Author: Medha Ruby

Not all the tour guides will tell you about it. Nor is it often found on international tour maps. But like many of the charming places beyond the beaten path, the Blue Mountains are sure to charm you with their untamed adventurous spirit. A short 100 kms west of Sydney, it is close enough for a quick day trip, or a leisurely overnight visit.

The Blue Mountains are actually sandstone plateaus that reach up to 1190 metres above sea level. You can expect pleasant temperatures throughout the year, although in the summer months the temperatures may reach the lower thirties. The plateaus are fringed by rugged eroded gorges reaching up to a depth of 760 metres, and providing dozens of ledges for the adventurous rock-climber. Part of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Site, the Blue Mountains is an extraordinary natural reservoir of flora.

For a long time, the difficult terrain of Blue Mountains prevented access to the valleys beyond it. Explorers would follow rivers which would lead them to spectacular and dangerous waterfalls, ending in a ledge or cliff. Early in the 19th century, three determined explorers charted a new path along the ridges and cliffs to cross what was considered impossible. Later, the Blue Mountains were to provide numerous ridges, cliffs, edges, rock faces, and gorges for the mountaineers and rock-climbers as well as the many abseilers who flock to the area.

There are many attractions in and around the Blue Mountains. The Blue Mountains National Park is 250,000 hectares of natural wonderland, which unlike many other parks, invites people with full accessibility. You can view the Park by car through the M4 Freeway, which will be a one and a half hour trip from Sydney, or you can take the trains leaving hourly from Sydney Central Station. Day touring services are also available, which is a good idea for those who don’t want to explore all by themselves. A guided tour will ensure you see all the significant points and you will receive a useful commentary as well. Catering arrangements are also made by the tour companies, saving one planning headache. The English Gardens and villages along the route are enchanting escapes into a pastoral world.

There are many small and spirited towns near and within Blue Mountains – in fact 26 of them in all – and Katoomba (aboriginal for ‘shiny, tumbling water’), situated in the heart of the mountains is the most frequented starting point for your journey. There is the famous Giant Stairway that runs down a cliff through a two and half hour walk through the Jamison Valley, into the Scenic Railway.

Along the way you meet the most celebrated feature of the Blue Mountains, the Three Sisters, a sandstone rock face with three crests formed due to differential erosion. Tribal legend has it that three women in love were turned to stone by a witch doctor, who then died, leaving the women in unrequited stony eternal silence.

At the bottom you can ride the Katoomba Scenic Railway, a privately-owned tourist service with a cable-driven railway system that claims to be the steepest rail-route in the world, going to the maxima of an incredible 52Ú! Similarly, the Scenic Skyway and the Scenic Flyway are two celebrated cable cars traversing different arms of the Jamison Valley, with the latter claiming to be the steepest in Australia.

The Jenolan Caves are a series of marvelous caves made of limestone with wonderful display of stalactites and stalagmites, situated 45 km (70 km by road) south west of Katoomba township. The Zig Zag railway is a heritage railway around the famous Lithgow Zig Zag, designed in such a way to traverse abrupt ascents.

The Blue Mountains, named so because of the blue haze caused by the volatile fumes released by the surrounding eucalypts, is full of adventure for everyone. Here you can do bushwalking, horse riding, abseiling, visit day spas, ride the railways and cables, see the Edge Cinema or the gardens, and enjoy the various rock formations and caves. You’ll find wonderful food and wine, and shopping opportunities to satiate your local interest. Or, if you feel like writing a novel, you might find your muse within the inspiring scenes around you. Fact is, the Blue Mountains are likely to find a way to charm your heart.

Disclaimer

We take no responsibility for inaccuracy or omissions in the information provided, which is not intended as specific advice. Before relying on the material, you should obtain appropriate professional advice relevant to your individual circumstances to evaluate accuracy, currency, completeness and relevance of the information to your specific needs.

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Blue Mountains Australia: What to See and Do

Author: Rich Greenwood

If you were to simply open your eyes and find yourself in the Blue Mountains, NSW, you would never guess that you were only ninety minutes drive from the centre of Australia’s biggest city, Sydney. The Blue Mountains is one of Australia’s oldest rural holiday destinations and has not lost it’s popularity. It offers plenty for those looking for a romantic escape and for families wanting a healthy, active holiday.

Getting there: Getting to the Blue Mountains is easy. From Sydney head west following the signs for Parramatta. Then join the M4 (toll section near Sydney) and keep going on the M4 as far as the edge of the Blue Mountains in Lapstone. You can then follow the signs up to the main tourist areas such as Katoomba. An alternative is to catch the train from Central Railway station in Sydney CBD. There is around one train an hour and it takes roughly 90-120 minutes depending on which station you are going to. There are day trips from Sydney as well by coach which return to the city the same day but staying in one of the great Blue Mountains accommodation options for a few nights will allow you to truly appreciate the area.

What to do: If you come to the Blue Mountains there is plenty to do. Obviously you are going to want to take in the fantastic scenery so here are a few ideas.

Viewpoints: The Blue Mountains offers some stunning viewpoints. Some of the most well known include Echo Point in Katoomba offers an amazing view over the Three Sisters and through the Jamison Valley. Wentworth Falls also offer great views of both the falls and the valley.

Bushwalking: There are bushwalking trails throughout the Blue Mountains region and national park. Once you reach the Blue Mountains then head to one of the tourist information centres such as the one in Katoomba and request a bushwalking map marking the main trails. You can choose from short walks on manmade paths to long and adventurous hikes.

Scenic World: Located in the central Katoomba area, Scenic World is the most popular attraction in the region and offers a number of ways to enjoy the great views. Scenic World has a number of attractions including a cable car, a glass floored skyway which takes you across the valley and the world’s steepest railway. There is also a boardwalk around the rainforest at the bottom of the valley. It’s a great family attraction and a fun way to take in some of the views of the local area.

Eating Out: If you’re looking for some special places to eat, here are some suggestions.

Solitary, 90 Cliff Drive, Leura Falls, NSW.

This restaurant enjoys some of the best views you could hope to find in the Blue Mountains and does not things slip when it comes to the food. Solitary was created back in 2000 by husband and wife team Georgia Shepherd and John Cross the restaurant serves fantastic Modern Australian and European influenced food in a fine dining atmosphere. The restaurant has won many awards including Two Chefs hats in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2007 and ranked as one of the Lonely Planet top 5 places to eat out in Australia in 2004.

Darley’s Restaurant at Lilianfels, Echo Point, Lilianfels Avenue, Katoomba.

Located in the historic and luxurious Lilianfels Hotel, Darley’s restaurant has a long reputation for excellent food and service. They have been awarded Two Chefs hats in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2009, one of only a small number to achieve such a high accolade. The restaurant specialises in excellent country cooking that fits the location and makes use of high quality local produce and an excellent wine list. This is obviously somewhere for a special occasion and is not cheap. Expect to pay close to $80 per person for two courses or around $100 for three courses with wine being extra. If you can’t make your mind up from the menu you can sample a number of interesting course with the degustation menu served with matching wines. Whey to stay: Blue Mountains accommodation comes in the form of cosy cottages and homely bed and breakfasts perfect for a romantic getaway. From budget to total luxury there is something for everyone. Some of the most popular

When to go: Typically you will find the Blue Mountains will be a few degrees cooler than Sydney year round. The accommodation is well geared up for the cooler months and you will find many of the cottages will have a fireplace to make things nice and cosy. You should find it a little cooler than Sydney in the summer although on the hottest days it may make a long walk feel like hot work.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/blue-mountains-australia-what-to-see-and-do-760444.html

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This article on relating to Blue Mountains accommodation is by Richard Greenwood of holiday accommodation booking site www.makemystay.com.au
The site features quality holiday homes, cottages and apartments across Australia listed directly by the property owners or local agents.

The Blue Mountain And Its Nearby Attractions

Author: Dave Text

Blue Mountain located in New South Wales, Australia. This mountain is famous for its magnificent view, making it one of the famous attractions in the region.

The term vacation or holidays means giving yourself a break from something you usually do by going someplace or attending a certain festival or celebration. Spending the holidays with your whole family and friends are the most common ritual.

In the United Kingdom the term “vacation” is referred exclusively to the very long summer break given by the so called “law courts”. This is a tradition introduced by William the conqueror from Normandy, where in, the intention at that time was as a form of assistance to their great grape harvest. Thus, the French word for the word “vacation” would be “Les Vacances”.

The word vacation is not just a term used in English-speaking countries like North America, which they would refer as a lengthy time away from school or work but rather a pleasure trip one can take to have fun, enjoy and get all the stress out. Although it is common to plan vacations ahead, possibly about 6 months up to a year in advance, others who are not that privileged would go with a quick get away for the weekend or a whole day with the kids somewhere.

Thus, the Blue Mountains were discovered in the year 1788. Although it has been recognized by Indigenous Australians for hundreds of years, the Blue Mountains were considered to be impenetrable by the early settlers of Sydney. This was an impassable area where in it is somewhat next to impossible to cross. This is until criminals and other explorers were able to formulate ways on how they can get across.

The most well known expedition for the Blue Mountains was during the year 1813, by three famous personalities. This would be Lawson, Badland, and Wentworth. Like the earlier explorers who attempted to get across the Blue Mountains, they followed the flow of the river valleys, only to find out the pathway was terminated by vertical cliffs that are about a hundred meters high. With this hindrance, the three explorers just followed the ridges in order to reach the plateau.

The”first crossing” of Lawson, Badland and Wentworth was the precious ordinary misconception brought about by a variety of monuments they perceived to be authentic. Thus, the geographical prize they received for their efforts was the three hills along Kanimbla Valley located in the northwest portion of Mount York which was named after them. This journey to the Blue Mountains was customarily regarded as a serious step that opened the western part of New South Wales to the European resolution.

With regards to the accommodation sector, during the 1970s it mainly revolved on motels. Since the competition was tough in this area, most of the owners barely talk to one another and the environment at that time was warlike and hostile. It would even go to the extent that when a certain motel is full, they will just inform visitors that the whole are is packed so they can just fro accommodations farther away from the area. Thus, a few years later, they were able to set up the Blue Mountains Motel Association.

Since then, this association became the Hotel Industry’s main voice. From them the Tourist Association was able to set up policies with regards to the objectives and aims for their guest.

These were:

• To instill a hospitable and friendly industry within the Blue Mountains
• To analyze as well as act upon the problems that affect the so-called “accommodation industry”
• To liaise with the highly regarded Hotel and Motel Association
• To cooperate and liaise with the Tourism staff of the Blue Mountains.

Thus, last July 21st of the year 1991, the name of the Blue Mountains was requested to be changed to “The Blue Mountains Accommodation Association Inc.”.

There are a lot of reasons why people go to the Blue Mountains to spend a fun filled and exciting vacation. Some of the attractions you will find there are as follows:

• The Scenic Skyway – It is a glass bottom aerial cable car which showcases a 545-meter area ride.

• The Giant Staircase – It is a giant staircase that runs down the cliff.

• The Katoomba Scenic Railway – This rally is listed in the Guiness world book of records. It is given recognition as the steepest railway in the world.

• Jenolan Caves – This is a spectacular limestone cave which is regarded as one of the world’s finest naturally structured cave.

• Zig Zag Railway – It is an old fashioned railway that caters to steam-powered engines that can only be found in Australia.

• Valley Heights Locomotive Depot Heritage Museum – This is the home of the oldest remaining road house, which is situated in New South Wales

• The Norman Lindsay Gallery & Museum – This gallery showcases a wide variety of artworks, paintings, model sailing ship replicas, etchings, and sculptures. Moreover, this house was featured in the amusing film about three mermaids called “Sirens”.

• The Edge Cinema – Scenic views and geographical information about the Blue Mountains can also be seen in this cinema through a 45 minute show that was narrated by the acclaimed Hugo Weaving.

• The Toy Museum at Leura – In this distinct museum, various kinds of toys collection is being featured. This is the most loved museum in the region, primarily because of the kids.

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For more information on Blue Mountain Vacations please visit our website.

Victoria’s Top 21 Hot Spots – Part One
By Jenny Brewer

1. Melbourne

As Australia’s second largest city, Melbourne is known for its diverse culture, fine restaurants, café and nightlife. Situated on the Yarra River, and inland from Port Philip Bay, there is so much to see and do. Attractions include Federation Square, Melbourne Aquarium, Melbourne Museum and of course the famous Melbourne Zoo. The parks, gardens, shopping and cultural ambience make this destination Victoria’s number one top spot.

2. Ballarat

Known as Victoria’s inland city, Ballarat is mostly known for its gold. It is still a big industry drawing tourists and gold seekers to this unique destination. You can choose from the Eureka Stockade Centre, Gold Museum or the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery. Sovereign Hill is a must see with its recreating of history during the ‘Eureka Stockade’. Only 90 minutes from Melbourne on the Great Western Highway, it is great for a day trip or a stopover to enjoy all this city has to offer.

3. Geelong

Geelong is often known as the gateway to the Great Ocean Road, with amazing scenery in all directions. There are fantastic attractions close to the city. The Geelong Gaol is worth a visit, as well as the Ford Discovery Centre and the National Wool Museum which is great for the family. A very popular recreational spot is the Barwon River and Buckley Falls which are perfect for a bushwalk and picnic. Drive a bit further south to Ocean Grove for a swim and amazing scenery. Geelong truly has something for everyone.

4. Mildura

Mildura is Victoria’s most productive fruit-growing area, with the mighty Murray River a drawcard for its many tourists. There is so much to see here, with Orange World, Gol Gol Fisheries and the Golden River Zoo some of the attractions. There are plenty of camping spots to choose from especially at the Mungal National Park, famous for its red sand dunes. Board a paddle steamer for a day to see the Murray River at its best. The PS Melbourne and the Rothbury both offer daily trips. Fantastic for a the whole family, Mildura is wonderful tourist spot.

5. Snowy River National Park

Known for wild horses and magical sunrises, this is Victoria’s High Country at its best, with some of Australia’s best ski fields close by, and popular for all types of outdoor sports such as abseiling, horse riding, canoeing, bike riding and hiking. There is incredible scenery here, with incredible gorges and river systems and plenty of fantastic camping spots. The best way to get there is in a hire car, via Buchan (from Jindabyne) along the Barry Way which will lead you to some amazing cave systems. The Buchan Caves are definitely worth a visit.

6. Macedon Ranges

Close to an hour out of Melbourne, this is a great spot to visit to escape the heat and enjoy the local wines and fruits of the region. With the Great Dividing Range and central highlands as a backdrop, visit attractions such as the Hanging Rock, and the Macedon National Park which has plenty of beautiful camping sights to choose from. The Cope Williams Winery, Mount Macedone Winery and Cobaw Ridge offer excellent local wine tasting and stunning scenery in every direction. Mount Macedon also has incredible gardens open to the public.

7. Lakes Entrance

If you love water sports, you will love this region. Located close to Ninety Mile Beach, Lakes Entrance offers panoramic ocean views in every direction. It is a popular holiday spot situated where the Gippsland Lakes meet the ocean. Lake Tyers is fantastic for a picnic, and perfect for a drive through its forest park. The most popular activities are fishing and boating, with so many waterways to choose from, and it is a perfect destination to relax and enjoy the surrounding coastal beauty.

8. Wilsons Promontory National Park

Wilsons Promontory can be found at the Victoria’s southern tip along the South Gippsland Highway. With incredible scenery, wildlife and rock formations, it is a stunning place to visit, and there are plenty of walking trails and beaches accessible mostly by foot. Camping facilities can be found at Tidal River which is the closest town to the Promontory. It is a remote location, but the natural beauty is worthwhile for those who love the wilderness of Australia.

9. Bendigo

Close to the centre of Victoria and known for its gold mines, Bendigo is a thriving urban city that is fascinating to visit. There are a multitude of options for the traveller. Visit the pottery museum, take a tram tour or visit the central Deborah mine for an underground experience you won’t forget. The Whipstick Forest outside of the city is perfect for a picnic and stroll, but if you are opting for a day trip, you have the choice of Elmore, Castlemaine, Maldon and Heathcote all equally as impressive.

10. Grampians National Park

The third largest national park in western Victoria, the Grampians offer incredible bushwalking, camping and scenery. Halls Gap is a central tourist destination in this fantastic region, and is a great base for your adventures. If you are traveling from the south, Dunkeld is the ideal entry point and a picturesque place to stay for a while. It is perfect for the driving holiday, with plenty of safe roads and driving routes to take you into the heart of this amazing Victorian paradise.

11. Mansfield

Mansfield is on this list for its country appeal, proximity to popular attractions and stunning beauty. Especially well known to horse lovers and favourite ‘Man from Snowy River’, this is the high country with a long history. It is also popular for bike riding, fishing and snow skiing at nearly Mount Buller and Mount Stirling. Situated a few hours north from Melbourne, there are plenty of adventure activities available, and the drives in all directions are spectacular.

Jenny Brewer is a travel agent whose passion is writing. After spending her leisure time writing time writing childrens stories, she now enjoys writing about travel destinations. For more of her articles visit Car Hire Australia

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Things to Do in and Around Melbourne #9 – Daylesford and the Macedon Ranges
By Dominique Vangheel

Melbourne is the capital of Victoria, Australia. Melbourne offers great shopping and dining and Victoria has got a beautiful countryside and coast line combining beautiful national and state parks with quiet little towns and some larger regional centres. The Daylesford and Macedon Ranges region is very close to Melbourne, only about 90 minutes drive. The region is well worth a visit.

Visit Daylesford

Situated in the heart of Victoria, Daylesford has long been Australia’s premier spa and rejuvenation centre. The town reflects the character of its Victorian-era heritage. You go to Daylesford because of its luxurious accommodations, beautiful botanic gardens, classical European architecture and beautiful restaurants. It’s a great little town that does everything to make you feel relaxed.

In Daylesford, you will also be able to explore the antique shops and local crafts, go boating on the lake and try your hand at the local trails or picnic rides. You can also have the scenic views of the panoramic lake houses and scenic hills. The most favorable time to visit Daylesford is summer (within the months of March through May). During this time, a number of festivals take place in Daylesford.

Visit Mount Macedon

Mount Macedon is a small town on the mountain Mount Macedon. The town is about 61 kilometers in distance north of Melbourne. In the Mount Macedon area are a number of luscious private gardens. Some of these are open to you to enjoy for almost the whole year. The town is also famous for its very accommodating local wineries, lovely parks and historical grand Victorian homes. This small town of about 1,200 inhabitants also has the walking trails and picnic facilities which will attract you. If you travel Mount Macedon, the scenic drives and panoramic views of the whole town will give you an impression that you will not forget soon.

Macedon Ranges Vineyards

The Macedon Ranges Vineyards is another tourist attraction in the Mount Macedon area. Situated on the Central Victorian Highlands and the Great Dividing Range, these out-of-the-way vineyards make an exceptional part of Victoria. Many vineyards allow for tastings, so you can sample some local wines while you are there whilst getting educated by the winemakers themselves. The scenery and the climate of the Macedon Ranges Vineyards are also attractive which makes a sunny afternoon-drive through this area a very pleasant experience.

Thus, if you are planning to visit Melbourne, you should keep Daylesford and Mount Macedon in mind. This area is one of Victoria’s best spots to enjoy a tranquil and relaxing time. To spend a few days in these places is worth cherishing. So, come to Daylesford and Mount Macedon and enjoy the spa baths and the scenery and make sure to sample the local produce in the Macedon ranges vineyards!

Dominique Vangheel lives in Melbourne, Victoria and loves it.

http://www.i-love-melbourne.com is his website about Melbourne with lots of ideas for things to do in Melbourne and accommodation advice.Go to the Daylesford and Macedon Ranges section to find out why you need to visit this area when you are visiting Melbourne.

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