During Sydney's penal settlement days the Blue Mountains were largely considered impassable, a convenient theory for local authorities that helped deter convicts from trying to escape from Sydney in that direction. The Aborigines of course knew two routes across the mountains and it is believed they may have showed John Wilson through, a convict who arrived on the first fleet in 1788 and was freed in 1792.
However despite the authorities plans, today the beautiful mountains still act as somewhat of an escape from the city, lying just 80km from Sydney and providing those that visit something of Australia's natural environment without having to go much beyond the city's doorstep.
Of course the name is a significant descriptor of what you can expect, as the mountains do appear a blue-greyish colour when viewed from a distance. But they are also filled with misty mountains, fabulous rocky outcrops, cascading waterfalls, incredible rainforest, cute towns full of antique shops and cafes, historical museums, brilliant bird life and some fantastic walks. It's a recipe for an incredible travel destination and was listed as a world heritage area by UNESCO in 2000.
There are a number of towns worth visiting in the Blue Mountains however most people make a beeline for Katoomba for some of the most outstanding natural scenery, walks and history. Katoomba is an Aboriginal word for "shining falling water" and is named for the waterfall dropping into the Jamison Valley below the Harry's Amphitheatre escarpment.
The Blue Mountains covers some 1,000,000 hectares of spectacular scenery and around Katoomba is some of its most dramatic, which you can enjoy best from a number of walking trails.
Just two kilometres from town is Echo Point, from where you can see the rock formation the Three Sisters, the Jamison Valley, Mt Solitary and a rock formation known as the Ruined Castle. However it is the towering might of the Three Sisters that most people come to see. The soft sandstone of the escarpment here was eroded by wind, rain and rivers over time to create the three outcrops Meehni (922m), Wimlah (918m) and Gunnedoo (906m) and one day will erode away completely.
After you've admired them from Echo Point one of the best ways to experience them further is by taking The Giant Stairway down into the valley. These 800 steel and stone steps start a short walk from Echo Point and lead right pass the Sisters and disappear into the forest below. Many are quite rough and the walkway is very steep so make sure you have adequate shoes, rain gear and supplies. You should also check in with the information desk at Echo Point to signal your intention to hike the route.
Once you reach the bottom it's a 1.5 hour walk on The Federal Pass trail to the base of Katoomba Falls and the Katoomba Scenic Railway. The walk is very rewarding with dense sub-tropical rainforest, hanging swamps and the waterfalls to enjoy on the way.
The Scenic Railway was constructed in the 1880s to haul shale from the valley floor to the escarpment above. Prior to WWI it was converted for tourist use and today it's a handy way of getting back to the top unless you enjoy a steep vertical hike. However with an incline of 52 degrees and a 415 metre journey through sandstone cliffs it's not for the faint hearted - in fact it's listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's steepest cable-driven funicular railway.
The Scenic Skyway is another cable-driven means of getting to the top from the valley floor, this time in a glass-bottom aerial car that travels over an arm of the Jamison Valley and rises dramatically above Katoomba Falls. The bottom of the car has a liquid crystal panel floor that becomes transparent when the car travels! Once you are at the top you still have a short walk around to Echo Point with more views of the Jamison Valley.
If you're after more demanding walks there are plenty of other options to locations such as the Blue Gum Forest, Leura Forest, the Wollemi and Kanangra-Boyd National Parks and the challenging Six Foot Track tracing the steps of pioneers some 48km between Katoomba and the Jenolan Caves.
On the other hand if the Scenic Railway has given you a taste for things rail, you might consider going on the Zig Zag Railway, a steam-powered railway near Lithgow built in 1910.
The Zig Zag is a full size, narrow gauge tourist railway and runs daily from Clarence Station at 11am, 1pm and 3pm. The chugging steam locomotive takes you through brilliant Blue Mountains scenery, with glimpses of the sandstone viaducts, and is a good chance to appreciate how the railway builders mastered such difficult terrain.
Another feature of the Blue Mountains are the celebrated Jenolan Caves. If you can handle confined, dark conditions you will want to consider a tour through these limestone caves. Not only are they the oldest discovered open caves in the world but they have a number of very interesting and beautiful formations. Large sections are open to the paying public.
Today some 250,000 visitors come to the caves each year, enjoying up to 11 open caves such as The Cathedral Chamber which is famous for its acoustics. There are also adventure caving tours that are become increasingly popular; these leave the paths and fixed lights and follow an experienced guide deep into the depths of the caves.
The Blue Mountains is also known for its eclectic and artistic population and galleries across the mountains feature work by photographers, potters, furniture makers, sculptors and landscape artists. You could easily do a gallery crawl taking in such featured galleries as the Norman Lindsay Gallery and Museum at Falconbridge, the Katoomba Fine Art Gallery, Braemar Gallery at Springwood, Leura Fine Woodwork Gallery and Jewel Blue Mountains Gallery at Blackheath. Most galleries are best visited on weekends.
As you can imagine we have only just touched the surface of things there are to do and see in the Blue Mountains. For example you could still go mountain biking in places near Wentworth Falls or even along the tough Six Foot Track. 
There are also plenty of waterfalls to enjoy such as the spectacular double drop of the Wentworth Falls or you could take in the panoramic views of the Blue Mountains at the Edge Cinema. There are six golf courses in this region if that's more your thing, Yulefest celebrations are held from June to August and there's an excellent choice of restaurants and cafes to enjoy after a busy day sightseeing.
While the Sydney authorities are no longer right about how hard it is to get to the Blue Mountains, with such a wealth of things to do and see, in the end you may well find it difficult to leave.
GETTING THERE AND AROUND
The Blue Mountains can be reached by car, rail and coach. Greyhound Pioneer and McCaffertys (ph. 13 14 99) depart Sydney from Eddy Avenue and travel to Katoomba and Lithgow. Alternatively tours operate from Circular Quay or Sydney Hotels (ph. 1300 653 408 for a list of operators). Rail services operate between Sydney and Lithgow (see www.cityrail.nsw.gov.au).
WHERE TO STAY
Katoomba has plenty of accommodation including the swanky Carrington Hotel (www.thecarrington.com.au, ph. 02 4782 1111), the budget Blue Mountains YHA (www.yha.com.au, ph. 02 4782 1416), the Mountain Heritage Hotel & Spa (www.mountainheritage.com.au, ph. 02 4782 2155) and the luxurious Lurline House (www.lurlinehouse.com.au, ph. 02 4782 4609) built in 1910 in federation style. See www.visitnsw.com/town/Katoomba.aspx for listings in the Blue Mountains towns.
by Joanne Lane
