Great Day Trips – Sydney to the Blue Mountains
The Blue Mountains, about two hours west of
From
Katoomba is the most visited of all towns in the
Scenic World
The Katoomba Coal Mine left us not only this quaint, scenic little town but one of
The Scenic Cableway
After exploring the boardwalks and attractions, head to the steepest cableway in the southern hemisphere. Take a thrilling 545 meter ride over beautiful world heritage listed rainforest in the
The Scenic Skyway
If you are starting to get the feeling that the area is scenic, you would be right! The Scenic Skyway is the glass bottom boat of the sky – 720 meters of waterfalls, Jurassic rainforest and ravines all visible through a dizzying glass floor. Maybe not the ideal ride if you have a fear of heights but a big hit with kids and backpackers alike!
Three Sisters and Echo Point
The Three Sisters is a quintessential Australian landmark. The soft sandstone that makes up much of the
The unusual name is believed to come from an ancient Romeo and Juliet style fable in Indigenous folk law. The story goes that three sisters fell into forbidden love with three brothers from a neighbouring tribe and were turned to stone by an Elder for their own protection. The Elder was then killed so the girls were destined to stand at Echo point, frozen in stone for eternity.
Be warned, Echo Point inspires a lot of cooeeing. For foreign visitors, a cooee is an Australian yodel. Unlike its European cousin, which is seemingly performed exclusively to annoy anyone in ear shot, the cooee is a bush emergency call. It is an extremely loud birdlike call (not a scream, it definitely takes some practice!) at pitches that perfectly resonate in mountainous areas so it can be heard for many miles around. Echo Point acoustics are the perfect spot to get a cooee to “bounce” so give it a go – you never know, it might just prove a handy skill some day!
While there, visit the Echo Point Tourist Information Centre for maps, historical information and points of interest.
Adventure Travelers
The Katoomba area features countless hiking trails for the novice through to the skilled mountaineer. For beginners, a guided tour or one of the short tourist trips is recommended (numerous visitors have needed rescuing after becoming disoriented in the bushland) and there are guided overnight camping options available. Visitors can choose from over a hundred eco-treks, 4WD roads, gentle walks and serious climbs. See Katoomba Tourist Information before heading out and if you are going unguided, be sure to tell them your intended route, take plenty of water and brush up on your cooeeing skills!
Nearby attractions
Close by Leura is home to a number of museums, historical sites and spectacular photo opportunities from
For real road trippers who are thirsty for more, a drive through the mountains to many of the nearby towns is a very pleasant way to spend a day and there are plenty of good spots to stop.
Jenolan
The
The
