Into the Blue mountains and back via the Harbour Bridge (Nov 2018)

A trip to the magnificent Blue Mountains should be one of your top priorities when visiting Sydney, although you do need a clear day to get the best views. I was extremely lucky on this entire trip, as I’ve said numerous times, to have great weather every day. The Blue Mountains World Heritage area is made up of forests, canyons, sandstone cliffs, and waterfalls. There are plenty of long treks available if you love walking and of course some amazing scenery to take in.

The trip began with me getting into the minibus and everyone singing “Happy Birthday!” to me – I still don’t know how they knew it was my birthday, but it was a lovely surprise! After a short drive and introducing ourselves to each other, we stopped off for a talk and demonstration by our tour guide on the famous Australian boomerang. It was really interesting, and I never actually realised that boomerangs came in both right and left-handed versions. Back on the minibus, we all got the opportunity to purchase a handmade boomerang, and they came in a variety of painted designs. I’ve always wanted a boomerang, so this was the perfect opportunity to purchase one.

We then drove on to visit Echo Point in Katoomba, where the Three Sisters sandstone rock formation can be clearly viewed in the Jamison valley. The Three Sisters vary slightly in height and were sculptured from the sandstone by wind and rain over the years. The sisters also have names: Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo, and there is a legend about them. The Aboriginal legend has it that the three sisters lived in the Jamison valley and were part of the Katoomba tribe. They then fell in love with three brothers from the Nepean tribe but were unable to marry due to tribal law. This situation deeply upset the brothers, so they decided to capture the sisters - unaware that it would cause a battle between the two tribes. A witchdoctor then decided to protect the sisters by turning them into stone but, unfortunately, he later died in battle before he was able to turn the sisters back into their human form. The formation of these rocks is a stunning sight with a dramatic backdrop of mountains and greenery. Sadly, though, it is thought that in time all the sisters will erode.

We also had the opportunity whilst up here to go on the Scenic Skyway that is suspended 270 meters above the ravines and runs a 720-metre journey between the cliff tops. A portion of the flooring in the Skyway is made from electro-glass to enable you to get great views of the rainforest canopy below.

It was then time to have a lovely stop off in the picturesque Blue Mountain village. This pedestrian village has accommodation, over 40 unique shops, and activities, including biking, zip lines, and Segway tours. I enjoyed ambling around this village, and there were some quaint places to stop for food and drink, too.

The next leg of the tour included a visit to the Sydney Olympic Park and Featherdale Wildlife Park. The wildlife park is quite big with a good collection of Australian wildlife, and even has dingos, kookaburras, and Tasmanian devils – although the devils were unfortunately asleep when I was there. This was another great place to get close to the wildlife, as you can feed wallabies and kangaroos or book a separate close encounter with your favourite creature. The Park was opened in 1972 on land that used to operate as a poultry farm, and it is now one of Australia’s best tourist attractions.

The final part of the trip took us on a relaxing cruise down the Parramatta River and under the Harbour Bridge. This was simply the best way to get amazing views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Many people, including myself, went out on the top deck to make the most of the experience, and take lots of photos, even though it was a little cold to say the least.

This was probably the best birthday I’ve ever had, especially as Australia was always my dream destination, and I still had the amazing play at the Opera House to look forward to!