The Blue Mountains (BM) are named thus
because of the blue tinge the range takes on when seen from a distance. The scientific
phenomenon of Mie Scattering is believed to be the reason for the blue
spectacle. The very large number of eucalyptus trees in the region is thought to
be the chief contributor to the phenomenon. The BM were settled by aboriginals
for millennia before the first white convict settlers from Ireland and Scotland
arrived in the late 18th century. The BM is a favourite with
visitors as well as adventure seekers because of its proximity to Sydney –
being less than 100 km from the city via Katoomba - and the wide range of
challenges it has to offer. I was fortunate to have the suggestions of Suresh Sebastian
to plan out the trip.
The drive up to the range was
relatively easy consuming less than 90 minutes even though traffic was relatively dense because
of the weekend. It was not easy to find parking as the main parking lots were
already full by 9.30 am. The parking fee, it is mentioned in a few places, go
to maintain the precinct, as all attractions are open to be explored by visitors
for free. The Echo Point lookout is the main platform to view the Three Sisters, Mount Solitary and the Ruined Castle rock formation, besides the Jamison Valley.
As I was moving to a vantage point on the lookout I heard Malayalam being
spoken and I turned to see an elderly couple. The Menons, who lived in New
Zealand, were there to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with
their son and daughter. They gave us tips about the country where they lived
and wished us to enjoy our stay there.
The Three Sisters is a very unusual rock
formation towering over the valley. Their names in the local language are Meehni,
Wimlah and Gunnedoo. The Three Sisters has
an interesting aboriginal legend woven into it. Three
sisters were turned to stone to prevent them from being married forcibly by
three brothers from another tribe, the legend says. The stone faces of the amazing formation is,
geologically, formed over time by land erosion through wind, rain and rivers. The
steep climb down to the Honeymoon Bridge is worth every toll it takes on your
legs because the views from the bridge are out of the world. It also gives you
the opportunity to touch the rock face of the tallest of the sisters, Meehni. It
was indeed sad to see that many had carved their names and places they came
from on the rock face, thereby defacing it. I felt that my legs would give way
on the climb back. The stairway is narrow and one cannot stand in any place to
rest because that interferes with the efforts of other visitors. I did not
attempt the Giant Stairway of 800 steep steps that would have given me a different
experience of the rock formations and the Jamison Valley. I blamed it on the parking
meter! The Katoomba area has many well marked out walking trails to admire the
ecosystem, rock formations and the large valley.
After retrieving the car, Hetal and
Mrs Shukla wished to visit the Waradah Aboriginal Center near the Echo Point,
which showcased aboriginal talent, art and culture. They had to come away after
a short visit because parking space was scarce. The Scenic Skywalk in Katoomba promises
experiences found nowhere else in the world. By the time we reached there, the car
parks were full and I barely managed to find an uncovered space. The AUD 43
ticket gives unlimited access during the day to the four super experiences of
the Skyway, Walkway, Cableway and Railway. They were experiences that my
friends and I had certainly never had.
We first took the 510 meter Cableway
for amazing views of the Jamison Valley and the rainforest. The Cableway is, as
is claimed, to be the steepest aerial cable car in the Southern Hemisphere and the biggest in Australia that can accommodate 84 people. The
experience was indeed unique. At the foot of the short ride we got down to the
Walkway which offers three different paths ranging from 10 to 50 minutes. At 2.4 km, it is considered to be the longest boardwalk in the Southern Hemisphere. We took
the 10 minute Coal Miners path. The interesting walk through the rain forest
gave me the feeling of being through the Amazon forest. A volunteer explained
the discovery of coal and how it was mined for over 60 years in the mountain. Apparently,
there is over 100 km of tunnels in the mountain linked by wagon tracks. Mined
coal used to be brought out in pony driven wagons out of the tunnel and onward
to be tippled into railway wagons that carried the mineral out across a steep
railway line. The miners used to make a quick buck by ‘smuggling’ locals in
wagons up the steep slope in railway wagons and that was the beginning of ‘passenger
business’ in that section. Once the mine was closed a enterprising entrepreneur
took the coal mining rights and developed it into a tourist business in the first
half of the 20th century. This had now become the steepest funicular
railway in the world. The climb and descend are to be experienced to be
believed.
The Skyway takes one across the
magnificent Jamison Valley, which the driver cum commentator told us is four
times the size of the Grand Canyon. The Skyway is the highest in
Australia a 272 meters. The glass bottomed car gave
me the feeling of floating above the valley. A super experience, indeed. By the time we finished all this it was time for hunger to take over. The Café restaurant offered a limited variety
of items for lunch. The café is located near the docking point of the cable car
and has a balcony from where I got panoramic views of the giant valley.
As suggested by Suresh Sebastian I took
a different route on way back to Sydney. It was longer by over 75 km,
but was worth every km of it. ‘Manicured’ towns, forests tinged with pines,
pastoral lands with healthy cows grazing at leisure, rolling mountain slopes
that even looked landscaped and apple orchards made the drive most enjoyable. Bilpin
has numerous retail outlets selling products of orchards. We stopped at one to
taste apple pie, which is a specialty of the town. The freshly made Apple-Blueberry
pie was indeed a ‘saliva-cascade’ experience. By the time we got back to Sydney
it was too late to take a ferry ride, as planned the previous day. Therefore, we got back to the
Hotel and made a ‘jugaad’ dinner.
It is time to move on from this
country too. New Zealand beckoned. Sunita Sebastian had detailed the
formalities for returning the car to the rental company. I rehearsed the
sequence in my mind a few times and announced to my friends that we would leave the hotel by
6 am the next day, which would cover me in case of any traffic holdups or last
minute glitches.
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