House of travel Sydney & Melbourne Brochure 2017 | Page 17

The Greater Blue Mountains The Greater Blue Mountains Drive includes the discovery trails that branch off the main route, taking you through some amazing scenery. Popular for the blue-hazed valleys of eucalyptus and the rock pillars of the iconic Three Sisters, these weathered sandstone peaks, formed over thousands of years, tower more than 900m high among the cliffs of Jamison Valley. © Hamilton Lund; Destination NSW 2 days/1 night Suggested Self-Drive Day 1: Sydney – Leura (116km) Head through the pretty towns of Faulconbridge and Hazelbrook and continue to Wentworth Falls. Offering spectacular views over the Jamison Valley and excellent trails into the Blue Mountains National Park, Wentworth Falls is a great place to stop for a walk through the bush. Drive to lovely Leura and take some time to peruse the shops, galleries and craft stores, and then stop for lunch in one of a number of gourmet cafés. It’s just a short drive to neighbouring Katoomba with its historic buildings and antiques stores, and Echo Point where you can view the incredible Three Sisters rock formation from the lookout, or get a different view from Scenic World’s railway, walkway, skyway or cableway. Day 2: Leura – Sydney (116km) Take the leisurely Bells Line of Road back to Sydney, and maybe try some of the 18 discovery trails to explore the wilderness further. Drive about 40 minutes north to Hartley Vale – here you’ll find a quaint historic village, along with the remnants of early roads over the Blue Mountains, dating back to the early 19th Century – some of which have now been incorporated into walking tracks. Continue to Mt Tomah through the heart of the Blue Mountains, passing the tiny town of Bell. Head directly to the Tomah Botanic Gardens and view over 5000 species of cool climate plants before making your way leisurely back to Sydney. Rental car: Hertz (Group C) from $39 per day Our favourite places to stay: • Leura House • Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains, MGallery The Three Sisters, © Sally Mayan; Tourism NSW Hartley Vale Bell Mt Tomah / Tomah Botanical Gardens Blue Moutains National Park Wentworth Faulconbridge Katoomba Falls Leura Scenic Hazelbrook World’s Three Sisters Railway Blue Moutains National Park Sydney Highlights worth seeing along the way Jenolan Caves – Regarded as Australia’s most outstanding cave system, with pure underground rivers, amazing limestone and crystal formations. Experience Adventure Caving, this has you abseiling, squeezing and climbing through undeveloped caves, with only a head lamp to light your way. Blue Mountains Glow Worm Caves – Definitely not to be missed! Take a walk through an ancient canyon surrounded by thousands of spectacular glow worms. Scenic World’s Railway – Discover panoramic views of the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains from the 510 metre Scenic Cableway as it gently descends into the Jamison Valley. The Weeping Rock and Fletchers Lookout Track – This moderate walk visits Weeping Rock waterfall on Jamison Creek and enjoys the great views from Fletchers Lookout. The view from Fletchers Lookout includes Mount Solitary, Kings Tableland and Wentworth Falls, and is a great place to rest before the climb back up. Old Leura Dairy The price guide shown is per car hire based on 3 day hire rate. Specials and surcharges may apply depending on travel date Wentworth Falls © Hamilton Lund; Destination NSW 13