The Blue Mountains Down Under

When I thought of Australia, the Sydney Opera House and the Harbor Bridge always come into my mind.  These two landmarks have always been on my list of must-see places.  I have never realized that just a few miles outside the charming city of Sydney is the spectacular Blue Mountains, it is listed on one of my favorite coffee table books, 501 must-visit destinations!

It was a blessing to see the Blue Mountains on a spur-of the moment decision of my traveling group to hire a bus and head towards one of Australia’s national parks..  These mountains are part of the Great Dividing Range which stretches from Melbourne to Cairns.

These rock formations called the Three Sisters are Blue Mountains’ most famous peaks.

The mountains’ blue hues are because of the vapor that rises from the millions of Eucalyptus trees that grows there.

This is one of the canyons in the national park.

Breath-taking view of the Blue Mountains from the Princess Rock Lookout.

This is one of the best ways to see the view of the Blue Mountains.

The top of the Blue Mountain range is a plateau where rivers have carved deep valleys. This is one of the spectacular views here, the Wentworth Falls.

I marveled at this scenery for hours.

The Blue Mountains National Park is a wonderful place for walking, climbing and abseiling.  This place is designated as a World Heritage Site in 2000 and is now a well-protected forest reserve.   What a wanderful experience !