Boy and girl having a date in Blue Mountain

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Katoomba

Blue Mountains


From Leura, it’s only 2km to Katoomba, the region’s main town, whose often misty steep streets are lined with art-deco buildings. The population here is an odd mix of working-class battlers and hippyish refugees from the big smoke, all of whom seem to cope with the huge numbers of tour buses and tourists who come to ooh and aah at the spectacular view of the Jamison Valley and the Three Sisters rock-formations from the Echo Point viewing platforms.

There are a number of short walks from Echo Point that allow you to escape the bulk of the crowds. Parking is congested and charged near Echo Point, so it's not a bad idea to park a few streets back. If you’re walking here from the town centre, Lurline St is the most attractive route.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Blue Mountains attractions

1. Blue Mountains Cultural Centre

0.08 MILES

It's a captivating experience to walk through the main display here, with a satellite image of the Blue Mountains beneath your feet, mountain scenery…

2. Leura

1.12 MILES

Leura, 3km east of Katoomba, is a gracious, affluent town, fashioned around undulating streets, unparalleled gardens and sweeping Victorian verandahs. The…

3. Waradah Australian Centre

1.17 MILES

Formerly providing a light introduction to Aboriginal culture, this popular attraction near Echo Point has disappointingly now focused its regular 30…

4. Scenic World

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This long-time favourite, the Blue Mountains' most touristy attraction, offers spectacular views. Ride the glass-floored Skyway gondola across the gorge…

5. Leuralla NSW Toy & Railway Museum

1.26 MILES

The striking art deco mansion is the home of the Evatt family, the most famous member of which was HV ‘Doc’ Evatt, the third president of the UN General…

6. Echo Point

1.27 MILES

Echo Point's clifftop viewing platform offers a magical prospect of the area's most essential sight, a rocky trio called the Three Sisters, sacred to the…

7. Three Sisters

1.48 MILES

The Blue Mountains' essential sight is a rocky trio called the Three Sisters. Just an hour outside of Sydney, they stand at over 2953ft (900m) and a…

8. Everglades Historic House & Gardens

1.61 MILES

National Trust-owned Everglades was built in the 1930s. While the house is moderately interesting, the magnificent 5 hectares of garden created by Danish…