Blue Mountains

Advantages: Quiet, Spectacular
Disadvantages: Not enough for a long trip

...If you are staying in Sydney and want a break from the hustle and bustle, take a day trip to the Blue Mountains. Only a short train journey away but it feels like a different world! The spectacular scenery and fresh country air make the Blue Mountains a really nice retreat, I had a very pleasant stay at the Katoomba YHA, where a double room was less than $40. Katoomba as a place isn't anything special, but a short walk away the gondola and three sisters are big attractions. Take a pleasant walk through the countryside and soak in the quiet atmosphere....

MattSlat 07.09.2000 · Read review
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Review of General: New South Wales

Won't make you feel blue!

Advantages: Great scenery, great walking, free! Lots of activities, near to Sydney.
Disadvantages: None!

...The Blue Mountains are less than 100km from Sydney Harbour Bridge so it's not surprising that this area is very popular with visitors. The area is good all year round although it can get hot in summer and very cold during the night in winter. Spring and autumn are good for wildflowers and colours. To see the 'blueness' of the mountains, summer is the best time, this is because the blue haze actually comes from the sun shining on the Eucalyptus trees and evaporating the oil from the leaves and obviously thestronger the sun, the more prominent this is. The main towns in the area are Katoomba, Leura and Blackheath. I only visited Katoomba which is a quiet little town with great character and really friendly and welcoming people. There are 4 backpacker hostels and a few hotels here. I stayed in one of the backpackers and paid $18...

Allyalcock 01.11.2005 · Read review
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Review of The Blue Mountains

The Blue Mountains

Advantages: everything
Disadvantages: nothing

...has become a tourist hotspot for people who like walking and hiking. How to Get There: There are several ways to get to the national park; you can either take a car, or a van through the major highways, which leads you into the park entrance. Public transport is also available from many stations across Sydney, all taking you towards the park. This park is near... Katoomba (2 km, 5 minutes) Penrith (9 km, 15 minutes) Lithgow (20 km, 15 minutes) Sydney (50 km, 90 minutes) Fees and Opening Hours: The park is open from 8:30 am in the morning and closes at 7:00pm daily, the fee to enter the park if you have a car or a van is $7 per day and is operated by a coin machine, so it might be useful to have some change on you at the time. The Park and Tours Available: The park has several tours that are available for visitors to take part in...

jaygami1986 01.11.2009 · Read review
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Review of The Blue Mountains

The Beautiful Blue Mountains

Advantages: Beautiful, Awe Inspiring, Breath Taking
Disadvantages: If you enjoy beautifull countryside then none at all

...tripping with two friends from my last job back in England who are out here travelling, separately but together, if you know what I mean. As we are all in the same place at the same time we though a day trip out to the mountains would be a good plan. Having been before and being the designated driver I was in charge, Whoo- hoo! Arriving in the pretty and compact Blue Mountains town of Katoomba at 9.20 am we ate breakfast in one of the many cafes along steep Katoomba Street, the main street where you will find a pub, a hotel, the station the bank and quite a few new age type shops. Though not far from Sydney in distance, in ambiance they are worlds apart with Katoomba managing to retain an old fashioned charm which gives you a hint of the real Australia which Sydney, as charming and vibrant as it is, never manages to hint at. After...

Looby5 25.02.2005 · Read review
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Review of The Blue Mountains

Blue Mountains

Advantages: scenery
Disadvantages: none

...It is only a two hour drive from Sydney to the Blue Mountains but a world apart. Distinctly cooler than Sydney you find yourself in the midst of the most stunning scenery. (We had visited the Grand Canyon the week before and have to confess to preferring the canyons in the Blue Mountains!) There are innumerable look outs and natural phenomena to view. Our favourite was Sublime Point ? aptly named. We also viewed the Three Sisters from Echo Point and then caught the Katoomba Scenic Railway which plunges nearly vertically down the canyon ? not for the faint hearted. Neither is the Scenic Skyway which carries you across the ravine ?pure drama. We could happily have spent days in this lovely spot and hope to visit it again some day....

carolinecook2000 18.09.2000 · Read review
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Review of General: New South Wales

The beautiful harbour city

Advantages: Lots to see and do
Disadvantages: Can be expensive, Very hot in summer

...from the first day you dip your ticket to validate it. If you're staying in the city for any length of time, then I'd highly recommend a visit to the Blue Mountains. It's about a 2 hour train ride to Katoomba or Leura (the two main towns there) and there's usually plenty of accommodation there. The train ride is fabulous, it's like going back in time, with sations that look like something out of the 1800s and both Katoomba and Leura are lovely towns. All in all, Sydney is a great city with great nightlife and really does offer something for everyone and I would highly recommend visiting here to absolutely anyone. For more info on events in the city, go to www.sydney.com.au there's heaps of information on there....

vwelsby 24.01.2009 (23.11.2009) · Read review
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Review of Sydney (Australia)

Mont Bleu

Advantages: scenery, eating, fun
Disadvantages: err .. none whatsoever!

...is covered with Eucalypt trees from which tiny droplets of oil evaporate. The Great Western Highway takes you up to the Blue Mountains. Driving along the highway you leave suburbia behind and travel towards the mountains, faintly in the foreground, yet never seeming to get any nearer. * What?s there? * Among other things, a hospital, college, retirement home, churches, shops, restaurants, art galleries, emergency services and hotels. * Temperatures * During winter (June-August), the average temperature in the Upper Mountains is approximately 5°C, while in summer (December-February), the average temperature is approximately 18°C. The rainfall is similar to that of Sydney. * Popular spots * Katoomba ? the second most visited spot in New South Wales. The main attraction here is the Edge cinema with its six...

kirstymack80 29.03.2004 (03.04.2004) · Read review
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Review of The Blue Mountains

How dare it snow in the mountains!!

Advantages: Lots to see & do, easy to get to
Disadvantages: Not for the lazy

...and the only constant in Australian weather is its unpredictability. It can be warm in winter and cold in summer so be prepared. ***Getting There*** As indicated, we went by car and as I wasn't driving and we took a detour I was taking little notice of directions. However, The Blue Mountains are signposted from way back in Sydney and are difficult to miss (if they are shining blue!!). From Sydney, get on Highway 4 (The Great Western Highway) and head West following the signs. You can also get there by train from Sydney (circa $25 return to Katoomba) or alternatively there are many companies that do organised day trips there from the City (AAT Kings being the best known and the cost is circa $100 but depends exactly what you want to see). All the operators will pick you up at your hotel and return you there. The first thing you come to...

TheWizardsSleeve 15.10.2007 · Read review
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Review of The Blue Mountains

Where is home???

Advantages: Seeing how others live, where is home??
Disadvantages: Life is very short

...for things you don't even no about and weren't even in the house at the time of, can you blame me for feeling like that. As we grew older my mum would put the house on the market and we would move on again, the longest we ever lived anywhere for was about three years, they wouldn't just move us from one house to the other they would move us great distances, so I was never able to have any long term friends. I have tried to get in touch with many of my friends through places like the school websites and friends re-united but unfortunately a lot of people don't remember me cause I was never in the same school for long. As I got older I moved up the mountains and lived in a place called Katoomba then moved onto a place in Wentworth Falls, we stayed in this little old shack whilst my mum & dad built a huge house down the road, I was a lot...

smilerz 19.09.2006 · Read review
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Review of The Place Where I Grew Up

Wash away your blues

Advantages: Beautiful part of the world
Disadvantages: The region is on the other side of the planet!

...a matter of 20 seconds or so. The feeling of going straight down is exhilirating and the reward at the bottom is to be able to look across the valley, at the level of the tree canopy, to the Three Sisters on the other side. This is the main attraction in the Blue Mountain region, but another is the Jenolan Cave tourist centre. Further on into the mountains, the caves are situated at the end of a long winding road down into a valley filled with trees. The caves themselves are spectacular with massive subterranean halls and stalagmites/stalactites! We stayed only one night in the Blue Mountain region, having set off from Sydney early on the first morning and fitting in all the attractions before retiring to a motel for the night and returning to the city the next day. The principle town in the region is Katoomba, situated only a mile or two...

aussiejoe 21.04.2004 · Read review
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Review of The Blue Mountains