The Three Sisters - Blue Mountains, Australia

Recently, I was fortunate enough to go on a one week vacation with my girlfriend and her family in Sydney, Australia. When I travel to different parts of the world, I try to get out and explore what nature has to offer. The entire country of Australia has some of the greatest landscapes for any type of adventurer, but my time and transportation options were limited. The closest outdoor destination to Sydney is located about 60 miles west near the town of Katoomba. This popular region is known as the Blue Mountains.

A Rising Haze of Blue

The Blue Mountains were formed by several geologic events over several millions of years. The sea covered most of the area while rivers flowed in, filling the entire sea bottom with sandstone. This lifted the seafloor, making the area a shallow delta. Underneath, several volcanoes erupted, causing lava flows to cover almost the entire region. Eventually, shifting quakes pushed parts of the region upwards, causing much of the coastal sediment to drift downwards.

The entire region is densely covered in Eucalyptus trees. The oil from the tree leaves and water vapor in the air combine in the atmosphere. This combination creates dispersed short-wave rays of light, giving the mountains a gorgeous blue haze. Thus, the name "Blue Mountains".

Legend of the Three Sisters

A popular tourist attraction in the Blue Mountains are the Three Sisters. These are three large rock formations rising nearly 3000ft above sea level overlooking the Jamison Valley. The geological history of the rock formation is far less interesting than the Aborigine legend:

Many years ago, there lived a witch doctor with three daughters, Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo. One morning, while gathering food in the valley, the witch doctor left his daughters atop a cliff. He told them to keep quiet so not to wake the Bunyip, a large beast that lived in a cave on the valley floor. After the witch doctor left, a centipede suddenly frightened Meehni. She threw a stone at the centipede, but missed and it went tumbling down the edge of the cliff. This caused a mudslide down the side of the mountain, waking the sleeping Bunyip.

The Bunyip immediately stormed out of his cave, determined to find the cause of the commotion. He pinned his eyes on the three sisters above, and charged at them! Just as the Bunyip raised his claws and prepared to eat the sisters, the witch doctor used his magic bone to transform his daughters into stone. The Bunyip, angered by this, charged at the witch doctor. To escape, the witch doctor turned himself into a Lyre bird and flew away. Sadly, during the transformation, he lost his magic bone in the valley below.

Legend has it, the Lyre bird can be seen scouring the floor of Jamison Valley looking for the magic bone it had lost. The Three Sisters continue waiting atop the cliff to be transformed back into their human form.

Exploring Echo Point and Scenic World

The views of the Blue Mountains can be enjoyed from all over Katoomba. Another major tourist destination is Scenic World. They offer several different ways to explore the region. We began our adventure by riding across the valley in the Scenic Skyway.

The Skyway rides suspended over the valley by cables and provides guests a full view of Katoomba Falls, the Three Sisters, and the Jamison Valley below. We were able to see everything, including the valley below through a glass floor!

Once across, we made our way to Echo Point, a popular viewing spot for tourists.

There are many great walking paths in the area, but we decided to take the shortest: the Three Sisters walkway. It leads to a closeup view of the rock formations before turning into a 980-step stairway down to the valley floor. 

  

We didn't feel like climbing so many steps, so we turned around at the Honeymoon Bridge. The bridge connects the walkway to the base of the first sister rock formation.

For many years, couples have flocked here to take romantic photos, giving it the name Honeymoon Bridge. Unfortunately, it was closed for maintenance. We snapped some photos, and made our way to the Scenic Cableway.

The Scenic Cableway takes guests down into the Jamison Valley. Our ears popped as we descended 1800 feet! Once at the bottom we took a stroll on the Scenic Walkway. This is a 1.5 mile elevated "boardwalk" that loops around the Jurassic rainforest. There are many types of trees (marked by signs) including peppermint, gum, and oak. Occasionally, the jungle canopy opens up and views of the steep mountainsides tower high up above. Near the end of the loop, displays of artifacts pay homage to the coal mining industry that once flourished in the area.

After the quick walk, we ended our trip with a thrilling ride up out of the valley on the Scenic Railway, the steepest passenger railway in the world! This train zooms up the side of the mountain at roughly 65 degrees, forcing passengers to cliff-hang bars overhead. This railway is not for the faint of heart, but it is definitely one of the most exhilarating ways to experience the Jamison Valley.

Beautiful Landscape, Close to the City

For anyone visiting Sydney, I highly recommend taking a tour of the Blue Mountains. Though we spent most of our time doing more tourist-y activities, the entire park is filled with hiking trails of varying difficulty. I'll have to return and spend more time exploring the beautiful landscape!