The Chalet Guesthouse and Studio

DONT FORGET...........

by BerniShand

.......a daypack, you must carry water when you are walking, and youll need somewhere to carry your maps, packed lunch, waterproof etc........... ........good walking boots and waterproof gear, you may need gloves [ it can get cold here ]............ .......a small first aid kit is always useful........ .........so many photo opportunities ! a lightweight tripod is very useful if you can bear to carry it around......... a compass is useful, as is a walking stick

Scenic World: Bushwalk

by ATXtraveler

With only an hour to check out Scenic World, Sarah and I had to make a mad dash throughout the Katoomba portion of the Blue Mountains National Park canyon. Once we took the railway down to the bottom, we had 35-40 minutes left, and did not really get to visit this as extensively as I would have liked. Turpentine trees, termite mounds, and tons of discarded mining equipment pieces are what welcome you to the bottom. It is however one of the most beautiful views of a "rainforest" I have been to so far. I think on our next trip, I would definitely plan for 2 hours to search this area!

Scenic World

by iandsmith

In time I imagine the whole complex will be known as "Scenic World", its correct title today. However, icons die hard and the majority of Australians will still be saying the "Scenic Railway" for some time to come.
It is because of a coal and kerosene shale mining industry that we have this complex today. Without it, it is fairly likely it may never have happened.
Bushwalkers who had walked the Federal Pass Track, the most famous of the valley meanders, used to beg to be carried up in the coal skips rather than ascend around 1,000 stairs to the top.
Mine management saw a dollar in the idea and had a special passenger carriage built that used to carry 24 people.
Meanwhile the colliery closed down at the end of WWII but Harry Hammon fortuitously took over the lease.
Being an engineer he made an even better car and expanded the capacity. In 1958, with a lot of ex-mining parts again, he made the Scenic Skyway, a horizontal cable car that spans the Katoomba Falls. The money rolled in.

The Scenicender

by iandsmith

This new ride is called the Scenicender (pic 2) although all the literature labels it the Flyway. It takes just 3 minutes and holds 84 passengers. If they were all adults and paying $8 a time, go figure how much money they make on a long weekend. I worked it out. The answer is heaps! Good luck to them I say.
For me the plus side is that at least it encourages people to go who may not otherwise go to get amongst the rainforest and may, in a few cases, prompt them to venture further. An example of this happened when a lady approached me about other possible walks in the valley, so enchanted was she with this. Why she approached me in particular I can only assume is because I had my camera mounted on my tripod and people have this misconception that you may be knowledgeable about things.
The other ride is the Skyway. It was totally rebuilt and has a Dopplemayr car with a see through floor. This is not recommended for those who may suffer from vertigo as it's a 200 metre drop beneath you.
The car does a horizontal traverse across the top of Katoomba Falls.
When you've finished all your excitement you can relax in Australia's first restaurant with a revolving floor. Constructed in 1962 it sits atop all the rides and gives a panoramic view over to the Three Sisters and beyond.

KATOOMBA.. NEW SOUTH WALES..

by DennyP

"Blue Mountains Nat.Pk...Unesco World Heritage Site"

KATOOMBA Katoomba is an aboriginal name meaning "falling Water" located 100 km West of Sydney it is easy to reach by train car or bus tour .The area attracts many visitors and has some wonderful walking and hiking trails..for the less active there is The Scenic Railway and a Skyway observation cable car with great views of The Forrest and valley floor ..There is an explorers tree "blazed " by Blaxland Wentworth and Lawson ..(the original explorers that found their way over the mountain to the fertile land beyond)..is on the road just west of Katoomba.
The scenery from Echo point and the Three Sisters is breathtaking into the Jamieson Valley ...The three sisters in aboriginal mythology are..Mennhi,Wimlah and Gunnedoo..Katoomba has always been a great place to go to get out the city for a day or two..I am usually asked by friends visiting from abroard to take them there to visit..and must say everyone usually is very impressed by the really brearthtaking views that one can have from Echo point of the Jamieson Valley and the valley of forrest beyond that goes to the horizon..The scenes of the" three sisters"here is also a great photo opportunity..The granduer of the sandstone cliffs and eucalyptus forrests draw many visitors to this scene..more of here will be covered in my "Blue Mountains National Park "page..There are many walking tracks from Echo Point and also at the valley floor ..reached by the Scenic Railway..you will notice the coolness on the valley floor..and the quietness...today I only heard the birds...and as the aboriginals say..."listen to the wind"..There are many different types of birds and parrots and cockatoos that frequent this mountain bushland..This local area of the Blue Mountains has always been well known for its large Bohemian community of really well known artists and musicians that live here ..There are numerous galleries and many local art pieces can be seen...This is a Unesco World Heritage Site.

"ECHO POINT OBSERVATION AREA FOR JAMIESON VALLEY"

Echo point is at the southern end of Katoomba ..there is plenty of parking ..although it costs..and i'ts here where you will view the Jamieson Valley and Three sisters from the large new observation areas..also here are ammenities for mums with kids ..toilets..and an information centre..also you will notice the smell of fresh air rising from the valley forrests.....

"A SCENE OF SOME OF THE JAMIESON VALLEY"

The Jamieson valley is vast and you will need a panoramic lens to capture it all on a photo...The blue mist is what gives the area its name..its juice expelled from the eucalyptus trees..a huge problem here in all of the mountains area is bush fires ..SO PLEASE..be careful with your cigarettes..make sure that they are OUT...also ...see my tips...