Wld appreciate advice on day tour to Blue mountain alone. (ie no stopping at Omlypic stadium.)

Are there discounts for last minutes (on day or day-before) bookings and where can these be purchased?

Am also thinking of barbie(BBQ) at Hunter valley. Can we get 2 person portion of pre-seasoned food from super-markets ?
On way there, are there supermkt I can stop at ? (may make a Port Stephen stop as well.)

Thanks for all help.

I have never heard of last-minute discounts on day tours to the Blue Mountains; maybe you'll be lucky, but I wouldn't count on it.

The large supermarkets with meat departments (such as Woolworths at Town Hall or Coles Express) sell barbecue packs. Supermarkets are a fact of life for every Australian nowadays, and you will have no trouble finding one wherever you happen to be heading.

Thanks Alan.

I had a look at an online map. Coming from Cessnock to Katoomba The route seems to be Pacific Hwy/Sydney-Newcastle Fwy south bound till Wharoongo THEN look for Cumberland Hwy sign.

There seems to be a fork in this at before Telopea - are there signs for James Ruse drive / Hart Dr ? OR what should I look for on this route to head for either the Western Mtwy or the Great Weater Hwy

Which route is better Great Western or Western Mtwy ?

Guess it wld be at least 4 hrs - if we do not get lost ... any recommended spot to take a break ?

Also consider staying the nite at "lower" portions - are Valley heights & Springwood ok areas ? Any recommendations ?
Thanks.

I guess you saw my reply to your other post about getting from the Hunter Valley to Katoomba while entirely bypassing Sydney? Didn't appeal, then?

I just re-read it, incidentally, and picked up an error. The Putty Road, which you join near Singleton, doesn't take you through Wisemans Ferry, but heads pretty much south to Windsor. Personally I'd take that any time over the Newcastle Freeway and Sydney's sprawling featureless suburbia, but either will get you there.

I can't remember what the signage says exactly after Hornsby, but you'll be looking for Ring Road 7 to take you around to the Great Western Highway/M-whatever motorway (take the latter). The signs may point to Penrith, which you have to go past on your way to Katoomba.

You'll do much better with hard-copy maps - I always find online maps pretty useless. Suggest you buy a set in Sydney. The NRMA (AA equivalent) has good touring maps.

Springwood is an unexciting dormitory suburb with a suburban-style shopping centre, and there's nothing at all at Valley Heights. The highway that winds its way up the mountains is not especially scenic, so once you've reached the lower Blue Mountains you may as well press on the extra half hour to Katoomba.

Great idea to buy meat from supermarkets and grill your own. Also many butchers prepare meat ready for the grill.

Supermarkets also have salad packs with croutons dressings and cheese.

Many many picnic areas, beachside or rest stops have free gas grills.

Cessnock would have supermarkets and also cheap meals at the club there, I think on Friday nights?

The "fork" in the road at Telopea is the turn into Marsden Road, but you won't be tempted to take it in error, as it is a minor road which is obviously not part of the road you're on. About a kilometre further on you will pass some grand old school buildings, and then there's a turn to the right announcing the Cumberland Highway.

The motorway and the Great Western Highway are both accessed at Wentworthville by making a right turn (the turns are within a hundred metres of each other, GWH being first). Eventually you will have to go onto the motorway, so it may as well be now.... even though that way you miss going through the picturesque Sydney western suburbs of Prospect, Rooty Hill, Mt Druitt, and St Mary's (that's a joke -- Neil will understand), the motorway, as ugly as it is, is easily the quicker of the two, and at that point is free (heading towards Sydney, it becomes a tollway). If you miss this turn, however, it's no big deal, as there are at least a half-dozen further accesses from the GWH onto the motorway between Wentworthville and Penrith.

Once you have accessed the motorway, there are no traffic lights (and only one gas station) until you reach Glenbrook, in the lower Blue Mountains. Just before that traffic light is the Glenbrook Visitors Centre, and you should call in there to get a map of the Blue Mountains. A block off the highway, behind this centre, is Glenbrook village, and it is a pleasant place to stop for a meal -- there are several nice little restaurants there, including a new Indian one.

Neil is right about Valley Heights (there is one restaurant, the Swiss Inn, but that's all), and the highway no longer passes through Springwood, anyway. If you plan to stop for a meal between Glenbrook and Katoomba, your best bet is Wentworth Falls or Leura, both of which are pleasant little areas to stroll around in (in fact, most Mountain dwellers will tell you that the smart mountain dweller lives and eats in Leura and shops in Katoomba).

Thanks Neil, Tassie & Alan.

Yes neil, I'm a bit of a coward - first time in Sydney & won't want to be too adventurous. The MALE driver might get into a fit if we get lost. We've visited & driven in WA : Perth-Albany though.

So Cessnock to Katoomba in 4 hrs is "doable" using the hi-ways ? Was afraid driver may be too tired hence the thot of 1 nite in the "lower" towns.
Where wld be a good place along the route to take a break ? (maybe after 2 hrs)

How cold does it gets at nite ?
Thanks again.

Actually I suggested the less-trafficked Putty Road because I thought it would be both less daunting and more scenic than going anywhere near Sydney, but if you're not comfortable with that, that's OK. Either will get you there.

You haven't said what time of year you'll be travelling, so it's a bit hard to advise about Katoomba weather, but if you look it up on www.weatherbase.com. Be advised that the Blue Mountains are not serious mountains as many North Americans and Europeans understand the term - Katoomba is only about 1,000 metres above sea level. There may be an occasional dusting of snow in winter, that's all. Sydneysiders think it's cold, but they're notorious weather wimps.

Thanks Neil,
It's Next week!! And I've only settled the 1st 3 nites stay.