"Blue Mounta ..." a Blue Mountains National Park Travel Page by leffe3

65kms west of Sydney and part of the Dividing Ranges that sweep in an arc through NSW and Victoria, the Blue Mountains is a 'must-see' to any visit to Sydney.

They're hardly 'mountains' - rising approximately 1100 metres above sea-level and are effectively a sandstone plateau scored by numerous deep gorges and valleys. But they formed a natural barrier to the new settlers and define the edges of the westward sprawl of the city.

Some 25+ townships are to be found in the Blue Mountains, with many finding their genesis in the desperate need to escape the heat of Sydney, Parramatta etc in the early days of colonisation. Places such as Katoomba, Wentworth, Leura, Glenbrook (the first 'settlement' as you head out of Sydney) are an odd mix of outpost settlers and twee English country towns where, nowadays, you can buy Cream Teas and, at Xmas, find log fires and possible snow scenes.

To many, a trip out to the Blue Mountains (so named due to light refraction on the oils given off into the air by Eucalyptus) can be a simple gallery run and lunch (some excellent restaurants are to be found) with a few craft shops and stunning views included. But there are some spectacular hikes to be had - short or long, ranging from cliff-top walks, hikes into the valleys and gorges or following pathways to various waterfalls.

Blue Mountains is geared for tourism - the key towns being Katoomba, Leura and Wentworth Falls. You'll find plenty of accommodation, cafes, restaurants, galleries, shops etc to serve a diversity of tourism - the bus tours take in the three main towns - the Three Sisters of Katoomba, the falls at Wentworth Falls, Leura Cascades etc - as well as other key points in between. A train service runs from Sydney Central, connecting a number of the towns. Katoomba is the main town and is 2 hours from Sydney by both train and, due to traffic, moreorless the same by car.