On Wednesday, our last full day Down Under, we headed out to Katoomba (about a 90-minute drive from Woronora) to visit The Blue Mountains. The day dawned overcast and rainy in Sydney, but the forecast was for a sunny, if cool, day out west. After an uneventful drive, we arrived in Katoomba just after 10:00 AM and made our way to the entrance at Echo Point. Once there, we were treated to the awesome spectacle of the mist-covered Jamison Valley stretching out below us. This point of entrance is especially popular because of The Three Sisters (see the last three photos taken from various angles and times of day) , an iconic rock formation. During our visit, we marvelled at the transformations the shifting mist created as the day warmed up. Of course, "warm up" is a relative term as the daytime high at this higher elevation (over 3000 ft) at the beginning of the Australian winter was 10 degrees Celsius. Nonetheless, the girls were able to appreciate the natural beauty of the valley in general, and the Sisters in particular. They were especially curious about the local Aboriginal legend of how the Sisters came to be formed.
Another highlight of the day was taking The Scenic Railway, which took us over 300 metres down into the valley. What makes the railway - really a "funiculaire" or cableway - a thrill is the incredibly steep grade at which it descends. It is billed as "the steepest passenger railway in the world," with an average grade of 52%, but which can be increased to 64% by adjusting one's seat. Of course, we adjusted our seats to get the full measure (check out the video below)! Once safely disembarked at the lower terminus, we took a leisurely 30-minute stroll along an elevated walkway through the Blue Gum (a variety of eucalypt) forest. There, we also learned about the history of coal mining in the 19th and early-to mid 20th centuries. To return to the top, we took the Skyway - a large gondola suspended 270 metres above the canopy below. It also provided a beautiful view of the forest, but really must be spectacular when there is no mist/fog obscuring the view.
It was a great end to our time in the Sydney area. We were a little hesitant to undertake a full-day outing when we had to leave early the next morning, but the girls came through - once again proving that they have become seasoned travellers!
Another highlight of the day was taking The Scenic Railway, which took us over 300 metres down into the valley. What makes the railway - really a "funiculaire" or cableway - a thrill is the incredibly steep grade at which it descends. It is billed as "the steepest passenger railway in the world," with an average grade of 52%, but which can be increased to 64% by adjusting one's seat. Of course, we adjusted our seats to get the full measure (check out the video below)! Once safely disembarked at the lower terminus, we took a leisurely 30-minute stroll along an elevated walkway through the Blue Gum (a variety of eucalypt) forest. There, we also learned about the history of coal mining in the 19th and early-to mid 20th centuries. To return to the top, we took the Skyway - a large gondola suspended 270 metres above the canopy below. It also provided a beautiful view of the forest, but really must be spectacular when there is no mist/fog obscuring the view.
It was a great end to our time in the Sydney area. We were a little hesitant to undertake a full-day outing when we had to leave early the next morning, but the girls came through - once again proving that they have become seasoned travellers!
This is a video taken from our second time down. We were in the second row this time, but our first experience was in the front seat - much cooler! Don't know how clear my narration is here as there is a lot of background noise. Check it out just for fun and compare it to the video on the scenic railway link above.