The Blue Mountains

After spending two consecutive 12 hour days playing at being tourists in Sydney, the family went a little crazy!

 

We all needed a day off!  So we spent a lazy day at the caravan park yesterday.  The boys enjoyed playing with the rest of the kids in the park while Bruce and I enjoyed the peace and quiet of Lane Cove.  Late in the afternoon Jack, Fletcher and I took a lovely bushwalk along the Lane Cove River to the Weir, while Bruce and Jarrah went for a mountain bike ride.

  

 

I loved the spring flowers and Fletch was entranced by the mother ducks out for a paddle on the river with a long procession of baby ducks in tow.

 

But today we were ready and raring to go again!  We headed west into the Blue Mountains.  Our first stop was Echo Point at Katoomba and the view was amazing! 

 

The Three Sisters

According to Gundungurra Dreaming, three beautiful sisters named Angela, Andrea and Jacqui (oh, ok I made that bit up) once lived in the Jamieson Valley.  The maidens were in love with three brothers from a neighbouring nation, but marriage was forbidden by tribal law.  The brothers were warriors and decided to take the maidens by force.  Tribal war forced the Kuradjuri (clever man) of the tribe to turn the sisters into stone.  He intended to restore them after the danger had passed and the war had ended. Unfortunately, he was killed in battle and to this day nobody has been able to break the spell and turn the three sisters back to their natural form.

Soon after we got out of the car we realised that we were severely  underdressed.  It was freezing!  Jack shouted us a donut each and that helped warm the cockles of our hearts!

 

Having refuelled it was time to face the cold and so we took a stroll down the Giant Stairway.  The Giant Stairway provides a spectacular entry to the Jamison Valley, descending approximately 300m (1000ft) via more than 800 steps and runways.

 

Here we are having descended the steps and crossed Honeymoon Bridge for a close up view of the stone sisters.

 

Next stop was Scenic World, but it wasn't any warmer there!  The boys assumed the foetal position in an effort to combat the cold!

 

 

Nevertheless, we soldiered on.  Tough as nails, we Johnstons!  We powered through the four 'ways' of Scenic World - Cableway, Walkway, Railway and Skyway.

 

Cableway

 

The view from the Cableway was impressive.  The 545 metre journey gently but steeply delivered us into the Jamison Valley.  Capable of carrying 84 people, the Cableway is the largest cable car in Australia.  And it was warm in there!

 

Walkway

 

We disembarked in the valley and took a stroll on the Scenic Walkway - the longest boardwalk in the southern hemisphere.  Here we learnt all about the early coal mining experiences.  Coal mining began in the area in 1878.  The railway was originally used by some 40 coal mines to haul coal up the cliff to Katoomba.  The last mine closed down in 1930 and soon after some bright spark came up with the idea of turning the place into a tourist attraction.

Railway

With an incline of 52 degrees, this is the steepest passenger railway in the world.  The train has had a significant makeover since I was last here (1990) and today we enjoyed the luxury of glass roofed carriages with expansive views of the rainforest setting.  We even got to adjust our seat position by up to 20 degrees - of course we went for the Cliffhanger option, riding at a steep 64 degree incline!

 

The Railway experience descends 310 metres through a cliff-side tunnel, emerging into ancient rainforest at the Jamison Valley floor.  It was steep and scary and super-fun, but not for Fletch!  He had dissolved into a flood of tears before we even got on the train!

Skyway

 

Suspended 270 metres above ancient ravines, the Skyway has a really cool electro-glass cabin floor that provides a unique thrill as the views are revealed beneath your feet.  Tell me the canopy doesn't look like a healthy head of broccoli!

 

We were all impressed with Scenic World, a Blue Mountains icon which has just celebrated it's 70th anniversary.

 

During the day I couldn't help but notice how friendly and helpful the staff were.  They were actually having a great time, some of them even singing out loud as they worked!  It gave the place a happy feel.  I read later that it's a family owned business, the current Managing Directors being the grandchildren of the guy who opened Scenic World in 1945.  With its unparalleled access to the majesty of the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains region, it's no surprise that it's the country's most visited privately owned tourist attraction.

By 3pm the temperature still hadn't reached double figures, so we headed for the warmth of the car heater.  On the way out I noticed this 'relic' Skyway on display.  The boys laughed when I told them this was the one I rode on back in 1990.

By the time we got back to Lane Cove (after an unscheduled detour through Blacktown) the rain had really set in.  Unfortunately, that meant a cancellation of the ranger led Spotlighting Tour that we had booked for this evening.  Sad faces to finish off a happy day.