The Blue Mountains National Park is home to over one million hectares of rolling forests so to
explore the hidden depths you should spend a minimum of two days here. Visitors can enjoy long
walks through the forest, rigorous hikes, or cave excursions that explore the National Park’s geology.
Aside from nature itself, the park is also home to an array of amenities including art galleries, hotels
and restaurants.
As the range of things to see and do in the Blue Mountains is near never ending, we’ve whittled
down our ten favourite activities for all levels of ability. Read our list below for the ultimate Blue
Mountain guide.
1) Heritage Centre: First up is a trip to the Heritage Centre. Here you’ll learn about the parks flora,
fauna, aboriginal culture and heritage from a friendly local expert. This is also a great opportunity to
pick up maps of the area, do a little gift shopping or enjoy a hot drink in the café.
2)Echo Point: A must stop on any trip to the blue mountains is a visit to Echo Point Lookout which
provides one of the best panoramic views of the mountains. Enjoy views of the adjoining cliffs, the
Jasmin Valley and the “Three Sisters” rock formation.
3) The Three Sisters: To learn about the aboriginal history of the park head to the Three Sisters rock
formation. The rock holds the legend that three sisters lived in the Jasmin Valley, belonging to the
Katoomba tribe, fell in love with three brothers of the Nepean tribe and ignored the tribe laws that
forbid marriage. Legend has it that the shaman of the Katoomba tribe cast a spell over the three
sisters and accidentally turned them into stone creating the sandstone formation we see today.
4) Blue Mountains Cultural Centre: For a culture fix head to the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre to
admire the local Australian art. The gallery is home to both permanent and temporary exhibitions
from national artists, each piece being as creative as the next. The centre is also home to a souvenir
shop and café and is the perfect spot to rest the legs.
5) Jenolan Caves: The Jenolan Caves are said to have cradled the first civilisations of Australia and
are located in the heart of the National Park. The cave formation was discovered in the late 1800s
and 11 of which have been opened to the public for guided tours. Tours run both day and night and
comprise of history talks, ghost stories and scientific insight into their creation.
6) Scenic Railway: Katoomba is home to the Scenic Railway, the worlds steepest railway line and an
exciting attraction for all ages. Hop aboard the ancient wagons, originally built for the mining zone
exploration, and ride the train deep up into the mountains amidst the mysterious forest.
7) Scenic World: If trains are not your thing, don’t worry, there are many other exciting ways to get
around the park including the Scenic World cableway. The cableway is Australia’s steepest and
stretches out over 545 metres in length across to the Jamison Valley. For the best views, ride the
cable car just after sunrise to see the valley hit by the morning sun.
8)Scenic Skyway: Katoomba is also home to the Scenic Skyway, the very first passenger cableway to
be built in Australia. The cableway is full of history and a ride on it provides amazing panoramic
views of the national park.
9)Lithgow: The city of Lithgow integrates the Blue Mountains, and a visit is a must thanks to its array
of tourist attractions including the Hassan Walls lookout and the Zig Zag railway. These two historical sites date back to the early 20th century.
10) The Wentworth waterfall: To round off your trip to the Blue Mountains head to the Wentworth
Waterfall. Standing at 187 metres high, and cascading down three levels, the waterfall is a sight to
behold. Head to the different lookout platforms to view the cascading water from different angles,
each as picturesque as the last.
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