Blue Mountains & Beyond, New South Wales, Travel Information

Blue Mountains & Beyond

Although it’s little more than 90 minutes from Sydney, the Blue Mountains region offers a remarkably tranquil contrast to the frantic pace of the big city.

For many people, the Blue Mountains are a short-term escape, with cosy tearooms, antique stores, pretty guesthouses and private hotels, as well as a bracing wintry atmosphere in which to celebrate the local tradition of Christmas in July. For others, it’s an ideal way to get back to nature.

Unique accommodation & B&Bs Blue Mountains, NSW

The Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, covering more than one million hectares, was established in 2000 as a conservation area of international significance. It encompasses eight individual nature reserves – Blue Mountains, Gardens of Stone, Kanangra-Boyd, Jenolan Caves Karst Conservation Area, Nattai, Thirlmere Lakes, Yengo and Wollemi. Vivid green rainforest, spectacular canyons that dive deep into the unknown, and startlingly beautiful scenery – it’s all on the very edge of Sydney itself.

If your comfort levels don’t extend to hiking boots, backpacks and sleeping under the stars, there are plenty of exercise-free options that give a pretty good idea of what it’s like beyond the comfortable confines of the tourist establishments. Four-wheel drive excursions, for example, delve far into the wilderness and are an invaluable way of experiencing the Blue Mountains from a completely different perspective.

It’s no surprise that the natural attractions of the Blue Mountains are as old as Australia itself. The reality, however, is even more interesting. In September 1994, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service made an exciting discovery in a remote section of the Wollemi National Park – a living species of pine tree, the Wollemia nobilis, thought to be anything between 90 and 200 million years old. Although fossil remains had previously been found throughout Australia and New Zealand, and as far afield as Antarctica, the Wollemi pine was considered to be extinct prior to the 1994 discovery. While the exact location of the Wollemi pines remains a closely guarded secret, the Mount Annan Botanical Garden is currently developing the pine for commercial propagation.

The ridgeline that climbs from the outer edge of Sydney to the top of the Blue Mountains at Katoomba and along as far as Medlow Bath, Blackheath and Mount Victoria, is dotted with many picturesque villages, each with its own charm and appeal. There are some great places to stay, priced for every budget – international-class resorts, superbly restored 19th-century hotels and guesthouses, as well as motels and stylish boutique accommodation.

Heading West

Descend to the western side of the Great Dividing Range and there’s much to explore in the towns and cities of the Central West. An interesting side trip takes in the wonders of Jenolan Caves, one of Australia’s most easily accessible limestone cave systems. Discovered in the 1840s, the caves have since become very popular with tourists. A clockwise touring loop will take visitors from the former mining town of Lithgow to Bathurst, Cowra, Forbes, Parkes, Dubbo, Wellington and Orange.

A short drive from Dubbo will land visitors in the wine-producing area of Mudgee, famed for its outstanding reds. The Central West district has an almost boundless catalogue of charms. Bathurst is Australia’s oldest inland city and is packed with many historic buildings.

Cowra is a large farming community that once housed a Japanese prisoner of war camp during World War II. The site is now home to the commemorative Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre. There are also a large number of wineries in the area, with Cowra chardonnays winning awards around the world.

Forbes, with its parks, gardens and lakes, has a rich historic tradition and attracted such infamous 19th-century bushrangers as Ben Hall. The massive radio telescope at Parkes came to inter-national attention as the backdrop to the Australian film, The Dish.

Dubbo, home to the Western Plains Zoo, is one of Australia’s fastest-growing inland cities. Not far away, Wellington has many historic buildings, a museum devoted to the numerous early explorers who passed through the region, as well as its own distinctive underground cave system.

Orange boasts beautiful botanical gardens as well as nearby lakes perfect for watersports.

Wine lovers will already know much about Mudgee, which has some 150 wineries in the area. The town also has some great restaurants and cafes highlighting fresh local produce.