Blogs from Katoomba, New South Wales, Australia, Oceania

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Oceania » Australia » New South Wales » Katoomba December 20th 2022

Today we took a trip to the Blue Mountains, specifically the The Scenic Skyway Katoomba. They have various things to do here, a cableway, railway , walkway and skyway. It was a reasonable drive, it took us around 90mins but we did stop off at a national park on the way as there was a viewing area which overlooked some of the flood damage they’ve suffered here recently. It was amazing to see what the force of water can do, large trees had been knocked flat, the tarmac from the road was missing completely in some parts. All back to normal now though. We stopped at another high up area overlooking this a bit further on, it must’ve been quite a sight when the water was at it’s worst. At Skyway, there’s free parking in a ... read more
2. Katoomba Falls
3. Katoomba Casscades
4. Scenic Skyway

Oceania » Australia » New South Wales » Katoomba August 13th 2019

Our host at the Brooklyn Motel, Keith, told us this morning that someone drove their car off the Peats Ferry Bridge overnight. This is the same bridge that we crossed coming into Brooklyn yesterday afternoon. As at this morning police divers had still not located the vehicle and the driver. After packing the car we headed down to the Brooklyn Public Wharf for our cruise on the Hawkesbury River with the Riverboat Postman. We were so lucky with the weather today as it was a beautiful clear blue and sunny day on the river. Although it was a bit brisk, it was perfect for a leisurely cruise. The first Riverboat Postman started the run in 1910. Today the tradition continues with Hawkesbury Cruises, the current operators of this famous half day trip. Before we left the ... read more
Dangar Island
Sea Eagle
Sandstone Rocks

Oceania » Australia » New South Wales » Katoomba November 21st 2017

It appears we have better weather today for trekking and we are moving on!!! We decide to do the Wentworth falls walk. Breakfast, pack and off we go. Arrive at the conservation hut car park then as we start on the downward track it says it’s closed so we do a bit of a detour and get to the under cliff path. Follow it to the falls and cross over by the bridge to get a different view. Back to the car via the shortcut path and a drink and cake. Off to Sydney it is then. 1 1/2 - 2hr drive south. We find the Waldorf apartment block and have a really nice place with a view from the balcony of the pool. Once settled we drive to the local shopping centre for dinner. I ... read more
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Oceania » Australia » New South Wales » Katoomba November 20th 2017

Today we woke up to a mist obscuring our view. Then it started to rain. So we went for breakfast then we did a bit of shopping and Alex bought me an Akubara hat. Now those of you in the know will wince cos you know they are expensive. I got the Coober pedy style. It cost $209 / £126. In the UK it would have cost £209 / $344. So, I saved $135 / £82 by buying it over here. On the plus side, I need a new fishing hat! Although the weather didn’t get much worse it didn’t seem to get any better so rather than go on a long walk and get wet we drove up the road to Senic World and got to go on their rides and do a bit of ... read more
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Oceania » Australia » New South Wales » Katoomba September 3rd 2016

Steam Trains & Winter Magic. It's probably a boy's thing...the whiff of coal fed smoke...the sharp toot toot...the rattle of rails. Electric trains are so so...but steam trains...the mesmerising choo choo...hard to resist. Nearly lost my legs the first time so I'm now pretty careful. I was about 12...the last race for the steam trains from Sydney to Newcastle...so the whole school class went. Ours was the famous 301 I recall...can't really remember the trip up. We caught a branch line into the Hunter Valley to turn around...got back on standing on a metal ladder below the doors...air and smoke blowing through my hair...not a care in the World. Then we approached a station...the platform climbing my legs...the gap between the train and the platform rapidly thinning...my brain seeing my legs about to be sheared off. ... read more
Festival of Winter Magic

Oceania » Australia » New South Wales » Katoomba June 24th 2016

Some people have the perception that Australia is always sunny and warm. Well, this isn't true! We do have winter here too, although usually milder than places like Europe and North America. Today it was supposed to snow in the Blue Mountains! I had a day off work so I got in my car in search of snow. I left Sydney and headed towards Richmond and then over the Bells Line of Road (don't ask me why it's called this...). I stopped off at Mt Banks lookout, and it was cold but no snow. I continued along the road and just as I arrived in Clarence, it started to snow!! Yay! I followed the road down to Lithgow, but it started to disappear, so once I got to lithgow I turned around and headed for Blackheath. ... read more
Mount Banks Lookout
Mount Banks Lookout
Mount Banks Lookout

Oceania » Australia » New South Wales » Katoomba April 13th 2016

Our bags had been taken to our room which was lovely and spacious. There are lovely smelling toiletries, terry towering robes and crisp cotton sheets. Cas took the kids for a swim and I had a cheeky catnap. We decided to eat in the hotel as we were all a bit tired. After dinner we had a family game of snooker which took a very long time, so long in fact that Cas had to take Hat to bed and Ed and I agreed that we'd pot the coloured balks tomorrow morning before breakfast.... read more

Oceania » Australia » New South Wales » Katoomba April 13th 2016

The Katoomba YHA is in an Art Deco theatre building in this large and sleepy town. The crowd staying here is much older than Sydney and Cas found the common room a bit gloomy. The kids spotted a Dominoes pizza as we walked from the train station and given that we could feed ourselves for £10 we ordered one and Ed picked it up. Cas and I sat outside on the patio whilst Ed and Har played giant chess; there rules involved fast movements and lots of giggling, hmmmm. We we all settling down for the night when Ed spotted a very large black moth on the ceiling. And it was a very high ceiling. Both Ed and Cas refused to sleep in the room unless it was removed and I thought it was much to ... read more
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Oceania » Australia » New South Wales » Katoomba April 13th 2016

Hat and I went to a French bakery to buy bread and pastries and we all converged to the eating area for breakfast. Cas and I sorted out our stuff and bought a picnic whilst the kids watched a movie and then we lugged our bags about 29 mins down the road to our hotel for the next two nights, called Lilian Fels. We took off straightaway to the Prince Henry Cliff Walk. It has the most amazing views, vivid orange sandstone outcrops rising up a huge canyon and the blue-green of the euclyptus forests which covered everything for as far as the eye could see. We arrived at Echo Point which gave great views of the Three Sisters, 3000ft outcrops which are sacred to the Aboringines. From Echo Point we took the Giant Stairway past ... read more
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Oceania » Australia » New South Wales » Katoomba June 16th 2015

The forecast for our final full day in Sydney had consistently promised rain but the morning broke clear and beautiful, providing Sonia with even better opportunities to photograph the sunrise over Sydney harbor. Our plan for the day was a trip to the Blue Mountains and began with a cab ride to the airport to rent a car. Driving on the left wasn’t quite as bad as John had feared, but navigating out of the airport onto the M5 highway was much more difficult than expected, and we were ready for a break almost as soon as we began. Taking a suggestion we had picked up from the Seattle-ites, we stopped early in the trip at Featherdale Wildlife Park, a zoo of Australian animals that featured opportunities for Kangaroo feeding and Koala petting. The rain did ... read more
Sunrise over Sydney
Sunrise, part 2
Andrew's turn with Koala




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