This boardwalk reveals a hidden side of the Blue Mountains

Taylah Darnell Taylah Darnell
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There’s a new way to witness this World Heritage-listed national park.

Everyone knows the Blue Mountains in NSW is a paradise for nature lovers. A treasure trove of walking trails, magical waterfalls and outdoor experiences like Scenic World highlight the raw natural beauty that makes this place so special.

Many of the Blue Mountains’ best hikes and lookouts run along the Jamison Valley’s cliffs and offer views across southerly landmarks like Mount Solitary and the Megalong Valley. But the accessible Forest Lookout Boardwalk has opened in a lesser-known part of the region, inviting visitors to see a different side of this incredible national park.

Where is the new Blue Mountains boardwalk?

Situated on the quieter side of the Blue Mountains National Park in Mount Tomah is the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden on Darug Country. Opened to the public in 1987, the 186-hectare landscape is considered the highest botanic garden in Australia. It is already home to a handful of well-maintained tracks, but the newly opened Forest Lookout Boardwalk is providing a new perspective.

Blue Mountains Botanic Garden in Mount Tomah, NSW
The botanic garden showcases the region’s natural beauty. (Image: Destination NSW)

At 100 metres in length, the fully accessible platform leads visitors to a rarely seen eastern viewpoint that looks out over the region’s unique basalt cap forests. Sustainability was a key factor in the design. Built using natural materials, the structure is sympathetic to the landscape and cuts a path around trees rather than through them.

But it’s not (just) about the destination, it’s about the journey, too. Take it at a leisurely pace and you might spot a few of the adorable animals that call this place home – like lizards, sugar gliders and ring-tailed possums, as well as over 150 bird species. It’s also a great way to see the garden’s native and exotic plant species, including maples, camellias, rhododendrons and ferns.

A native Australian superb lyrebird in the bush
Keep your eye out for native bird species, like the superb lyrebird. (Image: Tracie Louise)

The fern holds particular significance to the region; in the Durgah language of the land’s Traditional Owners, ‘Tomah’ means ‘fern.’ Visitors can learn more about the fern and its life cycle through newly installed art panels along the way.

Afterwards, pop up to the onsite cafe for tea, browse the Garden Shop for gifts and homewares, join a creative workshop or pick up a native plant from the nursery. Guided walking tours are also run during the spring.

The Forest Lookout Boardwalk in the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, NSW
The new boardwalk is a short but sweet 100 metres in length.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

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Is it accessible?

The Blue Mountains Botanic Garden has accessibility parking (located in Car Park 1) and wheelchair-friendly bathrooms, as well as mobility scooters available to hire for $10. The new Forest Lookout Boardwalk has also been specifically designed to be accessible for all. Wheelchair users, parents with prams and those with reduced mobility can all enjoy the experience thanks to flat surfaces, safety railings and ramps.

The Forest Lookout Boardwalk in the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, NSW
Sustainability and accessibility were at the forefront of design.

How do I get there?

For those travelling from regional towns like Bathurst or Lithgow, you can reach the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden via the Great Western Highway and Chifley Road. Sydney’s train line and A32 highway make visiting popular towns like Katoomba easy, but Mount Tomah is a little further afield. Head to North Richmond, an hour’s drive from the CBD, where Bells Line of Road begins. The winding route twists and turns for 37 kilometres before delivering you to your destination.

Bells Line of Road in the Blue Mountains, NSW
Bells Line of Road winds its way through the Blue Mountains. (Image: Destination NSW)

If you’re up for an autumnal road trip, Bells Line is an adventure in itself, cutting through historic settlements like Kurrajong and Berambing. It also provides access to many of Bilpin’s world-class cideries, which are recognised among Australia’s top 10 foodie wonders. It’s important to note that Bells Line of Road can be dangerous at times, especially after heavy rainfall and high winds. Check Live Traffic NSW for road closures or repair works.

The Blue Mountains Botanic Garden is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm.
Taylah Darnell
Taylah Darnell is Australian Traveller's Writer & Producer. She has been passionate about writing since she learnt to read, spending many hours either lost in the pages of books or attempting to write her own. This life-long love of words inspired her to study a Bachelor of Communication majoring in Creative Writing at the University of Technology Sydney, where she completed two editorial internships. She began her full-time career in publishing at Ocean Media before scoring her dream job with Australian Traveller. Now as Writer & Producer, Taylah passionately works across both digital platforms and print titles. When she's not wielding a red pen over magazine proofs, you can find Taylah among the aisles of a second-hand bookshop, following a good nature trail or cheering on her EPL team at 3am. While she's keen to visit places like Norway and New Zealand, her favourite place to explore will forever be her homeland.
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The secret Sydney suite life: a luxury under-the-radar stay right on the harbour

    Kate Bettes Kate Bettes
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    This winter, these secret Sydney harbour suites are the staycation we’ve been looking for.

    Whether it’s the crisscrossing ferries or the white sails of the Opera House rising out of blue depths, Australia’s biggest city lives for its harbour. But while locals might glance at that watery expanse on their daily commute across the Bridge, it can still be hard to truly connect with Sydney’s maritime soul. The secret: seeing the harbour eye-to-eye, right at water level. And what better place to submerge yourself in that energy than sleeping there? That’s where Pier One Sydney Harbour comes in (and with new all-inclusive bed and breakfast benefits, there’s even more to love).

    All-inclusive VIP benefits

    Who Is Elijah Amenities at Pier One Sydney Harbour
    Book in for the all-inclusive VIP treatment.

    The hard truth is that it will be very difficult to tear yourself away from your ultra-luxurious harbour home-away-from-home to explore the city. If you want to make leaving even harder, opt for Pier One’s all-inclusive VIP treatment.

    The Bed and Breakfast with Suite Benefits package turns up the volume on what is already the ultimate staycation, with complimentary valet parking, daily breakfast for two and turndown service. The biggest perk? Enjoy a bottle of French champagne every day during your whole stay

    Pier One Sydney Harbour

    Pier One Sydney Harbour
    Step into a piece of history with all the modern comforts. (Credit: Dave Wheeler)

    The five-star Pier One Sydney Harbour is quite literally old Sydney through and through. Built on what was once a working cargo wharf and the passenger terminal for those heading to the North Shore before the bridge was constructed, the heritage building sits right between the tangle of cobblestones, pubs and alleyways of The Rocks and the historic docking zone of Walsh Bay – at the centre of the city’s old sea trade.

    If knowing the hotel’s history isn’t enough to get your sea-longing going, the interior design certainly will. As soon as you step up to the concierge desk in the lobby of the restored building – which underwent a $15 million redevelopment in 2019 – you’re immersed in Sydney’s seafaring tale. Weathered wood panelling and white marble floors surround you, while loop lighting installations hover above the bar island just beyond, ringed with stools ready for intimate, martini-tinted conversations. Steel rivets and timber beams speak to its past, and glass-walled views anchor you firmly in the present-day life on the harbour.

    Pier One Suites

    Pier One Sydney Harbour admiral suite
    Enjoy incredible views from your suite.

    Across the 189 rooms and suites built on and over the water, the maritime theme continues. Sculptural aged brass fittings, exposed girders, colour schemes that evoke shifting currents, and mirrors that reflect ripples that – depending on your booking – sit just metres from your pillow.

    United on theme yet unique in set-up, each room or suite is different. On the ground floor, dog-friendly rooms with direct access to the pier are all prepped for pampered pups, while others have views and even balconies overlooking Walsh Bay, the Bridge and the Harbour.

    But the 19 suites step things up even more. Gaze out through floor-to-ceiling windows, or get even closer. Your private balcony is made for sipping a Nespresso coffee on as the sun comes up – or soaking in the bathtub of the Admiral Suite on the deck, a drink from the locally stocked mini bar in hand. This mini bar was recently completely transformed, so you have more Aussie favourites to choose from, including alcohol and snacks.

    Dining at Pier One

    Pier Bar Pier One Sydney Harbour
    Settle in for an afternoon of good drinks and views.

    Once you’re checked in, start your afternoon with a spritz at PIER BAR – or arrive by boat via the private pontoon if the occasion calls for it – and settle into one of the cabanas. Weekdays bring Happy Hour (or ‘sunset hour’ at Pier One); weekends bring the DJs. After an even sweeter experience? The Everyday Creamery and Matcha Kiosk is slinging mango and vanilla soft serve – classic and those spiked with Midori and gin alike.

    PIER Dining is an ode to contemporary Australian flavours across the terrace, pier and dining room. On its seafood-leaning menu are Sydney rock oysters from Merimbula, potato scallops with salmon roe and crème fraîche, chicken with melting sundried tomato butter, vodka rigatoni with Shark Bay prawns. And the ‘Pierlova’ – that’s pavlova with chocolate, dulce de leche and banana is worth saving room for. Make sure to ask for the wine list – it’s 100 per cent Australian drops.

    Around town

    luna park, sydney opera house and sydney harbour bridge
    Explore the neighbourhood during your stay. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    If you’re strong enough to polish off just one last pastry from the breakfast buffet and walk out the door, we applaud you. Luna Park across the harbour beckons with its wide grin, while a glance upward might spur you to climb the Bridge’s famous iron arches. The Opera House – just across Circular Quay from the Museum of Contemporary Art – sings out for a concert.

    You’ll want to book ahead for those hot-ticket performances at Sydney Theatre Company and Sydney Dance Company, just a few minutes’ walk south of the hotel. Ten minutes further brings you to the waterfront bars, restaurants and clubs of Barangaroo, or the karaoke, gardens and dim sum of Chinatown further afield.

    Keep the mellow of your weekend getaway going with a stop at Barangaroo Reserve, watching the yachts go by – all before returning for that Sydney sundowner at Pier One.

    Ready to make that Pier One stay a reality? Book the ultimate Sydney staycation at pieronesydneyharbour.com.au