Blue Mountains
 

How far from Sydney??? <BR>Is it feasible to do a day trip or just stay overnight there from Sydney? <BR>We're in Sydney for 3 days, 4 nights. <BR>Thanks in advance for your responses.

Suzy <BR>We've been advised by locals to make it an overnight stop, as the Mountains are supposed to be stunning. <BR>However we have more time to play with, so if you can only do it in a day trip make sure you go anyway! <BR>(We're combining with a night in the Hutner Valley -hic.)

damn, just thinking about it affected my typing <BR>:-)

Hi Suzy; <BR> <BR>I think I'm in a minority amongst people who visit the Sydney area, but I wouldn't spend more than a day going out to the Blue Mountains. Yes, they're pretty, and the eucalyptus forest covering them is lovely, too, but given that you've only got three days in Sydney -- well, I just might skip them altogether! Sydney is a stunning and very fun city with loads to do; the Blue Mountains, while scenic, are not sufficiently unique, I would say, to warrant a third or more of your time. You may end up feeling rushed! <BR> <BR>

I disagree with Ross. Depending on where else in Australia you are going, if you DON'T get to see any of the countryside, a trip to the Blue Mts is a MUST, even with only 3 days in Sydney. To look out into those vast chasms and realize that the early Australian pioneers had to cross that to discover that there was no great inland sea afterall is awesome. If time, do at least part of a walk, take in the views, smell the fresh air, and possibly sneak up on some wildlife. Go back to the city tired but refreshed. Best access is by car but there are also trains and, of course, tour buses.

Definitely a trip to the Blue mountains is worthwhile - especially if you get a good day. <BR>Not necessary to have a night there but get a car as there are a few places you can visit around the mountains which are worthwhile. Have fun. <BR> <BR>

I think I agree with Ross. We're from the US, and to us the Blue Mtns were nice but not as spectacular as the Appalachian or Rocky Mtns. If you've only got three full days in Sydney, I'm not sure I would give up one of them for the Blue Mtns. <BR> <BR>We took a train from Sydney to the Blue Mtns. It took about 2 hours. From the train station in Katoomba there were buses to all the major sites. A car would give you more flexibility. <BR> <BR>Winston

Hello again; <BR> <BR>I don't mean to be combative, but just want to add a couple of points that might help you make your choice. I think part of the letdown my wife and I felt when we went to the Blue Mountains earlier this year is that we'd just been to the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Zion Nat'l Park, Canyonlands Nat'l park and so on last fall on a trip we made back to the States. As one of the previous posts rightly points out, the Blue Mountains aren't really mountains; they comprise a big gorge with steep sides, covered in lush eucalypt forest. It's pretty, but as Winston pointed out, the scenery is not as compelling as many of the places you'll find in the US -- at least it wasn't to us. <BR> <BR>If you're in Australia for a while, and will be visiting Melbourne, then I'd strongly suggest a trip out to the Great Ocean Road, which I find to be the best coastal scenery I've ever encountered, outshining even the Big Sur/Carmel areas in CA. <BR> <BR>But to each his own! If your heart is set on the Blue Mountains, then so be it. Let me then strongly suggest you do the trip by car. It's not a long way out of Sydney, and it's a fun drive. You can certainly do it in one day if you wish (we did; we rented a car in Sydney just for that day, in fact), although the little towns along the main road through the Blue Mountains area have numerous B-and-B's and hotels/motels. <BR> <BR>Bon voyage, whatever you choose!

OK...I live in Sydney but am a pretty new arrival so understand the tourist state of mind too! Blue Mtns is easily done in a day. It is beautiful (no one claims it is the goddam grand canyon for chrissakes! go to Ayers Rock and then tell me your comparison with anything in the US Ross!!!) but if you only have a few days in Sydney, I wouldn't bother staying the night. If you set out early in the morning, it will only take 1.5-2 hrs and you can be back in sydney for an evening cruise or something. <BR> <BR>I recommend Wentworth Falls which is on the main "highway" through the B.Ms. You will see a big sign just as you come to the town if Wentworth. Turn left (if you are coming from Sydney) and just keep going. You will also see a sign to a place called "lady of many waters" or "7 hidden waters" or something on your way up this road. I cant remember the name I am sorry! Before or after seeing the falls, turn here and go to the Conservation Hut for lunch or cofee - amazing views and good food. <BR> <BR>Leura is a nice litte town but not particularly australian.Visit Katoomba and Echo point too. <BR> <BR>One thing - unless you dont mind a lot of driving, dont try and do the Jenolan Caves aswell. They are another 1.5 hrs from Katoomba!

Hey Sonia; <BR> <BR>Keep cool! I'm not trying to make any 'my dad can beat up your dad' comparisons! I was simply trying to explain why I was perhaps underimpressed with the Blue Mountains -- especially after having many, many people recommend going out to see them. I wished I had spent the day in Sydney itself, since there's so much to do there, and since the BMs are indeed not the Grand Canyon -- i.e. I don't think they're a 'must do'. As I have said, however, to each his own. <BR> <BR>Highly subjective personal advice, for better or worse, is the bread and butter of this website. You might keep that in mind before you respond with profanity and childish retorts.

Get off your high horse Ross! <BR> <BR>You don't mean to be combative - BUT you are. <BR> <BR>No previous poster said they were NOT mountains. The Blue Mountains to the west of Sydney are only a very small part of a range of mountains which begin in north Qld and run down the east coast of Australia to southern Victoria. Included in this range are some ancient extinct volcanoes. <BR> <BR>I'm sorry you were disappointed but maybe that had something to do with your expectations, especially if you were expecting the Grand Canyon - not mountains but gorges resulting from eons of erosion.

Thanks, 'Downunder', for your apology. You really didn't need to take responsibility for my disappointment. <BR> <BR>I'll ask you, however, not to assign the worst motives to me: I really have no wish to start fights on this message board. I just responded to someone who had a limited amount of time in Sydney by relating my own experiences there. <BR> <BR>As for the question of whether the BMs are 'mountains' or not -- well, a previous poster mentioned that what you go to the BMs to see is a 'chasm' which, from what I saw, is entirely accurate. I'll grant you that this chasm may be located in a range of mountains, but it's not really the mountain peaks that are the attraction. Please correct me if I'm wrong. <BR> <BR>I'll not apologise for speaking my mind: as I've said, if I were going to Sydney for the first time, and had only three days, I wouldn't want to have spent any of that limited time at the BMs. That's not meant as a slur on their scenic grandeur, or on the perceptions of others who have seen them. If Suzy were going to be in Sydney for a week, I'd say go to see them, by all means. But in my mind, they're simply not a 'must see' like (to use Australian-correct examples) Uluru or the barrier reef. <BR> <BR>Riding high in my saddle, <BR> <BR>Ross

Thanks, 'Downunder', for your apology. You really didn't need to take responsibility for my disappointment. <BR> <BR>I'll ask you, however, not to assign the worst motives to me: I really have no wish to start fights on this message board. I just responded to someone who had a limited amount of time in Sydney by relating my own experiences there. <BR> <BR>As for the question of whether the BMs are 'mountains' or not -- well, a previous poster mentioned that what you go to the BMs to see is a 'chasm' which, from what I saw, is entirely accurate. I'll grant you that this chasm may be located in a range of mountains, but it's not really the mountain peaks that are the attraction. Please correct me if I'm wrong. <BR> <BR>I'll not apologise for speaking my mind: as I've said, if I were going to Sydney for the first time, and had only three days, I wouldn't want to have spent any of that limited time at the BMs. That's not meant as a slur on their scenic grandeur, or on the perceptions of others who have seen them. If Suzy were going to be in Sydney for a week, I'd say go see them, by all means. But in my mind, they're simply not a 'must see' like (to use Australian-correct examples) Uluru or the barrier reef. <BR> <BR>Riding high in my saddle, <BR> <BR>Ross

Ah! I do apologise for the double posting -- the site told me it didn't accept my previous post the first time, but clearly it did!

Did I write chasms? I meant cliffs - quite different. <BR> <BR>At Wentworth Falls I think Sonia means Valley of the Waters. <BR> <BR>There are lots of look outs, waterfalls and walking tracks. Suzy if you do go up there look out not only south across the Jamison Valley from Wentworth Falls or Katoomba but also northwards from Echo Point at Lawson. <BR> <BR>By the way, Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson were the names of the guys who first found a way across the mountain. <BR> <BR>Have an enjoyable trip. Remember it's colder up there than in Sydney.

I can't believe I am defending an American but I understand what Ross is saying. I'm from Canada and our Rocky Mountains are majestic. The Blue Mountains would be a disappointment to those of us that have experienced the Canadian Rockies. It is not a put down to Australia. Your country is amazing. We can't compare our beaches to yours. Your sand is amazing and the colour of the ocean unbelievable. The wildlife is Australia is an experience! I love your country. It is just a fact Canada (and some parts of the US) has some of the most impressive mountain ranges in the world. If your time is limited why go to the Blue Mountains when you can see all the other wonderfully unique things Australia has to offer?

I'm from Colorado and went to the Blue Mountains expecting to be "underwhelmed" but instead I found the entire Blue Mountains/Kanangra Wilderness area to be spectacular, especially the views hiking down into the Blue Gum Forest and from Evans Lookout. No, they're not "fourteeners", but how many mountains in Colorado have stringy bark eucalypts, hanging swamps, waterfalls, bower birds, goannas and parrots! <BR> <BR>I'd find a way to go for a day. <BR> <BR>Just wanted to put in my two cents. <BR> <BR>