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| Introduction |
The Blue Mountains owe their name to
the blue haze which mantles them and which defies description. The most
commonly accepted explanation of the blue is that it is caused by light
refraction from oil droplets dispersed into the atmosphere by Eucalypts
which cover the slopes. Whatever the cause, it is unique and has to be
seen to be believed.
The park covers 100,870 ha. Amongst sandstone walls, eroded for millions
of years, lie valleys, some kilometres wide and others merely narrow
passages. The mountains have a variety of vegetation, including heath,
swamp, grasslands, rainforests and woodlands, and some of the resident
animals include kangaroos, wallabies, possums and wombats, while birds
include wrens, parrots, thrushes, honeyeaters and thornbills.
To the west of the Blue Mountains are the Jenolan Caves, (80km west from
Katoomba). One of Australia's most remarkable geological phenomena, the
Caves were discovered in 1838, and their sparkling stalagmites and
stalactites, grottoes and quiet pools resemble an underground fairyland.
Bush walks, hikes, horse trails, rock climbs and exploration of fern
gullies with enchanting waterfalls are easily accessible. For the less
energetic, there are breath-taking vistas and panoramas of these mountains
with their towering sandstone cliffs - all bathed in a soft blue haze of
singular beauty and purity.
In early days the crossing of the Blue Mountains was synonymous with
hardship, bravery and determination - features common to many early
Australian explorations. Although only a mere 60km west of Sydney, this
rugged range rising abruptly from the coastal plains presented a
formidable barrier to the struggling infant colony at Sydney Cove.
Close to starvation because of stock losses and crop failures, the colony
faced a bleak existence. During the late 1700s and early 1800s, several
abortive attempts had been made to hack a path over the craggy mountains.
At last, in 1813 Governor Macquarie encouraged the explorer Gregory
Blaxland to test his "theory of the ridges" and attempt the seemingly
impossible. Blaxland, who feared the undertaking too great for one man,
invited Wentworth and Lawson to join him, so on 11 May 1813 the three set
out from Blaxland's farm at South Creek.
They climbed the hills near Penrith then, following the ridges and
avoiding deep gullies, the trio pushed due west. After 18 days of struggle
along precipitous ridges and through thick bush, they finally reached
Mount York on the western slopes - and knew their search was over. From
here they could see rolling grasslands; the mountains had been conquered
and the colony would be safe.
The next Herculean task was to build the road. This was achieved with
amazing speed, including the sheer drop down the western face of Mount
York. Settlers with their flocks and herds soon streamed west. Development
was helped enormously by the completion of the railway in 1863 between
Sydney and Penrith and then, six years later, through the mountains to
Lithgow. The descent of the railway to Lithgow - an engineering marvel -
was given the appropriate name of Zig Zag Railway and to this day it is
regarded with awe. The railway marked the beginning of tourism for the
Blue Mountains which quickly became the Mecca for holiday-makers.
There are many attractions at the Blue Mountains; nevertheless, it is
still their stunning beauty which is the magnet for visitors from all over
the world.
Perhaps the best - and certainly the most exciting - way to appreciate the
Mountains' grandeur is to ride on the Katoomba Scenic Railway and on the
Skyway. The dualism rail car carries passengers on a thrilling
near-vertical descent 250m into the beautiful Jamison Valley. After a
short burst through a rock tunnel, the car emerges into a narrow canyon
with towering sandstone walls. The steepest descent is then made through
lush vegetation to the lower station. The track, built in 1878 to haul
coal, is 310m long, drops 207m and is reputed to be the world's steepest
railway.
The Scenic Skyway, constructed in 1958, was the first horizontal passenger
cableway in the Southern Hemisphere. The aerial cable car provides an
eagle's view as it travels 350m across a craggy gorge. Poised in the clear
blue sky some 275m up, it swings past the Three Sisters, Orphan Rock and
Katoomba Falls before returning to take-off point by the Skyway
Restaurant. This aerial trip may not be for the faint-hearted, but is a
"must" for camera buffs.
The Blue Mountains are a history lover's delight. The oldest link is the
Explorers' Tree at Pulpit Hill, marked by the three trail blazers in 1813.
Lennox Bridge, built in 1833 near Glenbrook, is the second oldest bridge
in Australia, postdating Tasmania's Richmond Bridge by only eight years.
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