Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
cover the major towns and sights. Dozens of tour buses head to the mountains from
Sydney.
Need to Know
»
Area Code
02
»
Location
Sixty kilometres west of central Sydney
»
Tourist Office
(
9am-5pm)
BLUE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
What is known as the Blue Mountains is actually a sandstone plateau riddled with steep gullies eroded by rivers
over thousands of years. The purple haze that gives the mountains their name comes from a fine mist of oil ex-
uded by eucalyptus trees.
Initially thought to be impenetrable, the mountains were first crossed by European explorers in 1813. On this
epic quest, Gregory Blaxland, William Wentworth and William Lawson followed the mountain ridges up over
the top; today, their route is pretty much traced by the Great Western Hwy.
More than three million people a year visit the scenic lookouts and waterfalls of
Blue Mountains National
Park
( 4787 8877;
www.environment.nsw.gov.au/nationalparks
;
per car $7 in the Glenbrook area only),
the most popular and accessible part of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. There are bushwalks
for everyone, from pensioners to the downright intrepid, lasting from a few minutes to several days.
As you'd expect in such rugged terrain, there are hazards: walkers get lost, bushfires flare up and there are
definitely snakes in the grass. These are relatively rare occurrences, but it pays to get some up-to-date advice
from the visitors centres before you propel yourself into the wilderness.
