Attractions

The most visited and photographed attractions in the Blue Mountains are the rock formations known as the Three Sisters. For the best vantage point, head to Echo Point Road, across from the Blue Mountains Tourism office. Or try Evans Lookout, Govetts Leap, and Hargreaves Lookout, all at Blackheath -- none of which are on the Blue Mountains Explorer Bus or Trolley Tours route.

One thing you have to do in the Blue Mountains is ride the Scenic Railway, the world's steepest; follow the road signs to Scenic World. It consists of a carriage on rails that is lowered 415m (1,361 ft.) into the Jamison Valley at a maximum incline of 52 degrees. It's very steep and quite a thrill. Originally the rail line was used to transport coal and shale from the mines below in the 1880s. The trip takes only a few minutes; at the bottom are some excellent walks through forests of ancient tree ferns. Another popular attraction is the Skyway, a cable car that travels 300m (984 ft.) above the Jamison Valley. The round-trip takes 6 minutes. The Scenic Railway and the Skyway (tel. 02/4782 2699) each cost A$16 (US$14/£7) round-trip for adults, A$8 (US$7.20/£3.60) for children, and A$40 (US$36/£18) for families. They operate from 9am to 5pm daily (last trip at 4:50pm) and depart from the ticket office at 1 Violet St., Katoomba (follow the signs). I'd advise taking the Scenic Railway down, going for a walk, and taking the cable car back up.

Canyons, waterfalls, underground rivers -- the Blue Mountains have them all, and before you experience them in person you can catch them on the (giant) screen at the MAXVISION Cinema, 225-237 Great Western Hwy., Katoomba (tel. 02/4782 8900). The special effects shown on this 18m- (59-ft.) high, 24m- (79-ft.) wide screen make you feel like you're part of the action. At the time of writing, the 38-minute film The Edge was being shown every day at 10:20 and 11:05am and 12:10, 1:30, 2:13, and 5:30pm. It would be worth ringing ahead as these times seem to change on occasion. Tickets cost A$13 (US$12/£6) for adults, A$11 (US$10/£5) for students, and A$7.50 (US$7/£3.50) for children. The cinema is a 5- to 10-minute walk from the train station. Recently released movies play on part of the giant screen in the evening. A restaurant and a snack bar are on the premises.

To get back to Sydney, I highly recommend taking the Bells Line of Road through Bilpin. This route takes up to 3 hours, but you can stop off at the wonderful Mount Tomah Botanic Gardens. (You can't miss the large sign on your right about 10 min. before you get to Bilpin.) An adjunct of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney, Mount Tomah is dedicated to cold-climate plants. It's compact and has a very good cafe serving lunch daily. Allow around 2 hours for a stop here.

The Legend of Three Sisters -- The Aboriginal Dreamtime legend has it that three sisters, Meehni, Wimlah, and Gunnedoo, lived in the Jamison Valley as members of the Katoomba tribe. These beautiful young ladies had fallen in love with three brothers from the Nepean tribe, yet tribal law forbade them to marry. The brothers were not happy to accept this law and so decided to use force to capture the three sisters, which caused a major tribal battle. As the lives of the three sisters were seriously in danger, a witch doctor from the Katoomba tribe took it upon himself to turn the three sisters into stone to protect them from any harm. While he had intended to reverse the spell when the battle was over, the witch doctor himself was killed. As only he could reverse the spell to return the ladies to their former beauty, the sisters remain in their magnificent rock formation as a reminder of this battle for generations to come.

Seeing the Blue Mountains from the Back of a Harley

A thrilling way to see the Blue Mountains is on the back of a chauffeur-driven Harley-Davidson. Blue Thunder Bike Tours (tel. 1800/800 184 in NSW, or 02/9438 3122; www.bluethunder.com.au) leaves from Manly Wharf in Sydney (but will pick you up anywhere in the city). Rides cost A$400 (US$360/£180) for a full day with lunch to the Blue Mountains. The company offers lots of cheaper Sydney rides.