The Blue Mountains were once thought of as the barrier to freedom, with many early settlers believing China was on the other side. 25 years later Europeans crossed the mountains and soon after a road was built to the other side. Although there are various Aboriginal markings few Aborigines were found in the Blue Mountains, thought to have been wiped out by disease.
The Blue Mountains offer spectacular scenery, plantlife and wildlife. The mountains reach a height of 1100m, and have been given their name due to the blue haze that hovered above the mountains produced by the oil from the plentiful Eucalyptus trees. The Blue Mountains National Park offers great walking trails and is still relatively untouched similar to the other national parks in the Blue Mountains. The Blue Mountains also offers other activities such as abseiling, rock climbing and canoeing, as well as accommodation.
The two main routes into the Blue Mountains are along the Great Western Highway or along the much prettier Bells Line of Road. There is also a train service from Sydney to Katoomba approximately every hour, stopping at various other places in the Blue Mountains along the way.
There are also a couple of bus services which run around the Blue Mountains. There is also a Blue Mountains Explorer bus which stops at 18 attractions around the Blue Mountains.
There are some fabulous lookout points and points of interest on the way to the Blue Mountains. Just south of Glenbrook you will find the Red Hand Cave which features a selection of Aboriginal hand stencils. Leura is a small and pretty town which offers a number of cafes and dainty stores.
Just south of this is Sublime Point a great lookout. For great views of the Jamison Valley and of course to see the spectacular Wentworth Falls head to Wentworth Falls. Katoomba is regarded as the main tourist centre and viewing area for the Three Sisters, located roughly 3km West of Leura.
Other places that are worth visiting include Anvil Rock, Evan's Lookout, Govetts Leap, Perry's Lookdown and Pulpit Rock lookouts, just outside of the small town of Blackheath. There are some wonderful bushland walks including a spectacular 4 hour walk to the Blue Gum Forest at the base of the valley.
South of Blackheath you can pass through beautiful rainforest before reaching the farmland of Megalong Valley. There are also several places to go horse riding around here, as well as a variety of accommodation places.
West of Blackheath is the pretty and historic town of Mt. Victoria. There are a number of buildings which are worth visiting, as well as a memorial for the first explorers to cross the Blue Mountains. There are also several interesting buildings in nearby Hartley.
There is a range of accommodation located around the Blue Mountains including hostels, boutique hotels, bed and breakfasts and even the unique Hatters Hideout offering mountain lodge and cave accommodation.
Featured Blue Mountains Activities
TOUR NAME
LOCATION
RATES (AUD) from
Jenolan Cave Adventure (Plug Hole) ex Katoomba(EX567) (Bushwalking, Nature & Wildlife) This tour is a great day out at the Jenolan Cave. You commence your tour from Katoomba - resort capital of the Blue Mountains. Your underworld exploration will draw on senses that you may not have exp...
Horse Riding in the Blue Mountains with Private Picnic(EX994) (Horse Riding) Winding your way slowly higher and higher, you will enjoy some of the most magnificent views in Australia - the awesome Blue Mountains. Bathed in its beautiful misty blue haze, its a vast Wilderness r...
Special Detox Package In The Blue Mountains For Two(EX1601) (Relax & Unwind) Come and escape from the stresses of daily life with a special detox getaway that will relieve you from tension and stress. Our Special Detox package includes two nights accommodation in the Blue Moun...
Purchase this DVD that captures the sweeping contrasts of New South Wales. Includes footage of the Great Dividing Range to Bathurst, Goulburn and Albury, through the rich grazing lands.
Marvel at Dubbo's Western Plain Zoo and discover the rare opal at Lightning Ridge. Explore the Ghost Towns and outback city of Broken Hill and admire the splendour of the Menindee Lakes in the Kinchega National Park.
Investigate the Minnamurra Rainforest and enjoy the waterfalls of the Illawarra Plateau. Explore the snowfields of the Snowy Mountains, Mt Kosciusko and traverse the Murray River from the Alpine headwaters to Lake Hume. Moving on to the Southern Coast of New South Wales and the panoramic vistas's of Jervis Bay, the famous Blow Hole at Kiama and north to Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay.
PLEASE NOTE: The New South Wales travel destinations outlined above are only a small selection from the tens of thousands of Australian travel information pages available on Australian Explorer. A comprehensive list of destinations for New South Wales Holidays can be found on the main New South Wales Holidays location guide.
