The Blue Mountains, an hour-and-a-half west of Sydney, has always been Sydney’s favourite playground. In summer, it’s the place to go to escape the humid heat of the city; in autumn it is ablaze with the fiery hues of the turning leaves; during winter, there are dozens of cosy restaurants, hotels, guesthouses and B&B’s where you can indulge in the traditional yuletide feasts before snuggling up in front of an open fire while light snow falls against frosted windows; and in spring, hundreds of private and public gardens burst into bloom. In short – it’s the perfect weekend escape, and has been so for the past 100 years.
From Sydney, head west until you start to climb into the foothills of the mountains after Penrith. The string of villages that scale their way up and over the range more or less begins at Glenbrook, where you can drop into the visitor information centre to pick up any information on places to go, bushwalks and accommodation you might need. There are some lovely bushwalks, picnic areas and lookouts in the national park here, where you have a good chance of spotting some wildlife, as well as some significant aboriginal sites.
From Glenbrook it’s around half an hour or so to Leura. On the way, drop into the Norman Lindsay Gallery at Faulconbridge. The former home of renowned Australian artist and author Norman Lindsay houses a collection of his oil paintings, water colours, etchings, drawings, novels, sculpture, ship models and memorabilia, set in extensive gardens. This gallery, along with The Falls Gallery in nearby Wentworth Falls, are two of the best in an area well-known for its art. The Falls Gallery, in a restored turn of the century weatherboard cottage, has several rooms of good quality works – paintings, etchings, prints and ceramics. It is just a two minute walk along Falls Road from the Falls Reserve picnic area and Valley of the Waters, where a spectacular network of lookouts along the walking tracks offer dramatic views of cliff top escarpments, waterfalls and the Jamison Valley below. If you visit only two galleries in the mountains it should be these two.
Next stop is Leura, known as the garden village, but just as popular with those who like to shop. The main street is lined with art and craft galleries a shopaholics dream! Each year, Leura is home to the annual Gardens Festival in October.
Everglades Gardens, a National Trust garden, created by Paul Sorenson in the 1930's, is a magnificent cold climate arboretum complete with formal terraces, Jamieson Valley views, art and photo galleries and refreshments in the Art Deco heritage residence.
Katoomba is just three kilometres from Leura, and home to one of the most photographed spots in the State – the Three Sisters, but get there via Cliff Drive which winds its way along the cliff edge from the Leura to Katoomba. The best view of the Three Sisters is from Echo Point, which is also the starting point of numerous bushwalks, including the Giant Stairway, one of the most popular short walks in the mountains. The track, which takes around three hours to complete, descends some 900-odd steps into the valley and along the base of the cliffs, and you can head back up aboard the Scenic Railway or take a ride on the scenic skyway or Sceniscender cable cars.
From Katoomba continue west over the mountains via Blackheath where you can check out Evans Lookout, the Bacchante Gardens, Pulpit Rock, or escape into the Grose Valley for a full day’s walk, and Mount Victoria, to descend to the western slopes and the historic village of Hartley. Surrounded by apple orchards selling fruit and vegetables at roadside stalls, Hartley was one of the first colonial settlements west of the Blue Mountains and appears today much as it did in the 1870s. The village was settled in 1837 when the courthouse was built as a police centre. The Bathurst gold rush in the 1850s brought about enormous growth and Hartley became a bustling judicial and administrative centre. The site is now an official 'historic site' and is managed by the National Parks and Wildlife. You can take guided tours of the village, which include the courthouse and church, the dilapidated Shamrock Inn or the courthouse by itself. There are picnic tables beside the courthouse.
Leaving the highway at Hartley on the road signposted to Oberon and Jenolan Caves, the road winds through lush pastures in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range. Passing by Mount Blaxland, the western end of the first crossing of the Blue Mountains in 1813, there are some great valley views. Past the hamlet of Hampton, take the Jenolan Caves Road. This road is a steep grade and is not suitable for caravans or semi-trailers, but it is simply spectacular. The road clings to the steep mountain side while the valley seems like a long way below, with hairpin turns and some squeezy bends. Take it slow and enjoy the drive, but be aware of tour buses hurtling towards you around the next blind bend, particularly in the afternoon as the day trippers head home.
The first thing you'll see as you enter the valley is the distinctive architecture of Caves House, rising out of the bush between mountains at Jenolan Caves. Stepping inside, you feel as if you are back in the jazz age. The hotel has recently been refurbished and restored to the way it was in the 1920s when motoring to the caves in brand new motor cars was all the rage. Wide sweeping staircases and long corridors lined with historic photos lead to rooms with window seats that look out gabled widows to the mountains. Cavernous sitting rooms are filled with overstuffed chairs, perfectly placed by large open fireplaces inviting you to curl up with a good book or the daily newspaper. Caves House is worth a visit even if you are not staying overnight.
There are 280 known caves in the Jenolan Reserve, many richly decorated with stunning limestone formations — stalactites and stalagmites, columns, shawls and canopies. Nine of the caves are open to the public and tours leave regularly, ranging from one to two hours. There are also candlelight ghost tours at night, 'off the track' tours where guides take you to their favourite places in the caves the tourists don't normally get to visit and extended adventure caving tours for groups.
If you prefer to stay above the ground there are many bushwalking tracks. Climb up to Carlotta's Arch, the Devil's Coachhouse lookout or stroll more sedately beside the river to the cyan-coloured Blue Lake. Jenolan Caves is also a good starting point for the stunning cliff-top walks at Kanangra Walls, a 30-minute drive away in Kanangra-Boyd National Park.
The road out of Jenolan Caves to Oberon via Edith is just as spectacular as the one in from Hartley, but much less trafficked as the majority of visitors to caves are day trippers from Sydney. It is also less likely (but not unknown) that you'll run into buses as well. There is a small section (10 km) of gravel just before Edith. If you don’t want to visit the caves you can cut straight across to Oberon just after Hampton. It is a typical country road, single lanes each way with soft edges, but it is very pretty as it winds down to Duckmaloi River and then meanders through rolling hills to reach Oberon.
Oberon is a bustling small country town, with a population of 2,500 and like many of the towns in the central western tablelands, is often crisp in the cooler months. Time your drive in autumn (late March - early April) to catch some beautiful autumn colours. Many of the roads around the area are lined with stately poplars that shimmer golden in the breeze.
Oberon Dam, on the outskirts of town has a picnic and barbecue area, toilets and a children's playground. If you have a few hours to spare, don't miss the Oberon Museum. It is open on Saturday afternoons and contains a wealth of local history. Housed at the old railway station there is farm machinery, old cars and trucks, a relocated cottage furnished with period pieces and household items and an old train (Oberon was always the end of the line) stuffed with artefacts and local crafts for sale. The volunteer guides are proud of their museum and you will leave bamboozled by local stories and some very colourful gossip. According to locals, the woods and state forests around Oberon are one of the best places to go hunting for wild mushrooms, although we didn't have time for a mushrooming excursion. The season starts in early summer and goes through to autumn, depending on the rainfall.
From Oberon, cut cross country to Lithgow at the base of mountains. Surrounded by wilderness national parks, it’s a popular base for four-wheel driving and there a number of historic buildings in town. If you’re a history buff, trainspotter or have kids in tow, a day at the Zig Zag Railway is a must. Ten kilometres east of Lithgow on Bells Line of Road, the railway was built between 1866 and 1869 and was a major engineering feat of its time. Constructed to transport the coal and iron ore deposits found in the Lithgow Valley and produce from the farms of the newly-opened western plains to markets in Sydney, the ‘Zig Zag’ is a series of sloping tracks forming the letter Z with reversing stations at the top and bottom. The track passes over three magnificent sandstone viaducts and through two tunnels. On weekends and school holidays you can ride the rails in a steam-driven train or take one of the daily runs midweek on a vintage diesel Railmotor.
From the Zig Zag at Clarence, follow the Bells Line to ascend the mountains once more. This stretch of road, named after explorer Archibald Bell who forged the route in 1823, carves its way through fertile farmland and much of the fruits of these farms are for sale at farm gate roadside stalls along the way.
Bells Line is a slower, more scenic and less trafficked route across the mountains. Along the way, stop at Mount Wilson, where rich volcanic soils and high rainfall produce lush native vegetation and have allowed the development of some of the nation’s most beautiful private gardens and tree-lined avenues. Lindfield Park and Sefton Cottage are open to the public daily throughout the year while some other gardens are open during spring and autumn only.
Further east, Mount Tomah Botanic Garden boasts one of the world’s finest collections of cool climate plants, including the Wollemi Pine, Australia’s recently discovered Jurassic tree. There is a visitors centre, restaurant and picnic and BBQ areas.
After Mount Tomah, the Bells Line snakes its way trough Bilpin, a large apple and stone-fruit growing area, towards Kurrajong and Richmond on the edge of the Sydney suburban sprawl.
Exploring the Blue Mountains beyond the tourist icons like Echo Point can be a bit daunting. Look out over the Jamison or Megalong Valleys and you can't help but think that the going looks mighty tough down there. As with any large wilderness, a bit of local knowledge makes for a safer and more rewarding trip through the mountains.
The changeable weather and difficult terrain means it's unwise to just charge in with the four-wheel drive and the family, particularly unaccompanied unless you know where you're going and are equipped with the right driving skills, clothing and emergency supplies.
A four-wheel-drive tour is a much better introduction to the Blue Mountains wilderness. Several companies run tours, while the National Parks and Wildlife Service also does guided trips. On some tours, you travel as a passenger; others are tag alongs, where you can bring your own four-wheel drive.
For more information see our story on 4WD tours in the Blue Mountains.
Bilpin is one of the best hidden foodie treats close to Sydney. My favourite is the Cottage Orchard, where you can find fresh fruit all year in season, as well as home made apple pies, biscuits, jams and jellies. There is honey mustard and fresh eggs, plus fresh vegetables in season and you can even enjoy your purchases in the picnic area with its stunning views overlooking Mt Wilson. Cottage Orchard is at 3158 Bells Line of Road and is open 8am - 6pm daily.
Canyoning is the ultimate in outdoor adventure, combining hiking, swimming, rafting, abseiling and rock-climbing – and the Blue Mountains is the place to do it. One minute you're scrambling over boulders or squeezing through dark caves and the next you’re floating serenely on your back, gazing at the sky through a narrow chasm. Life doesn’t get much better than this! Want to know more? Check out our story on canyoning in the Blue Mountains.
Katoomba is 112 km west of Sydney along the Great Western Highway. The Grand Circular Drive is roughly 400 km and best done in two or three days.
Scenic World
Incorporating Scenic Skyway,Scenic Railwayand the Sceniscender
Corner of Violet Street and Cliff Drive, Katoomba
Phone: (02) 4782 2699
Open: all year 9am - 5pm
Three Sisters
Echo Point, Giant Stairway End of Echo Point Road, Katoomba
Phone: 1300 653 408
The Edge Maxvision Cinema
255 Great Western Highway, Katoomba
Phone: (02) 4782 8900
Several screenings daily
The Explorer's Tree
West of Katoomba, off the Great Western Highway
All year
Katoomba Falls
Cliff Drive before Scenic World
All year
National Parksand Wildlife Services Discovery Program
Various locations in the Blue Mountains
Phone: (02) 4787 8877
Tours on weekends and school holidays
Yulefest
Various locations in the Blue Mountains
Phone: 1300 653 408
Jun – Aug
Jenolan Caves
Guided and adventure tours
Jenolan Caves
Phone: (02) 6359 3311 All year
Leura Gardens Festival
Leura
Phone: (02) 4757 2539
October
Norman Lindsay Gallery
12-14 Norman Lindsay Crescent, Faulconbridge
Phone: (02) 4751 1067
Daily 10am – 4pm
Falls Gallery
161 Falls Road, Wentworth Falls
Phone: (02) 4757 1139
Wed - Sun and public holidays, 10am - 5pm
Everglades Gardens
37 Everglades Avenue, Leura
Phone: (02) 4784 1938
10am - 5pm spring/summer. 10am - 4pm autumn/winter
Zig Zag Railway
The train uses a seriesof switchbacks to get to the valley floor, and is pulled by a steam locomotive Clarence.
Cost is around $50 for the average family
Phone: (02) 6353 1795, for timetable - (02) 6351 4826
All year
Mt Tomah Botanic Garden
Bells Line of Road, Mount Tomah
10am - 4pm winter 10am - 5pm summer
Oberon & District Museum
Lowes Mount Rd, Oberon
Phone: (02) 6336 1016
Sat, 2pm - 5pm by appointment also.
Hartley Historic Site
12 km south of Lithgow on the Great Western Highway.
Open daily, 10am - 4.30pm.
January: 13 - 23C
July: 2 - 9C
The Blue Mountains are great to visit all year. Warmer months are popular with bushwalkers, climbers and abseilers. You can still do these activities in winter, but only if you've got good cold-weather gear.
Echo Point, Katoomba Phone: 1300 653 408, 1800 641 227
Blue Mountains Wonderland Information Centre
157 Lurline Street, Katoomba
Phone: (02) 4782 2857
Glenbrook Visitors Information Centre
Great Western Highway, Glenbrook
Phone: 1300 653 408
4WD
