Grose Valley
by iandsmith
Grose Valley has claims to being the most spectacular of all the valleys. Every time I've been there it never fails to impress. The best place to view this spectacle is at Govetts Leap at the northern side of Blackheath, a town just a few kilometres west of Katoomba. You could even catch a train there to do this.
There are several options when you get there and checking the view from Govetts Leap is merely one of them.
You will have company as it's a very popular spot but don't let that stop you. A crowd here is no problem as there's plenty of room.
More walking
by iandsmith
This really is the activity to do in the Blue Mountains.
This walk is part of the one at the back of Leura Railway Station. In its day it was a popular walk but, sadly in some ways for me, it is hardly used these days. It has two waterfalls and the other one has bench with fixed seating that you put your weight on at your own risk, such is its state of disrepair.
At another section there is a concrete stairway, constructed during the boom pre-war days of the Blue Mountains when people used to partake of this activity, that is now overgrown and barely visible.
It leads to even more overgrown shrubbery and is disused entirely these days.
Despite the above, it is a pleasant circuit ramble of between 1 and 2 hours, depending on your pace.
Unlike the Three Sisters stairs, you'll have it all to yourself.
Skyrail or train
by Kate-Me
There are several walks which can be taken from Katoomba Falls and Echo Point lookout, way down into the valley below, and for the return journey, to save all that steep uphill walking, you can catch the Skyrail (scenic Cableway) or the scenic train from the bottom of the valley.
Rides return to Scenic World, Cnr Violet St & Cliff Drive, which is open every day from 9 am - 5 pm with last rides 4.50 pm.
Jenolan Caves
by cybergenic
Jenolan Caves offer guided tours into their well preserved caves. Guides are knowledgable and like most tour guides I have come across, they know too much about too much.
The caves were very impressive but I could not but help feel like a tourist as we were herded from cave to cave gripping safety rails treading patiently along the cement pathways through these limestone wonders. There is an Adventure Caving offer which appeals to me more so than the 'guided tour' I will go back to try this.
I purchased an Explorers Underworld ticket for AUD$29.50 which gave me access to 2 guided cave tours. The Lucas Cave and The Orient.
The Lucas Cave is 860m in length and takes 1.5 hours to complete. It contains the highest and the largest chambers at Jenolan.
The Orient was only 470m in length but also took 1.5 hours to explore. It's rich colours and the massive extent of it's formations were a lot prettier than The Lucas.
I strongly advise to book your tour and get on it early especially for those tours that cater for large amounts of people. The Lucas Cave can have up to 75 people per tour. THIS WOULD BE HELL. We had about 20 people and it was more than enough. If you book your tour for the morning you should be ok.
From Sydney, take the M4 Motorway travelling west through the Blue Mountains, Katoomba and Mt. Victoria on the Great Western Highway. Shortly after Victoria Pass, the Jenolan Caves turnoff is found just past the village of Hartley. Turning left, this road passes through Hampton and finally Jenolan Caves.
Snowy Mountains
by victorwkf
Besides the Blue Mountains, another famous mountain range of New South Wales are the Snowy Mountains to the south which are also part of the Great Dividing Range which seperates dry interior Australia from the green coastal areas. The Snowy Mountains is the highest mountain range in Australia.
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Plants clinging tenuously to life
View from Evans Lookout
Cappucino
Looking east
