Page 177 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

THE BL UE MOUNT AINS  175

of the rock face – curls around its
eastern side. Beyond the Staircase
is the Leura Forest, which is a
warm temperate rainforest.
On the western side of town
the world’s first glass-floor
Skyway, 270 m (885 ft) above
the valley floor, departs
regularly. The Scenic Skyway
traverses 205 m (670 ft) above
the mountains, while the Scenic
Railway offers a nerve-wracking
plummet down a mountain
gorge. Reputed to be the
steepest rail track in the world, it
was originally built in the 1880s
to transport miners down to the
valley’s rich coal deposits.
Blackheath
* 4,100. n Govetts Leap Rd.
Tel 1300 653 408.
Blackheath is a small village that Eroded gorge in Grose Valley, near the town of Blackheath
offers a quieter prospect than
many of the busy mountain sandstone canyons, sheds some were first discovered in 1838 and
towns further east. The excellent light on the geological are remarkable for their complex-
standard of restaurants and mysteries of the mountains. ity and accessibility. More than
accommodation available in the 300 subterranean chambers
town often induces visitors to } Jenolan Caves were formed in a limestone belt
stay one or two nights here, Jenolan Caves Rd. Tel (02) 6359 3911. that was deposited more than
rather than make the return to Open 9am–5pm daily. & 7 to small 300 million years ago. The nine
Sydney the same day. But the section of Orient and Chifley caves. caves open to the public have
real draw of this area is the ∑ jenolancaves.org.au a variety of delicate limestone
chance to explore the mist- The Jenolan Caves lie southwest formations, pools and rivers,
enshrouded rifts and ravines of the mountain range. The including the ominously named
of the beautiful Grose Valley. Great Western Highway passes Styx River.
The best place to start is the the grand old hotels of Mount
Heritage Centre, 3 km (2 miles) Victoria before a south turn is Y Mount Tomah
from Blackheath along Govetts taken at Hartley, the centre of Botanic Garden
Leap Road. Displays document the first grazing region estab- Bells Line of Road. Tel (02) 4567 3000.
the geological, Aboriginal and lished by Blaxland, Lawson and Open 9am–5:30pm daily (from 9:30am
European histories of the region Wentworth from 1815 onwards. Sat, Sun & public holidays). Closed
and local flora and fauna, while The southern stretch of the 25 Dec. 7 ∑ bluemountains
park officers are available to road, cutting across the botanicgarden.com.au
offer advice on the best walks in escarpment of Kanimbla Valley, Mount Tomah lies along the
the area. Govetts Leap, with its is one of the most scenic in the Bells Line of Road, a quiet but
heady views across Grose Valley, mountains. The Jenolan Caves increasingly popular route
provides a point of orientation with tourists to the area.
and is the starting place for a Tomah takes its name from
number of tracks. A clifftop track an indigneous word for “fern”.
leads off in a southerly direction The Botanic Garden was set
past Bridal Falls, the highest up as an annex to Sydney’s Royal
waterfalls in the Blue Mountains, Botanic Garden (see pp110–11)
and through stretches of in order to house species that
exposed mountain heathland. would not survive the coastal
A steep and arduous 8-hour conditions. Of special interest are
return trek into the valley leads the southern hemisphere plants
to Blue Gum Forest. Walk which developed in isolation
through the dense covered once Australia broke away from
forest with towering blue-gum Gondwanaland (see p27).
eucalyptus trees. The Grand The overall layout of the
Canyon is a destination only gardens is a feat of engineering,
for the fit – this 5-hour walk, Limestone formations in the and the views across Grose
through deep gorges and Jenolan Caves Valley are breathtaking.