Blackheath - BLUE MOUNTAINS the likes of which you will not have encountered anywhere. The murals around it’s walls and over the roof are wild and wonderful. Such facilities are rarely mentioned in connection with art. Equally vibrant are the Campbell Rhododendron Gardens, in Bachante Street. Set over 18.5 hectares, these lovely gardens are filled with rhododendrons and azaleas planted under a canopy of native bush. The gardens are at their beautiful best from September through to November, and are highlighted during the Rhododendron Festival, which takes place each November and sees the whole village celebrating with floral displays, the Annual Art Show, a grand parade and outdoor entertainment. The garden is open year round and is worth a visit at any time of year. Natural beauty abounds in this part of the mountains, which is the headquarters of the Blue Mountains National Parks and Wildlife Service. If you have the time, it’s worth visiting as many of the spectacular high-elevation viewing platforms as possible and following one of the well-worn walking tracks. Start with a trip to Govetts Leap Lookout, which offers amazing views across the Grose Valley and features a waterfall that drops an impressive one hundred and eighty metres to the base of the cliff. Evans Lookout provides an alternate vantage point. Turn into Walls Cave Road, off Evans Lookout Road, and take a short walk to experience Aboriginal history at Walls Cave – it’s believed to have been occupied around 12,000 years ago. Hargraves Lookout is on the opposite side of the train tracks and is accessed via a pleasant drive to the western end of Shipley Plateau, past the tiny village of Shipley, pretty apple orchards and gum trees. The panoramic views over the rural Megalong Valley are nothing short of magnificent, and not far from here is Mount Blackheath – a popular hang-gliding site that allows gliders to soar over the Kanimbla Valley. While you’re over this side of town, take a short drive down one of the countrys most scenic roads through rainforest and the sandstone escarpment to the Megalong Valley. Here there is horse riding, accommodation, a tea room in the most beautiful of settings offering indoor and outdoor tables. A little further along the road takes you over the Coxs River and out to Dryridge estate. Here, overlooking what must surely be the most spectacular view at any cellar door in the country, you can taste good wines and sit with a cheese plate and your glass.
All of that fresh air is bound to make you hungry, so book a table at any of the cafes and restaurants in the village, all of which are treasured by the wider community and serve up outstanding dishes bursting with seasonal flavours. Arguably the most spectacular view in the upper mountains is Govetts Leap at the foot of the road of that name. Accessed simply by parking your car and stepping out, this view will take your breath away. A few hundred metres before the carpark and lookout, which is also the starting point for many fabulous bushwalks, you will find the Heritage Centre for park information, gallery and shop. For upper Blue Mountains holiday accommodation contact Blue Mountains Escapes who have an extensive inventory of properties for your next romantic, family or friends group break in the Mountains. Beautiful panoramic view of the Grose Valley escarpment with Mt Banks. Photo by Denys Joannes
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Discover the Blue Mountains
