Australia. Peaks and Plateaus of Blue Mountains National Park
Australia is a continent of national parks. But for visitors with limited time, how does anyone choose which ones to see? My suggestion is to purchase a few guidebooks and find a selection of parks that are representative of Australia’s diverse coastal, mountain, grassland, and desert landscapes. And, if you plan to visit Sydney, reserve at least a full day to see Blue Mountains National Park.
Forming part of Australia’s Great Dividing Range, the Blue Mountains are comprised of sandstone plateaus, slot canyons, rocky escarpments, and rugged mountainous. Along with 750-meter-deep gorges and 1,000-meter peaks are grassy woodlands and freshwater wetlands. The 10,326 square kilometer region is among a few large areas of Australian forest that have survived development. Formed during the Pliocene (5.4 to 2.4 million years ago), the area’s valleys were cut by wind and water erosion. The Blue Mountains were named for the azure tint caused by light striking an overlapping canopy of eucalyptus trees. The landscape is diverse with temperate rainforests in gorges and other lower lying areas. Some bottomlands have relic vegetation such as the Wollemi pine, thought to be extinct and now referred to as the “dinosaur tree.” Fauna includes the yellow-bellied glider (a possum), koala, eastern grey kangaroo, platypus, and the long-nosed potoroo (a hopping marsupial). There are also 4,000 species of moths and 120 types of butterflies. The average summer temperature is a comfortable 22°C, while winter temperatures can drop to 3°C. Natural hazards include brushfires that sometimes destroy property.
The Blue Mountains have a long history of human occupation that began with aboriginal people known as Gundungurra. The Gundungurra’s creation story describes creatures that were half fish, half reptile fighting a battle that shaped the Jamison Valley. With the arrival of Europeans, interest in the Blue Mountains grew as the population of surrounding areas expanded in the early 1800s. Although there was a need for additional farm and grazing land, most viewed the mountains northwest of Sydney as impassable. In 1813 an expedition across the Blue Mountains was organized by William Lawson, Gregory Blaxland, and William Wentworth. More recently the Blue Mountains have been recognized for their rugged beauty. John Muir and Charles Darwin each made stops to see them. In 1939, Myles Dunphy proposed that a portion of the mountains be protected and ten years later, Blue Mountains National Park was formally designated.
Our 100-kilometer drive from Sydney took a little more than an hour. Along the way we drove through small townships such as Glenbrook, Warrimoo, Linden, Woodford, and Laura. Passing Katoomba, we stopped at an overlook with views of a rock formation called the Three Sisters. Formed 200 million years ago during the Triassic Period, the Three Sisters were created by wind and water erosion. In aborigine lore Wimalah, Gunedoo, and Meeni were sisters who fell in love with three brothers from a neighboring tribe. Since the sisters were from the Katoomba tribe and the men were members of the Napean tribe, marriage was forbidden and when the three brothers decided to capture the women, a battle ensued. To protect the sisters an elder turned them to stone.
Another stop was Scenic World, a family-owned tourist area that features a scenic skyway and inclined railway. After stopping briefly at Echo Point Lookout, we entered the skyway’s east station and found places inside the gondola which carries 84 passengers above a gorge and views of 270-meter high Katoomba Falls. Riders lined windows and stood on the gondola’s glass floor. An option for persons not interested in riding the skyway is to follow the Prince Henry Cliff Walk. On the opposite side of the gorge is Eagle Hawk Lookout and the Terrace Café. Another cable car ride transported us downward into the Jamison Valley where we took a guided tour through a wet sclerophyll rainforest of grey-green interlocking eucalyptus trees. The trail passed an abandoned coal mine.
For our return to the Terrace Café, we boarded an inclined railway. Constructed to serve coal and shale mining, the railway ascends 310 meters at a 52° angle. Not considered a funicular because its cars are moved using a cable and winch, the system has been described as the world’s steepest passenger railway. On our way up we passed Orphan Rock and sections of a nearby rollercoaster where riders made sharply banked turns near the edge of a 200-meter cliff. The owners of Scenic World began building the rollercoaster in 1984 but never opened it to the public.
