Blue Mountains, New South Wales

The blue haze that gives the Blue Mountains their name is not a weather effect or atmospheric pollution. It is volatile organic compounds – specifically oil droplets – released by the billions of eucalyptus trees across the escarpment, scattering light toward the blue end of the spectrum. The same chemical process that makes eucalyptus useful as a medicinal oil creates one of the more distinctive colour effects in Australian landscape. When you see the mountains from Katoomba’s Echo Point on a clear morning, the blue tinge is real and the trees are making it.

The Blue Mountains begin about 90 km west of Sydney and extend over 1 million hectares of protected UNESCO World Heritage landscape. The canyon systems, sandstone formations, and ancient eucalyptus forest are a substantial contrast to the coast-focused Australia that most international visitors encounter. Getting out here for a night or two, rather than a rushed day trip, changes what you see.

The Key Sights

The Three Sisters at Echo Point in Katoomba are the most photographed formation: three sandstone columns rising from the Jamison Valley at 922, 918, and 906 metres respectively. They are striking from the Echo Point lookout, which is free and wheelchair-accessible. The Aboriginal Dreamtime interpretation – three sisters transformed to stone to protect them – is explained in interpretive signage at the lookout.

Scenic World, also in Katoomba, runs four experiences: the Scenic Railway (descending 415 metres into Jamison Valley at 52 degrees, the world’s steepest passenger railway), the Scenic Cableway, the Scenic Skyway (with glass floor panels over the valley), and the Scenic Walkway through the valley floor rainforest. Day pass around AUD 55 for adults.

Govetts Leap Lookout near Blackheath offers views over the Grose Valley – wider and arguably more impressive than the Jamison Valley views from Katoomba – and is significantly less crowded. The waterfall drops 180 metres.

Wentworth Falls track from the car park in the town of the same name passes through multiple lookout points and descends into the valley through eucalyptus and rainforest. The falls cascade 220 metres down the escarpment. The return walk via the National Pass is about 5 km and takes 2 to 3 hours; good boots are necessary on the steeper sections.

Where to Eat

The main street of Katoomba (Katoomba Street) has a reasonable concentration of cafes and restaurants. Solitary on Cliff Drive has the best views from a restaurant table in the mountains and serves good modern Australian food. For something simpler, the cafes in the Leura Mall (the small village of Leura, a few kilometres east of Katoomba) tend to be less busy than Katoomba itself and the streetscape is considerably more pleasant.

Where to Stay

The Carrington Hotel in Katoomba is a Victorian-era hotel from 1883 with original features and an atmosphere that puts you squarely in the 19th-century mountain resort tradition. Rooms vary in size; book with views if possible.

Echoes Boutique Hotel near Scenic World has modern rooms with valley views and is generally regarded as the best mid-range option in the area.

Getting There

The Blue Mountains Line from Sydney Central takes about 2 hours to Katoomba and runs regularly throughout the day. By car from Sydney, the route via the Great Western Highway takes about 90 minutes to 2 hours depending on traffic.