Blue Mountains Australia on the map. Australia's Blue Mountains National Park: coordinates, description, attractions
The Blue Mountains is a national park located in New South Wales near Sydney. In the generally accepted sense, these are not exactly mountains: the highest point is Mount Victoria 1300 m above sea level, the rest of the landscape is plateaus, cliffs, green valleys with rivers and lakes.
This area got its name thanks to the eucalyptus forests that form a bluish haze that constantly hovers above the ground. In total, more than 90 species of eucalyptus grow here, most of which are unique - that’s why the air here is special, saturated with essential oils and very beneficial for the respiratory tract.
How to get to the Blue Mountains
You can get to the national park from Sydney or Canberra. A flight from Moscow to Sydney will cost from 977 USD (round trip), flying to Canberra is more difficult: tickets cost from 1277 USD and there are flights not every day.
From Sydney to the Blue Mountains You can get there in several ways:
- the train takes 2.5 hours, a ticket costs from 25 USD one way;
- the night bus takes longer - about 4 hours and costs about 70 USD one way;
- By rented car you will get there in about 1.5 hours.
From Canberra to the Blue Mountains approximately 300 km, you can get there by car (about 5 hours, there are toll sections on the highway) or by train. Trains leave from Canberra Central Station to Glenbrook station, travel time is 5-6 hours, fare is from 50 USD one way.
Search for flights to Sydney (the nearest airport to the Blue Mountains)
When is the best time to go?
The best season to travel to the Blue Mountains is summer, which lasts from December to February. The air temperature in the mountains at this time is +16...+18 °C, in the lowlands - up to +28 °C. In winter (from June to August) it is rainy and cool: about +4...+7 °C in the highlands and about +14...+16 °C in the lowlands.
Blue Mountains Hotels
The Blue Mountains are a popular place among tourists, so there are hotels in different price categories within the national park. A good three-ruble note will cost 50-90 USD per day for a double room, a 4* hotel will cost 100-150 USD, and a bed in a hostel (of which there are few here) will cost 30-40 USD per person.
Entertainment and attractions
The main attraction of these places is the national park itself. Thanks to its diverse eucalyptus forests, it has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are a total of 8 protected areas in the region, some of them are closed to the public, but most are accessible to tourists.
The Blue Mountains are home to different species of animals and birds, including rare ones. Here in their natural habitat you can find gray and mountain kangaroos, ring-tailed possums, marsupial martens, flying squirrels, koalas and many others. The forests of the Blue Mountains contain many interesting birds, such as the Cave Warbler, which is found only here. This is a small gray bird of the passerine family; it can be easily recognized by its specific loud singing.
There are several observation platforms in the park, from which a picturesque view of the Three Sisters rocks opens. By the way, you can also climb these rocks - using a giant staircase of 800 steps. There are caves on the territory of the park, in one of them you can see an Aboriginal site that is more than 12 thousand years old; ancient rock paintings have been preserved on its walls. It is also worth visiting the ancient underground caves with stalactites and stalagmites, beautifully illuminated by natural light.
You can explore the national park on foot or by transport: there is a whole chain of 18 roads and excursion trails. You can ride on them:
- by car,
- on the Zigzag train, which follows the ancient route from Bell to Lithgow,
- by cable car between the rocks,
- on a mountain bike, which can be rented.
There are plenty of cafes, bars and souvenir shops on all tourist routes.
If you come to the Blue Mountains between June and August, you can catch local Christmas festivities and try festive national dishes: roasts and puddings, and every Saturday there is a sales day when you can buy antiques and handmade souvenirs.
The Blue Mountains are a system of national parks located in the south-east of New South Wales. It includes seven parks and one special area, which were united in 2000. Actually, the Blue Mountains National Park is one of the components of this park system. The park is located one hundred kilometers from Sydney.
Those who have been to the mountains will find the Blue Mountains strange. Rather, it is a plateau, cut by gorges up to 1200 meters deep. From a geological point of view, this is true. The Blue Mountains are part of the Great Dividing Range.
Where did the mountains get such a beautiful name - Blue? The fact is that they are completely covered with forest, most of which are eucalyptus trees. As a result of a rare optical phenomenon, when light is refracted in drops of eucalyptus oil, one can observe a peculiar blue haze covering the mountains and giving them a delicate color, very similar to a mirage.
Due to its isolated location, the National Park is home to many unique animals and plants that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. For example, the famous Wallem pines, the same age as dinosaurs, were considered extinct for a long time until they were accidentally discovered here in 1994.
In addition to these relict plants, tree ferns, acacias, and mint trees grow in the forests of the Blue Mountains. But the main wealth is the eucalyptus trees. The park contains 13% of all wild eucalyptus trees on Earth. Of course, this gives the air its own unique aroma.
The most interesting animals living in the National Park are different types of marsupials: short-faced and large rat kangaroos, wombat, numbat, koala, wallaby, rabbit bandicoot, fox kuzu. In the thickets you can find many exotic birds: cave warbler, red fantail, Wong's pigeon, yellow flycatcher, and others.
A huge mountain plateau of sandstone, which began its geological history about three million years ago, is literally cut by narrow, deep valleys, mountain rivers, waterfalls and steep cliffs. All this beauty and crystal clear air invariably attract thousands of tourists every year.
History of the park
For the discoverers and early Australian settlers, the Blue Mountains were more of an annoying obstacle to the development of the continent than a unique place. While laying paths and mountain trails, they could not even imagine that they were laying out future tourist routes for their great-great-grandchildren.
Expanding cities and increasing population required new lands and resources for life. Ancient forests began to be mercilessly cut down. It never occurred to any of those woodcutters that they were destroying a forest that had already grown old when the first tribes of people roamed the expanses of Europe. For the settlers there was only one goal - to survive.
This continued until the beginning of the 20th century. After the formation of an independent state, Australians began to look differently at their own wealth and became concerned about preserving their unique nature.
For the first time, the need to create a national park in the Blue Mountains was thought about in the thirties of the 20th century by biologist and conservationist Miles Dunphy. It was he who created the first maps of this area, recorded ancient names and legends.
Realizing the importance of relict forests and trying to stop their deforestation, Miles and his friends collected the necessary amount in two years, bought part of the Blue Mountains and handed them over to the people of New Wales in order to establish a national park here. A little more than 600 km2 of this land became the basis of the future park.
But another 20 years passed before the Blue Mountains National Park was officially created and forever became the property of Australia, and then the whole world.
Our days
Since 1959, the park has grown from six hundred square kilometers to 2,481 km2. All conditions have been created here for both indigenous inhabitants and tourists.
All tourist routes begin in the city of Katoomba, the largest settlement located within the national park. There are hotels, restaurants, cafes, and souvenir shops here.
So that tourists can explore all the iconic places of the park, observation decks, the steepest railway in the world, and a cable car have been built here. The funiculars offer breathtaking views of the valley.
There are opportunities to go on short and long hikes, cycling and horseback riding, go down to the Jenolan Caves, ride all-terrain vehicles and go rock climbing. There are several places in the park that are a must see.
Three sisters
The Three Sisters Rocks are limestone formations clearly visible from one of the viewing platforms.
A beautiful legend is associated with this rock: three girls from the Katoomba tribe, their names were Michni, Wimla and Gunnedoo, fell in love with three brothers from the Nepean tribe. The laws of the tribe, as often happens, forbade them to marry. The brothers decided to kidnap their sisters, but the shaman of the Katoomba tribe turned the girls into rocks so that they would certainly not go to another tribe. During the bloody battle, the shaman was killed, and there was no one left to disenchant the girls. So they still stand, waiting for their savior.
Believing or not believing in the legend is a personal matter, but it’s definitely worth looking at the beautiful rocks above the cliff.
Wentward Falls
Wentward Falls is a three-tiered waterfall on Jamison Creek located near the town of Wentward Falls. From a height of 187 meters, clear water flows into the gorge in three cascades - a fascinating sight, worthy of attention! A steep path of two hundred steps leads to the waterfall.
Near the waterfall there is a rocky hill on which grinding grooves for sharpening stones have been preserved. This became for scientists a sign of early human habitation in these places. Following the path along Jamison Creek, you can see several other waterfalls, smaller in size, but no less beautiful.
Gros Valley
The Gros Valley is formed by the river of the same name, the upper reaches of which are located in the area of Mount Victoria, the highest point of the Blue Mountains. The valley is bordered by two of the most popular tourist routes. It was this valley that became the original cradle of the park’s conservation zone. The most beautiful views of the valley open from several observation platforms.
Jenolan
The Jenolan Caves are karst cavities located one after another. Only nine of them are accessible to tourists. The caves are beautifully illuminated, music plays in them, and sometimes even symphony concerts take place, because the acoustics inside are excellent! In addition, the caves are always cool, which is important given the hot Australian climate.
On any of the numerous routes specially laid out and equipped for tourists, you can see a lot of interesting things: rocks, gorges, waterfalls, caves, breathtaking views from the peaks, rock paintings and exotic plants, animals that live only here. Roads and hiking trails cover about 10 thousand km2 of the National Park.
Wallem pines
It is perhaps impossible to get to only one area of the Blue Mountains, the one where the heritage of mankind grows - the Wallem Pines. This area is not only inaccessible in principle, it is well guarded, and entry is open only to a few scientists to study these plants. Everyone else can look at the pine trees at the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney and Mount Tom Botanic Gardens.
How to get to the Blue Mountains
- The easiest way is to go to the park by car. It is located just an hour's drive from Sydney along the Western Highway. In addition, when moving around the park by car, you will not be limited in time for sightseeing.
- There are daily departures from Sydney Central Station to the National Park. several trains. Once you arrive in Katoomba, you can transfer to one of the many tourist buses, choosing a specific route. Buses stop near all attractions, so tourists have time to explore them. Buses operate until five in the evening.
An excursion to the Blue Mountains National Park can be booked at any hotel in Sydney. Most often they are one-day, but there are other options.
Location on the map
Opening hours
Blue Mountains National Park is open daily from 8am to 7pm. Admission is $11 for adults and free for children.
There are very few places left on Earth where man has not destroyed nature with his labor. Unfortunately, we are still learning to live in harmony with the world around us. Therefore, the creation of places like the Blue Mountains National Park is necessary first of all for ourselves. And when the government makes such efforts to do this, one can only envy.
Protecting nature from humans and for humans is not an easy task, but achievable. We can only learn this from the Australians.
general information
The mountain range was originally called Carmarthen. But everyone who saw the picturesque mountains was struck by the distinct blue haze above them. It is believed that it arises from the evaporation of eucalyptus oils from more than 90 species of trees, so at the end of the 18th century this mountain range acquired its new name - the Blue Mountains.
The national park was created much later. In 1932, conservationist Miles Dunphy first proposed the idea of its creation. The park was formed only in 1959, and then its area was 630 km².
In addition to the mesmerizing blue haze, the uniqueness of the Blue Mountains lies in their composition of rocks, unusual for the Great Dividing Range, short turbulent rivers running to the Tasman Sea and carving narrow, deep gorges in the mountains. The highest point in the Blue Mountains is Mount Victoria (1111 metres).
The park's flora includes characteristic tree species of the Australian rainforest: blue eucalyptus, tree ferns, acacia, mint tree. The fauna includes: gray kangaroo, mountain kangaroo (wallaroo), swamp wallaby, brush-tailed and ring-tailed possums and other marsupials. There are many exotic birds here (red fantail, Wong's pigeon, Crimson's prosella, yellow flycatcher, cave warbler, which lives only in the Blue Mountains, and others).
When the first colonists arrived in Sydney, the Blue Mountains were considered impassable after several unsuccessful attempts to cross the area. In 1813, Wentworth, Blaxland and Lawson managed to find a passage, thus opening the western plains to settlement.
At the top of the mountain range, at an altitude of more than 1000 m, there is a magnificent plateau, in which, over many millennia, rivers have carved deep valleys. The landscape here is magnificent - canyons with high walls, steep ravines, so that by the beginning of the 20th century three mountain resorts appeared here. Today, villages and towns dot the mountain range that surrounds the Blue Mountains National Park, an ideal location for hiking, rock climbing and abseiling. In 1994, a group of travelers exploring the canyon discovered a small grove of unique Volemi pines, 30 m high, previously known only as a fossil plant.
In 2000, the Blue Mountains National Park was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Blue Mountains are under protection; speed descent from the Three Sisters, the most famous peaks that have undergone massive erosion, is prohibited.
Attractions
The Blue Mountains amaze with their vibrant colorful landscape, changing depending on the sunlight, giving travelers unforgettable sunsets and sunrises. But they also keep many mysteries and legends, allowing you to learn more about the life and culture of the Aboriginal people.
The visiting card of the park is the Three Sisters rocks, which, according to local folklore, have an amazing history of formation. The “Giant Staircase”, consisting of more than 800 steps, leads to them.
Of particular interest are the caves located on the territory of the reserve. In Lyrebird Hollow you can explore a shallow cave - an Aboriginal site that is about 12 thousand years old, and in Red Hands Cave near Glenbrook you can see handprints and ancient drawings.
We also recommend going on a “wandering” with a local guide from the Darug tribe. From him you will learn about the “singing paths” that connect sacred places, and then take a swim in the crystal clear “billabong” under the rainbow waterfall.
By the way, about waterfalls. The breathtakingly beautiful Wentworth Falls is located at the very edge of the Jamison Valley. You can spend hours watching how its waters cascade onto the rocks from a height of almost three hundred meters, and enjoy the views of the valley while walking along the paths that line it lengthwise and crosswise. Standing on top of a narrow layer of sandstone on Visyachaya, you can hear the echo sweeping over the giant forest valley and feel the grandeur of nature.
When traveling to the Blue Mountains, tourists should see underground rivers, prehistoric rock formations and the huge mines of Jenolan Cave - the oldest of the underground caves. In the botanical garden “Mount Tom” you can be transported back to antiquity, looking at the Jurassic pine - one of the oldest and rarest plants on earth.
The Blue Mountains allow you to get closer to virgin nature, listen to stories about the Creation of the World, which literally permeate the atmosphere of this wild life.
For tourists
The Blue Mountains are a popular tourist destination. The park's record attendance was in 1999, when 1 million 45 thousand people visited it (for comparison: in 2008 there were 687 thousand visitors, in 2009 - 563 thousand).
The park has several observation platforms that offer breathtaking views of the valleys, cliffs and gorges below.
For those who want to feel the spirit of adventure, we offer a trip along the roads of the Blue Mountains (Greater Blue Mountains Drive) - a chain of interconnected roads and excursion trails that covers 10,000 km2 of the entire territory of the Blue Mountains. You can explore the surrounding areas of Macarthur, Southern Highlands, Mudgee, Hunter Valley and Hawkesbury, or explore the enchanting destinations of the Blue Mountains themselves: Kurrajong, The Mountains, Blackheath and Megalong, spread across 18 nature trails. And if you're tired of driving, hop on board the historic Zig Zag Railway, which follows the ancient route from Bell to Lithgow.
In Katoomba village you can ride the world's steepest railway or fly over the cliffs in an aerial cable car. Here you can see Australia's highest waterfall - Wallaman, 305 m high, which falls in one continuous stream. Activities also include mountain biking, long and short hikes, horseback riding or jeep rides. Along the tourist routes there are kiosks, cafes and small restaurants that will delight you with delicious national cuisine. And from June to August you can witness Christmas festivities, roasts and puddings being cooked around the fire. What could be better than lovingly prepared food and the enchanting atmosphere of the mountains?
Then feel the shivers run down your spine on a spirit tour or attend one of the monthly cave concerts with natural acoustics in a dreamlike setting.
The Blue Mountains National Park is open from 8am to 6-7pm 365 days a year. A ticket for an adult costs an average of $11, children are admitted free.
In winter (and here it is summer at this time), residents of Sydney, with no less pleasure than going to the beach, go to the Blue Mountains, called Carmarthen until the end of the 18th century. The then governor of Sydney, by his strong-willed decision, gave the mountains a new, beautiful name. Why Blue Mountains? Because there is an unusual optical phenomenon observed there: thanks to the refraction of light, many drops of eucalyptus oil from large eucalyptus trees, which cover the mountains in abundance, give them a delicate blue color, a kind of haze, which makes the mountain range very similar to a fantastic mirage.
Part of the famous Great Dividing Range, the stunning Blue Mountains are located just an hour's drive west of Sydney. The Blue Mountains National Park was founded in 1958. The area of the park is 97 thousand hectares.
The uniqueness of the Blue Mountains is determined, first of all, by their composition of rocks, which is unusual for the Great Dividing Range. To this it is also worth adding the activity of surface waters, usual for such steep and fairly high mountains, and the abundance of rain. Short, stormy rivers flowing into the Tasman Sea have created narrow, deep gorges in them. The highest point in the Blue Mountains is Mount Victoria.
At first, the Blue Mountains were, for the first inhabitants of Sydney, primarily an annoying obstacle to penetrating deep into the continent and developing new lands. The citizens who were the first to storm the peaks of the Blue Mountains did not know that they were laying out future tourist routes along which thousands of Australians and guests of the country flock every year. Largely because in the Australian winter (and calendar European summer) the Blue Mountains are even covered with snow - when the temperature below is quite pleasant, about plus 20. This creates a wonderful contrast to Sydney's famous coastline. Australians really don't seem to have anything to dream about. They have everything: the sea, and the snow, and the wind, and the flight of stars at night. Geologically speaking, the Blue Mountains are a huge sandstone mountain plateau that has risen higher and higher over the past three million years, creating deep and narrow valleys, steep cliffs, waterfalls and rushing mountain rivers.
The flora of the Blue Mountains National Park includes all the tree species characteristic of the Australian rainforest: mint tree, acacia, tree ferns, blue eucalyptus. The fauna is represented by such animal species as ring-tailed and brush-tailed possums, swamp wallabies, mountain kangaroos, gray kangaroos and other marsupials. There are also many exotic birds here: yellow flycatcher, Crimson's prosella, Wong's pigeon, red fantail, cave warbler, which lives only in the Blue Mountains, and many others. 
IN Blue Mountains National Park Absolutely all conditions have been created for tourists! The reserve has several viewing platforms that offer incredible and breathtaking views of the Australian valleys, Echo Gorge and the famous Three Sisters rocks.
In the Australian village of Katoomba, tourists have the opportunity to ride over the cliffs in a cable car or on the steepest railway in the world. Here you can also see the tallest waterfall in Australia. Nearby there is the opportunity to descend into the wonderful Jenolan Caves. These are the most famous limestone grottoes on the Australian continent. Activities in the Blue Mountains also include mountain biking, short and long treks, jeep rides and horseback riding. There are kiosks and cafes along the tourist routes.
Emirates Airlines recently announced its first hotel project outside the United Arab Emirates - the construction of a resort resort. Guess which location they chose? Well, of course, the Blue Mountains. The reserve will occupy 1,400 hectares in the Volgan Valley, not far from the Stone Gardens National Park. Currently, the territory of the future resort is occupied by farms, whose activities threaten the wildlife of the region.
In Dubai, the Emirates Group owns the Al Maha Desert Resort Spa, recognized as the best hotel in the Middle East and Africa. Largely because this resort was built taking into account the environment. Like Al Maha, the new hotel complex in Australia will be committed to environmental conservation by maintaining a protected nature reserve. The residential complex itself, which meets the highest requirements for eco-tourism facilities, will occupy less than two percent of the total land area. The Emirates project is expected to receive final approval from the Australian government in the next few months. The opening of the resort is planned for 2007. The new sanctuary resort will attract additional international visitors and become one of Australia's most important ecotourism destinations. Moreover, the Blue Mountains are an hour's drive from the center of Sydney and are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The highest point in the Blue Mountains is Mount Victoria (1111 meters).
Hiking trails pass through deep canyons with sheer sandstone walls, through forests, among wildly overgrown eucalyptus trees and tree ferns. There are several viewing platforms within the park, offering breathtaking views of the valleys below, the famous Three Sisters rocks (giant rock formations from Aboriginal legends), Echo Gorge, and the Great Australian Canyon. In Katoomba, you can ride along the world's steepest railway or over the cliffs in an aerial cable car. Here you can see Australia's tallest waterfall. The Jenolan Caves are nearby. These are the most famous limestone grottoes in Australia. One of the nine caves contains an abundance of magically illuminated limestone stalactites and stalagmites. At the end of the excursion day, it’s time to look at kangaroos jumping out into the clearings, cockatoos and other representatives of the local fauna. You can also go horseback riding, biking, driving and all-terrain vehicles, and also go rock climbing (remember the movie “Impossible Mission 2”? So you can become like Tom Cruise by having a mini-James Bond-style vacation).
Australian nature is something, of course. The Great Barrier Reef, the eighth wonder of the world, is probably the most famous. When people finally reach the Moon and build up the earth's satellite with hotels, they will admire two great creations on Earth from their porthole windows. One created by people is the Great Wall of China, which will seem thin, as thin as a hairline. Another is the Great Barrier Reef, a unique structure created by coral polyps, the smallest marine animals, about 18 million years ago.
The amazing country of Australia. Everything about it is not as one might expect. Today's Australians are proud of their prisoner ancestors exiled to the Fifth Continent by British justice. Bedbugs are more feared than sharks, and kangaroos (cute, bouncy kangaroos) are generally eaten.
The site where 19th-century Australian "Robin Hood" Ned Kelly hid before his execution has been declared a national treasure in Australia. Ned Kelly is a controversial figure. Some Australians consider him the local "Robin Hood", others - simply a criminal. The story of Kelly's exploits begins with his mother's imprisonment. The woman was accused of attempting to murder a police officer. After this, Kelly organized a gang, which also included his younger brother, and began robbing banks and capturing entire settlements. Kelly was a fugitive for two years. But on July 28, 1880, in the town of Glenrowan, the gang was surrounded by police. 20 bullets were fired at Kelly, after which he... remained alive, as he wore a protective helmet and armor. The robber was hanged on November 11th of the same year. The film "Kelly's Gang" was made about Kelly and his gang in Australia in 2003. “Some consider him a robber, others a rebel, others a hero. But one way or another, Ned Kelly became part of Australia's history - both as one of the most famous historical figures and as a mythological figure,” said Culture Minister Ian Campbell.
Very often on Australian beaches you can see the inscription “Beware of sharks!” Or: “Be careful, saltwater crocodiles live here!”, “Please do not swim at night!” However, if only the sea creatures threatened the gullible citizens, delighted and reassured by the paradisiacal Australian landscapes. Australian authorities are seriously concerned about the unexpected invasion of bedbugs in the country's major cities. A couple of months ago, the problem became so acute that the authorities started talking about an impending decline in the number of tourists: Australia is a country of wonders, surrounded by beauty, and suddenly - such a mundane muck as bedbugs. A recent study in Sydney found that 80% of hotels for young and poor tourists are literally infested with colonies of bedbugs. Entomologists in an interview with the Guardian newspaper noted that we are not talking about a couple of insects, but about dozens for each hotel, if not hundreds.
Gate leading to the Three Sisters. Consequently, there are more bedbugs, and fewer and fewer kangaroos. Despite loud protests from wildlife advocates, the Australian government raised the kangaroo shooting quota this year to six million 900 thousand animals. Australia's kangaroo meat and leather industry is booming, recently raking in $128 million a year. Australia has always had a difficult relationship with its marsupial relic. She, along with the emu, flaunts on the country’s coat of arms; entire generations of children grew up in the 60s and 70s on the television series about “Skippy”, like the series “Lassie” familiar to Russian viewers. But farmers consider kangaroos to be pests and complain that they eat sheep and poison crops. And drivers in rural areas are forced to stop on the side of the road until dawn at sunset, so as not to run into “state symbols” in the dark.
The most surprising thing is that in the last ten years, Australians have begun to consume marsupial meat as food, after Australian states one by one lifted the ban in the early 90s. But there is still no mass sale of kangaroo meat in supermarkets: many Australians cringe at the thought of eating a Skippy steak. But celebrity chefs praise the lean kangaroo meat with the flavor of real game. There is even talk about breeding these animals on meat farms.
Due to constant attacks, the kangaroo industry tries to keep a low profile, and its representatives constantly emphasize that the shooting is carried out using humane methods. Animals are only allowed to be killed with a shot in the head. As a result, only professional hunters with a special license can shoot. But the struggle around him does not subside.
The largest settlement in the Blue Mountains is the town of Katoomba. All conditions have been created here for tourists to fully enjoy a trip to these marvelous places called the Blue Mountains. This is where the most famous and popular place in the Blue Mountains Park is located - the Three Sisters.
They even have names Meehni (922 m), Wimlah (918 m), and Gunnedoo (906 m). Legend has it that three sisters from the Katoomba tribe lived in the Jamison Valley. They fell in love with three boys from their neighboring tribe (the Nepean tribe), and the love was mutual. But the laws of the tribe forbade them to get married, and the brothers decided to take their loved ones by force. During the battle, the eldest brother turned the sisters to stone to protect them. But he was killed in battle, and no one was able to turn the sisters back into human form, so they stand together. Whether this legend is an ancient legend of the Australian Aborigines or invented by local residents to arouse even greater interest in the local attraction is difficult to say. But the Three Sisters are truly beautiful in their stone forms, and the surrounding landscapes around them are simply stunningly beautiful.
From the Three Sisters, more than 800 stone steps lead down into the valley, called the “Giant Staircase,” of natural origin, but landscaped for tourists.
Five ways to experience all the delights of the Blue Mountains:
1. Discover the rich heritage of Aboriginal culture in the Blue Mountains - from the legend of the Three Sisters and ancient art to ritual traditions. Explore a shallow cave at Lyrebird Dell, an Aboriginal site dating back approximately 12,000 years. See the remarkable handprints and paintings at Red Hands Cave near Glenbrook. You can reach the cave along a trail that passes Camp Fire Creek, where Aboriginal people long ago carved grooves in igneous volcanic rock for their own needs. Go on a wandering journey with a local Darug guide and learn about the “singing paths” that connect sacred sites. Watch bark painting and body art, try traditional Australian cuisine, and swim in a crystal clear billabong under a rainbow waterfall. Get close to unspoiled nature: explore sandstone caves and listen to tales of the Dreamtime that literally permeate the atmosphere of this wild life.
2. Immerse yourself in the spectacular Blue Mountains landscape: waterfalls, streams, forested valleys, murky gorges and sheer cliffs - all along one of the many well-marked trails. From Katoomba, embark on a three-day journey to the Jenolan Caves along the Six Foot Track, which was created for horse-drawn vehicles back in 1884. Or take an easier route - the Princes Rock Walk to admire Wentworth Falls, the Kings Tableland and Mount Solitary. On the way back, you can cross the Glenbrook Gorge along the Glenbrook Gorge Track. Or climb one of the steep cliffs near Wentworth Falls to the difficult National Pass. Follow the Pulpit Rock Track past marshes, eucalyptus forests and moorland and you'll be rewarded with 280-degree views of the blue eucalyptus forest of the Grose Valley.
3. You will get an unforgettable experience of the works of nature in the Blue Mountains. Pay your respects to the Three Sisters of Katoomba. Next, visit Wentworth Falls, a picturesque waterfall at the very edge of the Jamison Valley. Watch how its waters cascade onto the rocks from a height of almost three hundred meters, enjoy the views of the valley while walking along the paths that line it lengthwise and crosswise. Stand on top of the narrow sandstone bed at Hanging Rock and listen to your echoes sweep across the giant forested valley. And you should definitely see underground rivers, prehistoric rock formations and the huge Jenolan Caves - the oldest chain of underground caves. Feel the chills run down your spine on a spirit tour or attend one of the monthly cave concerts with natural acoustics in a dreamlike setting. At Mount Tomah Botanic Gardens, you can be transported back in time by looking at the Jurassic pine, one of the oldest and rarest plants on earth.
4. Blue Mountains - a place to enjoy food, drinks and other pleasures. Grab a bite to eat on one of Leura's leafy streets, then explore the museums, boutiques and antique shops. Dine by a live fire or order a cup of coffee and cake at one of Katoomba's art deco coffee shops. Buy delicacies in Blackheath or early evening have a hearty dinner with aromatic tea in the magnificent historical site - Jenolan Caves. From June to August you can witness Christmas festivities, roasts and puddings being cooked around the fire. No matter where you eat, you will enjoy lovingly prepared food and the enchanting atmosphere of the mountains.
5. Feel the spirit of adventure on the Greater Blue Mountains Drive, a chain of interconnected roads and hiking trails that covers 10,000 km2 of the entire Blue Mountains World Heritage Site. You can travel to the nearby areas of Macarthur, Southern Highlands, Mudgee, Hunter Valley and Hawkesbury. Or explore the enchanting sites of the Blue Mountains themselves: Kurrajong, Mounts, Blackheath and Megalong - located on 18 excursion trails. And if you're tired of driving, hop on board the historic Zig Zag Railway, which follows the ancient route from Bell to Lithgow.
The Blue Mountains National Park in Australia is open from 8am to 7pm throughout the year. A ticket costs an average of $11 for an adult, while children are admitted free.
Location of Blue Mountains National Park:
New South Wales, 100 kilometers from Sydney
How to get to the Blue Mountains National Park:
1) By car from Sydney within one and a half hours.
2) From Sydney Central Station by train.
The favorite place of many tourists and the notorious Charles Darwin is, of course, Wentworth waterfall with its multi-cascade structure, the height of the highest drop reaches 150 meters. Frightening masses of water fall down, beat furiously against the rocks, splashing bright sparkling splashes for tens of meters around - this is a must see! Going down the neat steps under the waterfall, you can take fantastic photos, as well as plunge into the waters of one of the tributaries.
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sources http://helpintourism.com http://atlasmap.ru http://www.australia.com http://lady-uspech.ru
One of Australia's untouched natural wonders is the Blue Mountains National Park. This is part of the country's vast mountain system, which stretches along the entire eastern and southeastern coast and covers an area of 97 thousand hectares.
What are the Blue Mountains famous for?
The area got its name due to the huge number of eucalyptus forests growing on a mountain range formed millions of years ago. Eucalyptus trees, many of which are already has passed two thousand years, release billions of oil droplets into the air - sunlight is refracted in them and forms bluish haze, mysteriously hovering over the mountain range.
The Blue Mountains are not mountains in the conventional sense of the word. There are more beautiful plateaus and cliffs, and the highest point is Mount Victoria, rising 1300 m above sea level. Most of the park is occupied by deep green valleys with many lakes and rivers, where amazing and exotic animals live and rare plant species grow.
More than one million hectares of sandy plateaus, dissected in all directions by gorges, ledges, deep canyons and interspersed with many crystal clear streams and waterfalls - both menacingly growling and peacefully gurgling. All this together creates a majestic and breathtaking landscape that you can enjoy for hours.
The vegetation of the National Park is mainly represented by eucalyptus trees (there are more of them here) 90 species!), mint trees, tree ferns, acacia.
Many of these plants have been growing here since the time of dinosaurs, which is why the landscape of the Blue Mountains seems so primitive and even fabulous.
In the National Park you can see representatives of more than 400 species of rare animals, including the yellow-tailed flying squirrel, tiger koala, long-nosed kangaroo mouse and, found only here, the water lizard. In addition, there are many exotic birds that are practically not afraid of humans: Wong's pigeon, red fantail, yellow flycatcher, cave Slav and many others.
What can you see?
Despite the seeming primitiveness and wildness of the place, the Blue Mountains are a completely habitable place in which there is a lot of restaurants, cafes, there are sanatoriums and interesting excursions are conducted in various directions of the national reserve.
Particularly interesting are the excursions that are conducted at night: at sunset the mountains begin to glow with some kind of fantastic inner light, nature calms down, and only some primitive sounds and rustles become audible - all this creates a feeling of unreality and enchantment of what is happening.
The first routes along which tourists now travel in all directions were laid by the pioneers of Sydney, who stormed the peaks of the Blue Mountains to pave their way into the continent.
To fully enjoy the delights of the Blue Mountains, a tourist must:
Of course, the best way to travel through the Blue Mountains is on foot in order to fully experience the color and unforgettable atmosphere of pristine nature, deeply breathe in the clean mountain air filled with the vapors of eucalyptus trees, and see the amazing inhabitants of the Australian fauna.
But walking can be replaced by traveling by car or all-terrain vehicle, on horses and bicycles, which are available for rent here. The roads of the Blue Mountains National Park are fully adapted for various types of transport and do not pose a danger to tourists.
Exotic and extreme entertainment is offered here rock climbing— experienced instructors conduct a rock climbing master class and take you to places that are inaccessible to an ordinary tourist. Extreme enthusiasts are also offered a hike with the Bushmen with lessons in survival in the wild and a trip to wild caves of Kanangra.
At the end of the excursion day, you can relax in one of the cafes or restaurants, where you can watch kangaroos jumping out to graze in the clearings, lazy koalas climbing up trees to sleep, colorful cockatoos flying from branch to branch, and other representatives of the local fauna.
Note to tourists
A ticket to the Blue Mountains National Park costs approx. 11 dollars for adults (children – free). Opening hours: 365 days a year, seven days a week.
The average temperature in the park in winter (June, July, August) is about 4-7 degrees in the highlands and 16 degrees in the lower areas. In summer (December, January, February) - about 16-18 degrees in the highlands and up to 29 degrees in the lowlands.
On Saturdays in the Blue Mountains you can go to Markets- a day of sales, when you can buy antiques and handicrafts for a very inexpensive price.
The Blue Mountains are the most favorite place to visit not only for tourists from all over the world, but also for local residents who never tire of admiring this miracle of nature again and again, discovering something new for themselves each time.
