I had no idea about the Blue Mountains in Australia until I started researching prior to my trip…read more One of the stars of the Blue Mountains are the Three Sisters, Wimalah, Meeni, and Gunedoo. Named from an Aboriginal legend. About 200 million years ago, volcanoes erupted through layers of sandstone and shale. Then eroded over time by wind, rain and rivers, causing the cliffs surrounding the Jamison Valley to be slowly broken up. Aboriginal legend says the three sisters - Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo belong to a Nepean tribe in the Jamison valley. All three sisters were in love with three brothers, but they couldn't marry because the tribes were rivals. (Romeo and Juliette times three). Ignoring the tribal laws, the brothers decided to kidnap Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo. Creating a major tribal battle. To protect the three sisters, the tribe took them to a witch doctor who would temporarily turn them into stone and hide them near the rocky wall until the war was over. Unfortunately, the witch doctor was killed before the spell was reversed. Leaving the three sisters in stone forever. Echo Point gives the greatest view of The Sisters. The extension view from here is breathtaking, as you can see for miles across the valley tree tops. From this point is the spot that Queen Elizabeth II first saw The Sisters. Incredibly stunning.

A really beautiful lookout. Definitely worth a trip for anyone visiting Sydney. Make sure to stop…read morein the local town, too for beautiful shops.

The Blue Mountains were absolutely worth it. Not the easiest place to get to if you are relying on…read morepublic transport, so we hired a car and made a little road trip out of it. I am so glad we did. Once we arrived, we got the hop on hop off bus which was super easy to use. It's a round trip starting from Kombucha Station and made getting around really convenient without having to stress about directions or parking. The views along the way were already beautiful, but nothing compared to when we actually got there. The landscape is stunning with lush forests, dramatic cliffs and waterfalls. It feels like you have stepped into a postcard. One of the highlights was Scenic World. We did the steepest railway in the world. It is as wild as it sounds. Super steep, feels like a rollercoaster going down through the forest, and somehow still family friendly and so much fun. It was one of those experiences that really sticks with you. If you are into hikes, epic views or just need a break from the city, this place is a must. Just be prepared for a bit of a drive and bring your camera.

The natural beauty of the mountains is always a draw to come and soak it in. The sky view area…read moregives you the ability to go down into the bush below the mountains. The three sisters are a sight to see as is the vast beauty all around you.

An out of the way lookout 10-15mins from Blackheath. Great views of the Blue Gum Forrest, Gross…read moreValley and if you look into the distance on a clear day you can see the skyline of Sydney 86KM away! The Anvil shows exactly where to look for the skyline. The Anvil is a great unusual addition. Its a 5 min walk from the car park area. The road to the lookout is paved until the end of Hat Hill Road and then about 4KM of dirt road. The road can be used by cars just watch out for random deep potholes.

Birdwood Gully Park has one of the nicest little bushwalks ever. I kid you not. We used to live…read morejust near here and did this loop trail walk a few times a month except in winter. Birdwood Gully Track, inside the park, is a classic easy bush walk of 2.5 km where you see lots of colourful birds, and rainforest trees and ferns. There's a waterfall in the Madoline Glen section and some bridges to cross over the stream. The main entry points are located on Boomerang Road or via Bednal Road. Takes about 30 minutes and is a better bushwalk than most further up the mountain. Check out the pictures on Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/sandy_123/sets/72157628379478729/

Though they can get quite crowded, the Blue Mountains is undoubtedly worth a visit. The view from…read moreEcho Point is stunning, especially with the vast expanse of the Blue Mountains stretching forever in the distance. Named for the blue haze created by the eucalyptus trees, the Blue Mountains are renowned for their dramatic cliffs, waterfalls, and lush valleys. If you're a nature and scenery lover, this is for you.

The Blue Mountains are a gorgeous natural area just a short drive away from Sydney - you should…read moreabsolutely work this into your itinerary! This mountain range's name doesn't lie - the mountains are absolutely blue, whether that's from their geological nature or the mist and sunlight tricking the eye (or a little bit of both), it's all beautiful and vast. There are so many natural wonders to see within the Blue Mountains, including the Three Sisters rock formation, countless amazing waterfalls, and tons of flora and fauna to see. The main vegetation in the Blue Mountains is eucalyptus, but you'll see a few other cool trees and vines/growth. The fauna is even better, with dingoes, skinks, kangaroos, wallabies, and koalas. We saw lots of skinks scurrying around the entrance to the Jenolan Caves, and also spotted a wombat there! The Jenolan Caves are absolutely beautiful, and the hike through them is pretty easy (just a little tight at times), while offering an adventure-filled day. There is also the Blue Lake, right outside the caves, which was an impossibly turquoise lake that dazzled the yes. When we were driving through other areas of the Blue Mountains, we happened upon a small wallaby. We kept our distance and she didn't approach us too closely either. When we did zoom in a bit with our cameras, we notice she had a baby Joey in her pouch! Such a cool thing to see (from afar). So when you're planning your Sydney activities, definitely don't leave off The Blue Mountains, either via a tour or self-drive, especially if you're a fan of nature, wildlife, and hiking!

Stopped by this park on the way to Katoomba as it sounded pretty good!…read more It wasn't. The Oaks were very disappointing. Why on earth would they plant the same couple of species of Oak over and over? How boring is that? There are so many to choose from, why not go crazy and plant some interesting Oaks. 5 stars for the Monkey Puzzle and the Hoop Pine. At least I think that's a Hoop Pine! I'm 100% sure on the Monkey Puzzle. It's worth going to this park just to see those two trees. They would get 5 stars, but the Oaks brought the score down to 3.

In 1933 this strip of parkland was donated (by the kind of person who has land just to give away, I…read morepresume) in order to have every Prime Minister, or closest surviving relative, plant a tree. The result is this pathway of graduated trees, a couple of statues and a marker commemorating George William Evans on his first official survey over the Blue Mountains. Now, the state of the various trees leads one inevitably to jokes about Aussie PMs characterised as plant life, but I'll just leave you with one observation. The tree planted by John Howard has been chopped off at the neck, and unaccountably fails to thrive.

If you've ever wanted to feel just how tiny and blip-like we are as humans, Evans Lookout is…read moreprobably a good space to begin your dive into admiring natural wonders of the world. Down a winding road that turns off just before the main street of Blackheath you'll find the lookout parking bays. From here the lookout is maybe 300m walking. You can continue on a greater hike but that'll take you 3-4 hours. The view across the valley is sobering, majestic, and, although it seems to simplistic, breathtaking. If you're in the area and doing all the Blue Mountain sight-seeing it's worth adding to your list.

Another stunning lookout point in the Blue Mountains, there is parking & toilets available but…read moreenter at your own risk as it is one of those non-flush loo's where everything is collected at the bottom... Ewww! The lookout area has an elevated area where you can sit, pour yourself a tea from your thermos & take in the majestic view. If you walk about 200m down the path on the left it'll open up to another viewing area that is completely unbarricaded where you can sit cautiously on the side of the cliff. Complete bliss!

Everglades is one of Australia's heritage gardens. This stunning garden is from the 1930s sits in…read moretwelve and a half acres of European-style gardens and native Australian bush with breathtaking views over the Jamison Valley. It's a perfect picnic spot and plenty of room for the youngins to run around and burn some energy. Adults are $13 and children $4, there is a small parking lot on site.

Beautiful scenery, so nicely designed and presented. Wonderful flowers and nice getaway from the…read morecity. Really enjoyed and spent almost two hours in there with my mom. Must recommend!!