Blue Mountains
About a one and a half hour drive from Sydney is the World Heritage Listed Blue Mountains. With one million hectares of sandstone plateaus, dramatic cliffs, deep valleys and canyons, this wilderness area is invigorating. This area received its listing in 2000 due to the outstanding conservation of biological diversity. As well, six Aboriginal groups have connections with this area with cultural practices being passed down through many generations. It is possible to see rock drawings that have survived 20,000 years, and living fossils that are older than history, as in the Wollemi Pine.
The icon of the Blue Mountains is the famous Three Sisters, which is found at Echo Point in Katoomba. You can see this from the viewing platform, or for an up-close experience you can do the first part of the walk down the Giant Stairway. You can ride the Scenic Skywalk, where a glass bottom carriage glides 270 meters (886 ft) above the spectacular Jamison valley, or take the funicular down a very steep incline to the valley below. To see highlights of the area, you can watch the film The Edge on a six storey screen. And within driving distance of Katoomba, is the vintage steam train of the historic Zig Zag Railway.
The town of Katoomba is the main center of the Blue Mountains, and home to writers, musicians and artists. Here you will find accommodations ranging from luxury and boutique to motels and Bed and Breakfasts. Shopping is a must with some wonderful small arts and craft, specialty stores and art galleries, and you can get a great cup of coffee at one of a number of small cafes and restaurants. One of only two places in the Southern Hemisphere to be recognized by the Slow Food movement, local and organic produce is found in abundance. You can find these also at any of the small roadside stands.
A favorite pastime in the Blue Mountains is to go bushwalking. With over 300 walking tracks of 140 kilometers (87 miles), you can experience the lush bush and pine forests, waterfalls, valleys and find some of the hundreds of bird species, or native Australian animals. It is not uncommon to come to a pasture where many kangaroos will be grazing.
For the adventure seeker, you can horse ride in the Megalong Valley and abseiling in the Wollemi National Park. You can mountain bike in the National Park around the nearby town of Oberon. There is canyoning, rock climbing and camping tours. Or explore the spectacular Jenolan Caves, Australia’s best and amongst the world’s oldest caves. You can go adventure caving, and even experience underground concerts and ghost tours. 4-wheel drive adventure tours take you to many of the different areas of the Blue Mountains where you can do things like picnic next to a gorgeous waterfall. It is possible to fossick for precious stones, or for something less strenuous you can go trout fishing.
Further on from Katoomba are a number of smaller towns that are worth a stop, including Lithgow, where you will find the vintage steam train of the historic Zig Zag Railway. At Mount Tomah are the beautiful Botanical Gardens, and the Baccante Gardens has over 18 hectares of rhododendrons and azaleas. The Wolgan Valley is now home to a gorgeous 5-star resort, and not far from this is one of the newer and upcoming wine areas of New South Wales.
