Rambling Chronicles: Day 49 – Sydney, Australia

Another early morning marked our second day in Sydney. Tim and I were looking forward to our optional excursion, “Majestic Blue Mountains.” Although there was so much more to see in Sydney, I wanted to explore the surrounding area and had heard wonderful things about the Blue Mountains. This is the description of the excursion:

Experience the stunning sight of Australia’s Blue Mountains, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At Echo Point, you can take in breathtaking views of this distinctive mountain range. See the unique rock formations that make up the Blue Mountains, including the famous Three Sisters. Then, take some spectacular pictures of the rugged Australian bushland before making your way to the charming township of Leura. Enjoy a delicious two-course lunch in a local restaurant and free time to explore a few of the local boutiques and cafés. Continue to Scenic World, where you can take in the mountain views either by foot on the elevated walkway or while experiencing the thrill of traveling on the world’s steepest railway. You can also choose to ride from above by cableway or, for the more adventurous, on a glass-bottom Scenic Skyway pod. Marvel at the ancient ravines as you glide along, 885 feet above the rain forest canopy.

Today’s excursion was a long one at nine hours, but it was worth it. We traveled along the Great Western Highway, which leads all the way to Perth, Australia. This highway parallels the Indian Pacific Railway, a journey I would love to take. Our guide and driver talked about the vastness of the land and the long distances between cities and gave us the history of the area.

In less than one hour, we entered Blue Mountains National Park, which is part of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. At our first stop, the Blue Mountains Visitor Information Center in Glenbrook, we were assaulted by the sounds of cicadas. Australia is home to some of the loudest cicada species in the world, and I believe those were the ones that sang to us.

I was a bit puzzled as we kept driving west, through one community after another. This wasn’t like any national park with which I was familiar. In fact, there are 26 communities within the park. After looking closely at a map of the park after returning to the ship, however, I realized that the national park boundaries do exclude the towns along the Great Western Highway.

As we continued to climb into the mountains, the vegetation became much denser with Blue Mountain eucalyptus trees. We were travelling through the Australian bush, a forested and natural landscape filled with native animals and plants. Hiking in this landscape is called bushwalking. Although we were on a major highway, the views were beautiful.

Views from the Great Western Highway

We finally turned off the highway and followed the aptly named Cliff Drive, soon arriving at Echo Point, the most famous lookout point in the Blue Mountains. Echo Point is on the edge of the spectacular Jamison Valley and offers views of the famous Three Sisters. There are different versions of the Aboriginal story of the Three Sisters, but these three weathered sandstone peaks, formed thousands of years ago through erosion, are quite amazing.

The Three Sisters

Tim and Sarah with the Three Sisters

Echo Point is located on the boundary of Blue Mountains National Park and provides a dramatic view of the valley and mountains that comprise the southern section of the park. Here, on a gorgeous, clear day, the mountains did appear blue. Here’s an explanation of this phenomenon:

This distinctive hue results from an optical phenomenon known as Rayleigh Scattering. Light rays interact with tiny particles such as eucalyptus oil droplets, dust, and water vapor, creating the iconic blue tinge. This natural effect gives the Blue Mountains their signature look, providing a unique and captivating visual experience for all who visit.

The Gorgeous Blue Mountains Frame the Jamison Valley

Our stop for lunch at the Mountain Heritage Hotel was early, at 10:45 am, but everyone seemed to be hungry after such an early start to our day.

Mountain Heritage Hotel

After our lunch break, we headed to Scenic World, a popular tourist attraction on the edge of the Blue Mountains that offers fun rides and stunning views. Scenic World was originally the location of a coal mine that was established here in 1877. In order to haul the shale from the bottom of the cliffs, an incline railway was built. When the mine closed in1945, an entrepreneur turned the old mine and its railway into a tourist icon.

Today, Scenic World features four attractions – the Scenic Railway, the Scenic Skyway, the Scenic Cableway, and the Scenic Walkway. Tim and I experienced all four.

We began with the Scenic Railway, the steepest passenger train in the world, and the descendant of the original incline railway that hauled coal up from the mine in the Jamison Valley. It was a short but thrilling ride and lots of fun for a train buff like me.

Scenic Railway

From there, we followed the Scenic Walkway, an elevated boardwalk that links the base of the Scenic Railway and the Scenic Cableway. We passed by the original Katoomba Coal Mine, and multiple artifacts that told the story of this operation. We then left Scenic World and entered Blue Mountains National Park, our only stop in the park today. We strolled under the canopy of an ancient, temperate rainforest, and admired the trees and other vegetation. I was particularly intrigued by the enormous fern trees.

Scenic Walkway

At the end of the boardwalk, we boarded the Scenic Cableway. This 84-passenger cable car, Australia’s largest, took us from the valley floor to the top of the escarpment. Although I caught glimpses of the spectacular valley and surrounding cliff faces, photos were next to impossible on a packed car.

Scenic Cableway

After bypassing the gift shop, we boarded the Scenic Skyway, the highest cable car in Australia. We traveled between cliff tops above the Jamison Valley at a height of 885 feet. A favorite feature was the glass floor that allowed us to gaze at the rainforest canopy below us. We experienced this ride once more, when we re-boarded the Skyway to return to the main building. This time, I let others enjoy the glass floor, and I was able to catch a glimpse of Katoomba Falls.

Scenic Skyway

Although I am not a fan of theme parks, I did enjoy Scenic World. The combination of history, fun rides, and magnificent views worked for me.

Before heading down the mountain to Sydney, we stopped at the picturesque garden village of Leura. We had an hour to wander around the town, slip into a few shop, and admire the cockatoos roosting in the trees. Tim and I resisted the temptation to sample their famous ice cream.

Pretty Leura

Cockatoos

We returned to Viking Sky in time for the Sydney Sail-Away Event, as we bid farewell to this fabulous city. Sailing under the Sydney Harbor Bridge and past the Sydney Opera House was bittersweet, as I would have loved more time here. However, we have many more exciting places to see.