reverse the spell

The 841-step Giant Stairway from the Three Sisters to the Jamison Valley gives access to bushwalks which lead to scenic lookouts, picnic areas. The Coal Mine Exhibition demonstrates the every day’s life of the early coal miners. Over two kilometres of Broadwalk leads through the rainforest where there is information about the vegetation and wildlife. One of the best experiences is the world’s steepest Scenic Railway with 415 metre track and 250 meter drop down the cliff wall which travel through the tunnel. The Sceniscender is the steepest aerial cable car in Australia and the Skyway goes and hangs at the magnificent 323 meter altitude above the valley.