Blue Mountains
For the first 25 years of British colonization, the unscalable walls of the Blue Mountains, just 100km from the coast, contained the growth of the new colony and the exploration of Australia. Numerous expeditions approached the mountains only to come away stumped. Because the so-called mountains are actually a series of canyons separated by several high plateaus, the explorers found cliffs at the edges of the val¬leys instead of hills. A successful route was not found until 1813, when Blaxland, Law-son, and Wentworth, assisted by local Aboriginal know-how, attempted to cross the mountains along the ridges. Today, the mountains are the first stop on most trips west from Sydney and an easy year-round getaway for Sydney-siders. The short trip inland, just a 90-minute drive or a two-hour train ride, grants summertime visitors a reprieve from the oppressive heat that hangs over the coast. In winter, crisp sunny days, occasional snowfalls, and holiday festivities continue to draw travelers.
Although a variety of adventure activities such as abseiling (rappelling) and canyon rafting have become popular in recent years, the Blue Mountains' major draws remain their excellent hiking trails and lookouts. Sunlight filtering dirough eucalyptus oil suspended in the air gives the forest its tint. From the lookout points, the earth falls away into an endless sea of blue foliage speckled with white bark and bordered by distant sandstone cliffs. Whether you have a hankering for gorgeous waterfalls, serene rainforest, or jaw-dropping panoramic views, you'll find it all here.
Three national parks divide the wild stretches of the region. Blue Mountains National Park, the largest and most accessible of the three, spans most of the Jamison Valley (south of the Great Western Hwy between Glenbrook and Katoomba), as well as the Megalong Valley (south of the Great Western Hwy west of Katoomba) and the Grose Valley (north of the Great Western Hwy and east of Blackheath). The Grose and Jamison Valleys appeal primarily to hikers, while horseback riders tend to favor the Megalong Valley. Kanangra-Boyd National Park, tucked between two sections of Blue Mountains National Park in the southwest reaches of the mountains, is reserved for skilled bush-walkers. The park, accessible by partially paved roads from Oberon and from Jenolan Caves, has only one 2WD road. Wollemi National Park contains the state's largest preserved wilderness area. It's a place so unspoiled and untrafficked that a species of pine tree only before seen in fossil form was found here, alive and well, in 1994. Access to the park, the south edge of which abuts the north side of Bells Line of Road, is possible at Bilpin and at several points north of the central Blue Mountains.
The national parks of the Blue Mountains are divided into regions and administered by different branches of the National Parks and Wildlife Services (NPWS). If you are planning to bushcamp or even to drive into these parks, it is always advisable to contact the appropriate NPWS office (see specific park listings) a few days in advance to ensure that roads are drivable and that no bushfire bans are in place.