The Blue Mountains of NSW, Australia are justifiably a very popular destination and just 100km’s from Sydney. The Blue Mountains are a World Heritage-listed National Park, and home to the famed 3 Sisters rock formation.
People come to the Blue Mountains because it is a natural wonderland and is popular with walkers, cyclers and for romantic weekend getaways.The area is rich in Aboriginal lore.
The story of the 3 sisters, according to Aboriginal lore and legend is that there were 3 sisters who belonged to the Katoomba tribe. They fell in love with 3 brothers from the neighbouring tribe. This was taboo so a witch doctor turned them into stone to protect them. He was killed before he could reverse the spell and now we have the Three Sisters.
What to see and to do in Blue Mountains of NSW
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The spectacular view from Katoomba Scenic Point, the Katoomba waterfalls, and Echo Point. Make sure to test out whether the echo works – it does. Take your camera,
Get a Blue Mountains Hop on Hop off & Scenic World Rides Passand it will cover lots of the activities you want to do in the Blue Mountains
Scenic Railway – this is the steepest incline in the world, with a 52-degree incline and descends 310 metres through a cliff-side tunnel, coming out into the ancient rainforest at the Jamison Valley floor. It is terrifyingly good.
Scenic Walkway – 2.4kms through the rainforest and an experience when will a generic cialis be available that you won’t forget. Rug up, no matter what the season despite is having a rainforest canopy. Beautiful experience.
Scenic Skyway – this is suspended 270 metres in the air giving you a 360-degree panorama – up, out and down to the rainforest floor.
Scenic Cableway – The 545-metre journey takes you to the bottom of the Jamison Valley in a fully enclosed cabin and also returns visitors to the top of the escarpment.
How to get to the Blue Mountains of NSW from Sydney
By Train: Catch the train from Central Station and travel to Katoomba, which is about 100 km west of Sydney.
By car: From Sydney’s head west and the roads are clearly signposted.
By bus: there are innumerable bus tour companies offering day and weekend trips to the Blue Mountains NSW.
Stay: Katoomba and nearby Leura are stunning villages with 5-star hotels, B&B’s and budget accommodation to suit all of the many domestic and international visitors who travel to experience the Blue Mountains.
Why are the mountains blue?
Many believe that “the blue haze blanketing the mountains is created by the atmosphere whereby dispersed droplets of Eucalypt oil combine with dust particles and water vapour to scatter refracted rays of light which are largely blue in colour”, however there are other more scientific thoughts
Had never heard of the Blue Mountains, but your photos have certainly shown they are a worthy destination! Love the story about the three sisters (as I am one of 3), it’s always more meaningful to visit a spot with a legend, and I think I agree with Suzanne, a train ride through the area would be amazing.
I am also one of 3 sisters, so we certainly has some fun when we went as a family years ago. I love the legend though it is sad and worthy.
I haven’t visited Australia yet, but Blue Mountains are on my list. My mum visited Sydney and ventured to the mountains 15 yrs ago and loved it!
It is a very special and very mystical place to visit. Hope your mum enjoyed it.
I guess it’s time for me to plan a return trip to Sydney so we can visit the Blue Mountains. We actually have some Blue Mountains in Pennsylvania in the United States, but your Blue Mountains look a lot more spectacular further enhanced by your excellent photography.
Thank you Suzanne, and if you come to Australia we will welcome you. Actually we are coming to the states later this year, but unfortunately not to Pennsylvania.
Oh do I love Australia and the Blue Mountains look so incredible! The driving is intimidating for those of us who are used to driving on the “right” side of the road. However I think the train ride would be amazing! Thank you for the introduction!
It is an easy train trip, and we are also intimidated driving on the ‘other’ side.
We have been to the Blue Mountains – and loved every minute of it! We travelled up and down in the train many times, and across the valley in the Glass Bottom Scenic Skyway.
Also loved the Cableway – and we did walk along the walk ways…
We did two years in NSW and got to see as much as possible – From Sydney, to Wollongong, Eden and in between.
Love your photos from your trip to the Blue Mountains, we are so lucky living and travelling in Australia – so much to see and do 🙂
We live in Wollongong and it makes it so easy to get to Sydney, the Blue Mountains and the South Coast ..and the snow.
I had no idea that the scenic railway was the steepest incline in the world – just that I have fond memories of it scaring me out of my wits as a child. Do you remember the zig-zag railway – less scary but still a lot of fun.
It still scares me as I think it will hustle out into the Jamison Valley, but it is fun. Haven’t done the zig-zag railway for ages. May have to again one of these days.
I will certainly be able to trek this Park in 2017 after my daughter migrates to Sydney next year! And so is the Park fragrant, too, because of the eucalyptus trees???
Carol you will love it and yes, the Australian bush smells beautiful, and yes there is eucalyptus and more in the air.
Beautiful landscape! Blue Mountains of NSW look like a great hiking spot to me. I always think of beaches or the Outback when I think of Australia, now I can add the Blue Mountains to the list too!
Susan, there are so many places to bush walk and hike in Australia. It is a massive industry. The Blue Mountains is just one amazing place to do this.
I remember seeing the Three Sisters years ago. It was part of a motorcoach tour that also visited Jenolan Caves. It obviously was a memorable experience because I was only age 5 when I visited.
Did you make it to the caves, too?
That makes it a special memory for sure.
I’d never heard of the Blue Mountains. They look stunning in all the photos. Another place for our growing list.
They are amazing and a very popular place for people to go.
No matter what the origin of the color, the Blue Mountains are gorgeous. You’ve given some great reasons to visit and things to do, but you really grabbed my attention with the world’s steepest scenic railway. Very cool.
The scenic railway is fun if a little scary. There are lots of varying reasons for the blue haze, but it is amazing.
I love the Blue Mountains but sadly have not spent very much time in this part of Australia. I would love to visit in winter (okay maybe either side of winter) when it is still cold enough at night to get cosy in front of a warm fire. Thanks for sharing.
Definitely winter for the cosy fires, and it is cold but not bitterly cold. Hang on, yes it can be so you do need to rug up. In summer, quite the opposite where you seek out the shade.
Australia has some lovely places to visit and the Blue Mountains are way up there with the best of them. It was lovely to stroll down memory lane with the help of your photos.
Thanks Yasha, its close proximity to Sydney makes it such a popular place, but because it is so expansive, you never feel like so many other people are around ..somewhere.
I visited the Blue Mountains in Australia many years ago and remember the 3 Sisters story. Would love to return!
I love a good story, and if it is true, who knows one day the spell may be reversed. That would be interesting.
Never visited Australia, but I have to say that Blue Mountains are stunningly beautiful. Somehow, the landscape reminds me a lot about California.
You will need to come Anda, and see how very diverse Australia is.
The Blue Mountains look like such a magical place. I hadn’t heard of them—only Blue Mountain coffee from Jamaica:-)
They are magical in more than one sense of the word.
Great photos of what is clearly a very beautiful area of NSW. Somehow I doubt that I will ever find my way to Katoomba so thanks for sharing some of the beauty of the Blue Mountains in this posting.
I will post more of Australia then Denis so you can experience it through me 🙂
How did I miss the Blue Mountains of NSW when we visited Australia? All of those cablecars and railways and walkways sound so fun and dramatic. But what does “rug up” mean?
Rug up means put more clothes on to keep warm. I love it when I discover that an expression that we use on a daily basis, is something particular to Australia.
I remember visiting the Blue Mountains as a teenager with my parents and 2 younger sisters. We stood 3 sisters next to “the 3 sisters”
We did the same thing, my 2 sisters and I think my brother tried to turn us to stone. Lucky he was no shaman.
Australia’s Blue Mountains look spectacular but not a place for the acrophobic! The railway, skyway and cableway all sound like a thrilling way to view the rugged scenery. Australia’s on our “must see” list and you’ve just given us another reason to go!
I must admit that even the walk down to the 3 sisters is quite daunting for me, and yes I am an acrophobic; unless there is snow underneath. Go figure 🙂
Wow, the Blue Mountains of NSW are so beautiful and look very wild and untouched by development. I hope to get to Australia one day!
It is wild and unfortunately we tend to lose bushwalkers there and never find them; but that is mostly if they go into the valley unprepared. It is essential to have all of the gear that you might need and to also let people know that your are going in.
I love the Blue Mountains, when I lived in Sydney I spent many weekends exploring the area. Your post brought back many memories and reminding me there is so much of Australia I really need to rexplore when we get home again. Thank you
We have such a vast country, and even though we have seen a lot, i know that there is still a lot more to discover.
Paula I only finally got to Sydney last year and unfortunately didn’t get to the Blue Mountains, but it’s on my radar for our next visit, especially now after seeing what we missed.
Yes you will love it. It is a mystical and special place, both in heritage and geography, plus it has some of the quaintest little villages.
I had a ‘Little Golden Book’ of the legend of the three sisters when I was a child – and was fascinated about the Blue Mountains. It was only recently that I made it there for a very memorable weekend. Its such a beautiful part of Australia
I love the legend though it is sad. I wonder of they know how important they are. Everyone needs to know about this to really appreciate that it is a love story gone wrong.
I love the story of the three sisters. The Blue Mountains of NSW look to be a wonderful destination to get in touch with nature. I’d want to experience the railway and cableway in particular. With lots of options for accommodations, it would seem one could design a super getaway.
I love the scenic railway, it is very steep but the forest surrounds you. The cableway – not a fan, though the view is magnificent. The entire area lends itself to a lovely weekend away and we do it as often as we can.
Wow, such great photos. I have never been to the blue mountains. Near them but not to them. Hubby has because he used to tour a lot with his band through NSW. I actually had no idea how many cool things there are to do with the train and walkway and cable car. Sounds a whole lot more like somewhere we need to visit as a family now. Thanks for linking up with the #SnapshotStory link up too x
Thanks Holly and I think that you would really enjoy it. Pleased I found the #SnapshotStory.
I only just recently learned why they were “blue”mountains from a friend of my daughters who just got back from Sydney. I hadn’t realized how beautiful they were until I saw this post. Thanks.
They are amazing, and look different from so many angles.
The Blue Mountains of NSW Australia are so beautiful! I especially appreciated your listing of things to do and how best to see the mountains. Your photos are so beautiful!
Thanks Marilyn, we enjoy going up there for weekends. It is the mountain air.
I had never heard of the Blue Mountains, but your photos will certainly have me visiting next time we are in Australia. We love nature, and getting out of the city to explore it usually tops our list during our travels. Great helpful hints on how to get there and enjoy them in person.
It is a stunning area and has lots of nature and great little villages to visit.
looks beautiful! I love the story of the tragic sisters. Always cool when a legend is associated with a place.
I love stories behind places too, it is what makes them special