Scores of tourists visit Sydney, a sprawling city with attractions like Sydney Harbour, Sydney Opera and others. What if we told you that in less than two hours from Sydney, you could escape the city and be in picturesque mountains replete with natural beauty and adventure thrills? We are discussing the Blue Mountains, a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising seven national parks. Read on to know how we went about exploring Blue Mountains, Australia.
Why are the Blue Mountains so-called?
The natural blue haze on the mountains is created by the eucalyptus (Nilgiri in Hindi) trees that grow on these mountains. The eucalyptus oil (Yes, the same we use for a stuffy nose) released from the trees mixes with water vapour and sunlight to produce the azure blue colour. The Blue Mountains are home to more than 100 species of eucalyptus, 400 species of animals and numerous other flora and fauna, some dating back to the Jurassic era. The Blue Mountains or Nilgiris in India on the other hand get their name thanks to the blue Neelakurinji flowers that bloom once in 12 years.
Things to do in the Blue Mountains
The Blue Mountains have small towns like Katoomba, Leura interspersed within them. There are vantage lookouts from where one can get views of the spectacular mountain vistas, treks, walking paths, and even Scenic World, which offers thrilling rides. It’s the perfect setting if you are a nature lover seeking thrills and treks.
Arriving at the Blue Mountains
We take a train from Sydney and get off at a station close to our friends- ‘The Mankads’ home. Asmita and Harshendu are a wonderful couple. We have been on holidays and excursions together. We visit their beautiful home and then drive to the Blue Mountains.
Olympian Rock Lookout
Our exploration begins by heading to the Olympian Rock Lookout in Leura Village. Our friends want us to get a panoramic view of the Blue Mountain Range from a vantage point. We come to the cliff’s edge, and low and behold, we get an unobstructed view of the Blue Mountains. The mountains covered with emerald green trees meet the azure blue skies at the horizon. There is a hint of tan sandstone where there are no trees. The sunlight trickles through the clouds in the sky, casting shadows on the mountain range. Our friends point to significant landforms: Mount Solitary, Three Sisters (a unique rock formation, but more on that later) and Sublime Point. The air is fresh, and there is no rush since we are the only tourists. Just one feeling grips me, “I am on top of the world!” both literally and metaphorically.
Echo Point Lookout in Katoomba
Katoomba is the most visited and the largest town in the Blue Mountains. It is known for its magnificent lookouts, waterfalls and Scenic World tourist attractions. We first head to the Echo Point, another lookout from where one can get sweeping views of the Blue Mountains. A signage tells us that the lookout is on a land that once belonged to the aboriginal tribes of Gundungurra and Darug. We see an expanse of lush green mountains, moss-green valleys and blue skies with fluffy clouds. Could this be real? A long horizontal banner indicates the names of the mountains and valleys that we can see from the Echo Point. Tourists are busy clicking pics and enjoying the views.
Three Sisters
The Three Sisters is an unusual rock formation in the shape of peaks that have weathered over time. Why is the rock formation called Three Sisters? Legend has it that three sisters named Gunnedoo, Meehni and Wimlah, belonging to the Katoomba tribe, were in love with three brothers from the neighbouring Nepean Tribe. However, local tribal laws didn’t allow marriage between different tribes. The brothers decided to capture the sisters and get married. When word got out, a war was waged between the tribal communities.
An elder from the Katoomba tribe, in an attempt to save the sisters from the brothers, cast a spell on the sisters, and they turned into rocks. Tragically, the elder was killed in the war. No one knew how to break the spell and bring the girls back to human forms. The three sisters continued to be rocks which one can see in the Blue Mountains. The aboriginal people, to this day, treat this site as sacred.
Walks from Echo Point
A signboard informs us that there are walks from Echo Point that one may want to undertake. It is a great way to explore the Blue Mountains and be up close to the fauna and flora. We take the ‘Three Sisters and Honey Moon Bridge Walk’, the shortest walk. As we begin our stroll, we can see the yellow and tan sandstone creating wave-like patterns. There are sculptures of birds and creatures interspersed on the pathway. We reach the point where we can get a good view of the Three Sisters. The men walk to the Honey Moon Bridge through a steep metal staircase called Giant Stairway. But the Honey Moon Bridge is closed to visitors because of rock fall risk.
Sculptures on Pathway
You may want to take other walks, like one that takes you to Scenic World, another to Leura Cascades, etc. My husband, Rafiq, is a nature lover and marathon runner. He has done more intensive but scenic treks in the Blue Mountains on his earlier trips.
Scenic World in Blue Mountains
Next, we drive down to Scenic World, a tourist attraction offering thrilling rides and adventure. The Scenic World has four prime attractions: The Scenic Railway, Scenic Skyway, Scenic Cableway and Scenic Walkway.
Scenic World – Source: https://www.scenicworld.com.au/explore
Scenic Skyway
We start with the Scenic Skyway, a ride on a cable car with a glass bottom. For the record, ‘it is the largest aerial cable car in the Southern Hemisphere.’ We step into the cable car and soon see landmarks like the Three Sisters, Katharina Waterfalls, Mount Solitary and expansive views of the Blue Mountains. We are ‘270 metres above Jamison Valley, twice as high as the Sydney Bridge!’ We take the return ride and eat a bite since it is way past lunchtime.
Scenic Railway
It is the world’s steepest railway and was used since 1878 to ferry coals from the coal mines. In 1928, it was thrown open to visitors on weekends for joy rides. We step onto the train and sit on wooden benches. The glass ceiling and doors on either side provide unobstructed views. Our train ride begins, and we descend 415 metres with a vertical drop of 206 meters. The wooden benches are inclined initially to 52 degrees; to get an adrenaline rush, we tilt them further to 64 degrees. It’s almost like a roller coaster ride as we glide down the mountain cliff. We can see the trees, vegetation, and mountains from the glass-covered ceiling and train doors. The train enters a tunnel as tourists squeal. The ride ends, and we find ourselves at the railway base station on the valley floor.
Scenic Walkway
We alight from the train and find ourselves on a wooden deck pathway, which is the Scenic Walkway. We see the Katoomba coal mine entrance, a replica of a miners’ hut, coal mine tools and artefacts, and a ventilation furnace. There are wagons with coal, a bronze statue of a miner, and his pony. Scenic World has tried to simulate the 1880s when coal mining was underway. The Scenic Walkway is under a canopy of rainforest trees. So far, we were on top and got a bird’s eye view of the mountains and trees. But now we are in the valley and can experience the rich biodiversity up close. The flora and fauna go back to the Jurassic era!
Coal Mine Entrance, Tools and Wagons
Pony Statute and Ventilation Furnace @Rafiq Somani
Scenic Cableway
We walk to the Scenic Cableway base station and hop on to the cable car. It takes us to the Scenic World Top Station. We see the Three Sisters, Orphan Rock and Mount Solitary. It is the Southern Hemisphere’s steepest cable car.
Scenic World Top Station
We alight from the cable car at the top station. There are shops where one can pick souvenirs and knickknacks or grab some refreshments.
Wentworth Falls Lake
After the adrenaline rush at Scenic World, it’s time to slow down, and we head to the Wentworth Falls Lake. It is a picnic spot with gardens, play area, and we see families and friends relaxing. A group of friends are having a tea party on the lawns, enjoying the lake view. Numerous aquatic birds like geese and ducks are swimming in the lake. We notice some sandstone sculptures in the shape of seed pods with a board mentioning the species.
Sandstone Seedpods
Lincoln’s Rock
Our friends tell us we just might get lucky to catch the sunset at Lincoln’s Rock. We get into the car and drive to Lincoln Rock. It is a lookout on the Kings Tableland Plateau in the Blue Mountains. This plateau was sacred to the aboriginal Gandangara tribe and has a few markings and structures. We reach the car park and see tourists scampering to catch a glimpse of the sun setting behind the hills. Rafiq gets out of the car, runs to the plateau, and manages to get some sunset clicks.
After parking the car, our friends and I join Rafiq at Lincoln’s Rock. There are tourists taking selfies; others are sitting on the plateau’s edge and soaking in the views of Jamison Valley. A pre-wedding photo shoot is in progress as the couples pose with the backdrop of the scenic mountains. The blue sky has turned flaming orange at the horizon in a matter of minutes. The contrast of the blue-orange sky, jade-green mountains and tan sandstone is picture-perfect. The chill in the air and breeze add to the sensory experience.
The Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia, have seduced us with their natural beauty and breathtaking views of cliffs, canyons, valleys and waterfalls. Add to that a bit of thrill and adventure at the Scenic World. We can’t thank our friends Asmita and Harshendu for being such wonderful hosts and organising this trip. If you plan to visit Sydney, visit the Blue Mountains, an hour and a half away. You won’t be disappointed and will thank us for recommending it.
GETTING THERE
Nearest Airport: Sydney Airport is the nearest with connectivity to major cities around the world. From Sydney, you can drive down to Katoomba or take a train from Central Station to Katoomba Station on the Blue Mountains Line. Distances: Sydney-Blue Mountain: 100 km, 1 hour 30 mins by road.
Where to stay: We didn’t stay overnight in the Blue Mountains. We had our hotel bookings in Sydney. But if you plan an overnight trip, look for accommodation in Katoomba or Leura Village. You can do a net search for hotels depending on budget and comfort.
Travel Tip: If you’re coming by train, purchase a Blue Mountain Explorer Bus ticket. You can hop on and off the bus and explore the various lookouts, Scenic World and other attractions.