The Blue Mountains

Katoomba and Blackheath

Image credit: Filippo Rivetti

With its roller coaster hills, main street lined with art deco buildings and jawdropping views of the mist-filled Jamison Valley, it’s little wonder Katoomba is a tourism hotspot. Visitors are well-serviced in this quirky town.

There are remarkable landmarks like the Three Sisters teetering over the Jamison Valley, the world-class Scenic World with its glass-bottom cable car and the world’s steepest railway that descends into the Jurassic rainforest.

Jump on the red double-decker Explorer Bus to visit the sights dotted along the escarpment, or lace up your hiking boots and tackle the Golden Staircase on the Ruined Castle Walking Track.

With outstanding views of the valley, the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre is home to an interactive exhibit of local history and the Blue Mountains Art Gallery.

Blackheath is a beautiful village with a bohemian soul, with cool cafes, galleries and local markets.

It’s surrounded by some of the most spectacular wilderness and incredible lookouts in the Blue Mountains National Park, including Govetts Leap with its far-reaching views over the densely-carpeted Grose Valley.

The Blue Mountains Heritage Centre offers advice and information about bushwalks, including the Clifftop Trail from Govetts Leap to Evans Lookout and the rainforest-clad Grand Canyon Track.

With its oak-lined main street and bountiful cool-climate gardens, Blackheath is ablaze with colour in autumn and spring, attracting visitors keen to capture an Instagram moment.