Adventures in Australia’s Blue Mountains

Based in the stunning Blue Mountains west of Sydney is a company that has been offering visitors thrilling rides and experiences for almost 80 years. Now, Scenic World has been inducted into the Ecotourism Australia Hall of Fame for reaching 20 years as a certified Advanced Ecotourism attraction. The Hall of Fame recognises businesses with this achievement and a proven long-term commitment to ecologically sustainable tourism.

The business, operating on the edge of a World Heritage-listed national park, has also been certified carbon neutral for its services as a tourist attraction, welcoming almost one million visitors a year.

Scenic World’s home, the Blue Mountains, are just a two-hour drive west of Sydney and they were a frequent weekend destination for us before we moved to the Southern Highlands. The Blue Mountains are so named because of a bluish haze in the air, caused by light rays diffusing through droplets of oil dispersed by the dominant eucalyptus trees.

^{The Blue Mountains live up to their name. Photo: Destination NSW}

Blue Mountains National Park is a walker’s paradise, boasting over 140 kilometres of tracks and trails. There are six main areas of the park and the Katoomba area forms the heart. From here you can look out from Echo Point to the iconic Three Sisters rock formation, Mount Solitary and the dramatic sandstone cliffs towering above the Jamison Valley.

^{Above: The Three Sisters}

There are ever-changing views along Prince Henry Cliff walk, which boasts three waterfalls and more than 20 lookouts between Katoomba and Leura. The dazzling natural beauty of the Katoomba, Leura and Wentworth Falls areas has drawn visitors to Gundungurra country for more than 100 years. You can immerse yourself in the best of the Blue Mountains by hiking 19 kilometres over two days between these villages on Grand Cliff Top Walk.

However, those who wish to explore independently and make one of the challenging descents into World Heritage-listed wilderness should go well prepared. This is real wilderness where inexperienced walkers and climbers get lost all too frequently and have to be rescued, often by helicopter.

Apart from obvious considerations like dressing appropriately and carrying plenty of water, hikers should also tell someone where they’re going and carry a personal locater beacon. A phone signal is not always available in the mountains. Personal locater beacons can be hired for free from the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, where you can also complete a trip intention form.

For those who prefer to ride rather than walk, Scenic World operates a number of conveyances in and around the Blue Mountains. The Scenic Railway is a fifth-generation train that travels an unforgettable route through a cliff tunnel before emerging on the floor of the Jamison Valley.

^{The Scenic Railway. Photo: Scenic World}

The Scenic Railway holds the Guiness World Record for the steepest passenger railway. It has a 52°-angle slope (128% maximum gradient). The 310-metre-long funicular was originally built for mining purposes in 1878 but was converted into a recreational ride for tourists in 1945.

The Scenic Skyway glides between cliff tops with panoramic views of World Heritage-listed landscapes in the mountains. The 720-metre journey provides the best views of Katoomba Falls, the Three Sisters, Mount Solitary and Jamison Valley.

^{The Scenic Skyway. Photo: Destination NSW}

Suspended 270 metres above ancient ravines, adventurous customers can view the rainforest canopy down through the electro-glass cabin floor. Recognising that this innovation will be vertigo-inducing for some passengers, the company also provides solid flooring.

Opened in 1958 the Scenic Skyway was Australia’s first cable car. The current Swiss-made cabin was launched in 2017 and can carry 84 passengers every 10 minutes. It is claimed to be the largest aerial cable car in the Southern Hemisphere.

The 510-metre Scenic Cableway is a steep aerial cable car that descends gently into the Jamison Valley and returns to the top of the escarpment. The fully enclosed cabin is an excellent vantage point for viewing the jagged rock formations and sheer sandstone cliffs.

^{The Scenic Cableway. Photo: Scenic World}

Opened in 2000, it also features a Swiss-made, 84-passenger-capacity cabin that was launched in 2018.

Scenic World has implemented a range of sustainability initiatives to target waste, water and electricity use. For example, electricity generated by the railway and cableway as they descend is fed back into the grid, helping to offset electricity used as they ascend.

Located in the Jamison Valley, the Scenic Walkway is a 500-metre elevated boardwalk, an easy 10–20-minute walk between the railway and cableway stations. Protected by the rainforest canopy, the walkway has its own microclimate quite distinct from the weather at the top of the escarpment.

^{The Scenic Walkway. Photo: Destination NSW}

The local rainforest is home to many species of native flora and fauna, some dating back to the Jurassic era. Visitors can explore elements of the site’s coal mining history including the original mine entrance, a replica miner’s hut and scale bronze sculpture of a miner and his pit pony.

^{The Blue Mountains rainforest. Photo: Scenic World}

Constructed to improve existing walking trails that caused erosion, the walkway immerses visitors in the environment with minimal ecological impact. No trees were damaged or removed during construction and the company intervenes in the natural regeneration of the ecosystem only when preventative safety work is necessary.

In addition, Scenic World offers Beyond Skyway, an activity that adds a whole new dimension to the term ‘thrill-seeking’.  Utilising the Scenic Skyway, up to four guests can enjoy an unimpeded 360-degree view of the Jamison Valley from on top of the Skyway car. During the 90-minute ride, guests spend 20 minutes on the roof of the car, 270 metres above the ancient rainforest canopy, with no glass or railings to restrict their view.

^{Beyond Skyway in action. Photo: Cam Jones Imagery}

This immersive experience is exhilarating but not for the faint-hearted, or even ordinary folk for that matter. A number of criteria have to be met in terms of personal health, height, weight and medical conditions before guests are allowed to take part. The safety of those who qualify is secured with locked, full-body harnesses anchored to the car. Not for you, right? Me neither.

^{Photo: Blue Mountains Explorer Bus}

You can learn more about Scenic World here. I close with shots of the Blue Mountains Explorer Bus, which allows you to hop on and hop off anywhere along the route, with tickets that can include a Scenic World pass; and some street art in Katoomba.

Title picture: Destination NSW