Blue Mountains

The mountains are so named because of the blue haze caused by the mist from the eucalypt trees, not because of the content of Norman Lindsay’s portraits or the colour of the lips on those who forget to take a jumper.

From Sydney you can get there by train or car – each a pleasant couple of hours – and there are many fine restaurants, cafés and places to stay. In July some restaurants celebrate Yulefest, a mid-year Christmas, when the weather is compatible with open fires, roast turkey and steamed pudding.

The rugged terrain of tree-clad slopes and sheer sandstone cliffs attracts tens of thousands of visitors, and scores of walking tracks lead along the ridges and down into the gorges. Mountain biking, abseiling and canyoning are also popular.

The Explorers Tree, commemorating the crossing of the Blue Mountains by Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson in 1813, stands by the highway about 2.5 kilometres west of Katoomba. It also marks the start of the 42-kilometre Six Foot Track to Jenolan Caves. This is a 'comfortable' three-day walk and there are overnight camping areas on the way.

For a snack, drop into the restored Paragon Café in Katoomba Street. It’s been making its own confectionary since 1916. The town also has a number of restaurants and galleries.

Katoomba is also home of the famous Three Sisters.

Click here for A Tale of Three Sisters.

On the way up the mountains, Faulconbridge is worth a stop.

The grave of Sir Henry Parkes is in the cemetery in the creatively named Sir Henry's Parade. In the same street, Jackson Park has a corridor of oak trees planted by all Australian Prime Ministers or their families as a living memorial.

Artist and Magic Pudding author, Norman Lindsay, who outraged society with his naked women and demonic satyrs, was a local lad.

To recall Peter Cook and Dudley Moore at a Rubens exhibition, you can tell a good nude when the bottom follows you around the room.

His former home and garden is now the Norman Lindsay Gallery and Museum. The garden contains 15 of his fountains and sculptures, some of which are very Elle Macpherson-ish.

Wentworth Falls has great views, its own waterfall and walking tracks in the Valley of the Waters. Yester Grange, in Yester Road, is a Victorian country home in five hectares of garden that’s now home to a rotating exhibition of art and craft.

Leura is a pretty town with sweeping views from the Sublime Point Lookout.

The town holds a garden festival every October when residents open their gates and gardenias to visitors.

Leura's showcase is the Everglades Gardens, which was created by Paul Sorenson, acclaimed as Australia's master gardener, in the mid 1930s.

There’s also has an excellent golf course near the Fairmont Resort and several up-market restaurants.

Medlow Bath is the other side of Katoomba and the main reason for stopping is the historic Hydro Majestic Hotel (which is actually three buildings built between 1880 and 1903 by a Sydney businessman as a health resort). Drop into the bar for great views over Megalong Valley. Blackheath is a centre for art and craft, and famous for its rhododendrons. Mount Victoria is the highest point in the mountains with several lookouts and picnic spots and, officially, this marks the end of the Blue Mountains.

Down the other side, Hartley (after passing Little Hartley) is worth a visit. Big Hartley is also little and the entire village has been declared an historic site. About 50 kilometres from Hartley are the Jenolan Caves.

Discovered by a bushranger in 1834, the nine limestone caves are huge, with stunning and beautifully lit stalactites and stalagmites.

You can head further south to the also spectacular Wombeyan Caves and loop back to Sydney via Mittagong.

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