The Blue
Mountains World Heritage area is one of Australia's natural wonders.
Stretching for over one million hectares the Blue Mountains is an
inspiring mix of rainforest, canyons, tall forests and heathlands,
combining eight individual conservation reserves - Blue Mountains, Wollemi,
Gardens of Stone, Nattai, Kanangra Boyd, Thirlmere
Lakes, Yengo and
the Jenolan Caves Karst Reserve.
Named for
their distinctive blue haze, a result of eucalyptus oil evaporating
from millions of gum trees, the Blue Mountains have long been a
popular eco holiday destination. They are famous for the grandeur of
their scenery, with spectacular rock formations, plummeting
gorges and sheer sandstone cliffs hundreds of metres high. Situated
on the Great Dividing Range at an average altitude of 1,000 metres above
sea level, the Blue Mountains is a vast and rugged natural
wilderness.
The Blue
Mountains is a nature lover's paradise with an abundance of
colourful bird and animal life, the greatest concentration of
eucalypt diversity on the continent, and landscapes ranging from
rainforest to heathland.
The Blue
Mountains are just 90 minutes drive west of Sydney, with a range of
ecotourism options and eco accommodation available. The attractions of the Blue Mountains
can be also be seen from tours departing Sydney daily. Trains leave
Sydney’s Central Station for the Blue Mountains several times daily.
