The Blue Mountains are the favorite destination for Sydneysiders who want a respite from the sweltering heat of the plains. The Blue Mountains are a world heritage site just one and a half hours drive away from Sydney. Katoomba is a busy tourist town located in the Blue Mountains and is famous for the Three Sisters, a rock formation that is situated at Echo Point. They are the focal point of all the guided tours to the Blue Mountains and are subject of many amateur and professional photographs. This is unsurprising since from spring time, i.e. September onwards, Katoomba and the Blue Mountains are spectacular as flowers bloom and the hills acquire lush green foliage.

The Three Sisters, named Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo are actually three pillar formations created through erosion. As per Australian archeologists, the sandstone rocks date from the Triassic age and wind and rains eroded it till it formed into the three pillars that one can see now. Of course the aborigines have a more romantic explanation. As per the aborigine legend three beautiful sisters named Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo of the Katoomba tribe fell in love with three young men of the Nepean tribe, but could not wed them due to some tribal law. A war ensued, and the lives of the sisters were under threat. A Katoomba witchdoctor turned them into sandstone pillars, but died before he could undo his spell and make them human. Whatever the explanation may be, The Three Sisters standing at 922, 918 & 906 metres tall, respectively are impressive and a great draw for visitors from all over the world.

Katoomba is a popular area for bushwalks, and adventure tours and bushwalks are organized for the supremely fit visitors. The rainforests, the scenic panorama, the waterfalls, the flora and fauna make for unsurpassed beauty. What is unique to this area is the blue mist which is formed by droplets of oil exuded by the Eucalyptus trees that gives the mountains their name, The less agile can opt for adventure tours and bus tours for the faint hearted. One can even find accommodation at Echo Point and stay for a few days to take in the scenic splendour and the spectacular view of the Three Sisters, at any time of the day or night. The Three Sisters are floodlit till 10:30 p.m. every night. The view of the Three Sisters in the morning is very scenic; they almost look as though they are emerging out of the clouds.

The Three Sisters are well connected with Sydney. They are 1 ½ drive along the Great Western Highway from Sydney. Trains run from Sydney’s Central Station to Katoomba. Many tour operators offer all day tours from Sydney to Katoomba daily. All the bushwalks, hikes and busses to Three Sisters start from Echo Point which is the central place in Katoomba.

Blue Mountains Visitor Information Centre Echo Point
Echo Point
KATOOMBA NSW 2780
Ph: 1300 653 408
Fax: 02 4780 5729