Almost two hours ago, we boarded the train in Sydney. There’s no doubt that Sydney is a big city. Most of the time, we’ve been passing through urban areas, but now, it’s getting greener around us, and the train is steadily climbing higher into the Blue Mountains. A group of helmet-clad boys just got on, filling the carriage with mountain bikes. They will disembark a few stations later, ready to tackle the steep trails down toward the city. At an elevation of 1000 meters, we step off in the charming little town of Katoomba, while the train continues further into the mountains towards the west coast.
Katoomba is an exceptionally delightful small town with a center filled with old two-story buildings from the late 1800s and early 1900s, some in the art deco style. It’s teeming with cafes and antique shops, often frequented by old, gray-haired hippies. The town’s charming architecture, combined with its location in the scenic area, has attracted artists and poets who still leave their mark on the town.
But it’s nature that’s the real draw in the Blue Mountains. Katoomba is perched on the edge of a vast canyon that creates a dramatic and ever-changing landscape. As early as the late 1800s, the Blue Mountains became a tourist destination, and the rock formation known as the Three Sisters is an iconic piece of scenery that attracts millions of visitors every year.
Katoomba – a unique town
What’s unique about Katoomba is that you can sit at a cafe, sip your morning coffee, and just minutes later venture into the rainforest in the deep ravines surrounding the town. From the city center, there are stairs leading down into the canyon, and after a few hundred steps and a couple of hundred meters in elevation, you can choose from a network of trails that take you through the jungle below. Some of the stairs are quite steep, in some places cut into the rock, and in other places they’re made of steel structures, but fortunately, most of them have railings.
The stairs, built in the 1890s, lead you through waterfalls and a green world of palms and ferns. The climate down there is unique. While the plateau above is dry and covered in massive eucalyptus trees, there’s a microclimate in the canyons. It’s not too cold in winter and not too hot in summer. And it’s humid year-round, thanks to the sandstone that the mountains are made of. Sandstone is porous and collects water during the rainy season. This is released all year round, and you can see water practically gushing out of the cliffs, forming streams and waterfalls down the mountainsides. By the way, it’s the eucalyptus forest that gave the mountains their name. The trees emit a substance that gives the air a bluish hue when seen from a distance.
Into the Depths
A good starting point for a hike into the canyon is at Kiah Lookout. Down at the bottom, you can choose from several paths. You can hike to Laura Falls and further east for miles. To the west, you can take the Federal Pass, which is the classic trail built in the 1890s, or the Dardanelles Pass, which is higher in the canyon. After a couple of hours, you can choose to break off and climb the 900 steps up the almost vertical Giant Stairway to Echo Point near Three Sisters. Or you can continue for a couple more hours to the Scenic Railway, the world’s steepest, with a 52-degree incline. It was built at the turn of the century to transport crews to the mines down there. The mines have long been closed, and the track has been modernized for tourists who don’t want to take the stairs.
If you want a long hike, continue down the Federal Pass. There are many camping spots if you want to stay overnight along the way. Another option if you don’t like stairs is to follow the Prince Henrik Cliffwalk along the edge of the cliffs. Not recommended if you have a fear of heights, though.
Blackheath , Grand Canyon
If you want to explore more canyons, you can take the train two stations further to Blackheath, and then a taxi for two kilometers to the Grand Canyon. From Evans Lookout, you can enjoy a fantastic view of the canyon before you start descending the stairs. They are not as steep as in Katoomba, but once you’re down, the journey might be even more spectacular. Along the Grand Canyon Track, you’ll follow a small river over bridges and partially into the cliff walls. The layering in the rock has led to more erosion in softer areas and created natural galleries where you can follow the trail, bending over to avoid hitting the rock ceiling.
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