Greater Blue Mountain Road Trip Itinerary

Whether you’re after a coastal drive, the sight of a winding road cutting through a barren landscape or the beauty of mountains rolling along the skyline, there are more than enough iconic drives to keep you exploring – here is your go-to guide to driving the Greater Blue Mountains.

The combination of ease of access and natural wonders has seen the Blue Mountains occupy a special place in the heart of Sydneysiders for more than a century. Like a giant backyard, it’s the place they go to immerse themselves in nature, to suck in lungfuls of fresh mountain air and to experience nose-nipping winter cold. The best way to experience its compelling attractions is on a road trip. You can dip in and do day trips or easily spend a few days exploring.

Depart Sydney for mountain highs

Leura

Heading out of Sydney, your ascent into the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains National Park along the Great Western Highway passes by or through a string of quaint villages and towns. Stop for morning tea in Leura, with its pretty main street (known as The Mall) lined with cafes and shops, including Moontree , filled with lovely scented candles and artworks by local artists, the well-stocked Megalong Books, and Josophan’s Fine Chocolate, which makes its sweet treats by hand, including truffles and rocky road.

Katoomba

It’s less than five minutes drive from Leura to Katoomba, the bustling heart of the Blue Mountains and home to two of its most famous attractions: Echo Point and The Three Sisters, recognised as a place of cultural significance to the Aboriginal people of the area. Stretch your legs (and work off your Josophan’s purchases) by heading off on the impossibly scenic Three Sisters walk that takes in Lady Game lookout, the Giant Stairway and Honeymoon Bridge, which links to the first rock formation (or sister), or book a walking tour with Tread Lightly Eco Tours .

The main attraction in Katoomba has to be Echo Point and The Three Sisters. (Image: DNSW)

Honeymoon Bridge Blue Mountains — The views from Honeymoon Bridge on the Three Sisters walk. (Image: DNSW)

Another non-negotiable Katoomba icon is a ride on Scenic World ’s vertiginous Scenic Railway as it plummets through the lush vegetation to the Jamison Valley below.

Scenic World’s Scenic Railway — Don’t miss a ride on Scenic World’s vertiginous Scenic Railway above Jamison Valley. (Image: DNSW)

Stop for a drink or high tea

You can recover from all the heights and hiking with lunch and a glass of something cool at Bar NSW at The Lookout at Echo Point, or book in for a grand high tea (accompanied by equally grand views of the Megalong Valley) at the historic Hydro Majestic in nearby Medlow Bath.

Hydro Majestic high tea — Book high tea at the historic Hydro Majestic in nearby Medlow Bath. (Image: DNSW)

Katoomba to Oberon: for green valleys and caves

Blackheath

If visiting in November you will find the streets of Blackheath lined with colour during the annual rhododendron festival, and the queue outside Anonymous Cafe twice as long as patrons wait for what many consider the best coffee in the Mountains; book Parkside at Blackheath, a gracious 1930s mountain cottage that has been meticulously transformed into a chic place to stay to make a weekend out of it. Passing through the charming town of Blackheath, the Great Western Highway continues on to Mount Victoria, where the road commences to weave its way this way and that down the escarpment at Victoria Pass. Keep one eye on the road and the other on the breathtaking views as you descend.

Spend the night in Hartley

Once the landscape finally evens out, you’ll find yourself driving through wide open countryside dotted with grazing horses and cows (at dawn and twilight the grassy flats are populated with kangaroos, a sight that just never grows old). Stop at Hartley Historic Site , one of the best collections of historic buildings in the country. Visit the art gallery in town and stay overnight in one of the unique heritage properties, such as St Bernard’s Presbytery .

Stop at Hartley Historic Site, one of the best collections of historic buildings in the country. (Image: DNSW)

Jenolan Caves

When you see the turn off for Oberon coming up on your left, take it. The drive to Jenolan Caves along Jenolan Caves Road takes less than an hour but be sure to book ahead due to Covid-19 restrictions. Billed as ‘Australia’s Most Spectacular Caves’, school excursions here were a rite of passage for generations of NSW kids, and the stalagmites, stalactites and fossils still fascinate. Stay at heritage-listed Caves House for more time to explore. Go on a guided tour of the jaw-dropping caves and bushwalk to spot rare native animals including brush-tailed rock wallabies.

Oberon

Another 30 minutes in the car delivers you to the lovely rural community of Oberon, where the headlining attraction is Mayfield Garden, the largest cool-climate garden in the world. You can spend hours wandering through meticulously manicured gardens, grottoes, woodland plantings, and past fountains, ponds and even a Chinese pagoda. The menu at the on-site cafe uses produce grown in the gardens themselves or supplied by local partners, while the pièce de résistance is the Mayfield Garden Glampsite, which operates during the autumn and comes with the bonus of exclusive early-morning and evening access to the garden.

Stay at Mayfield Garden Glampsite, if you’re visiting during autumn. (Image: DNSW)

Oberon to Bilpin: for crunch time in apple country

The town of Lithgow is the gateway for the Bells Line of Road, which climbs the ridge on the outskirts of town through the thick bush that cascades down into the Grose Valley. The landscape here is still scarred by the Black Summer bushfires of 2019/20, but there are signs of regeneration in the green leaves sprouting at odd angles from charred trunks and branches.

Bilpin is the epicentre of apple country, and the perfect place to fill up a basket. (Image: DNSW)

Stay the night in a garden cottage

Blue Mountains Botanic Gardens at Mount Tomah were thankfully spared from the worst ravages of the fires. Its 28 hectares of curated cool-climate gardens give way to 244 hectares of wilderness within the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Greater Blue Mountains. An insider’s secret is that you can actually stay for the night within the gardens at the delightfully named Camellia Cottage.

Bilpin

The sleepy hamlet of Bilpin is the epicentre of apple country, and the perfect place to fill up a basket and take some local produce home. You can pick your own apples straight from the tree at one of the many family-owned-and-run orchards in the area, including Bilpin Springs Orchard or Shields Orchard, or sip the products made from them: Hillbilly Cider offers up sweet ciders and delicious wood-fire pizza or drop in to Bilpin Cider for its Picnic on the Farm baskets (definitely order ahead), which can be enjoyed sitting on the grass behind the cellar door.

Hillbilly Cider offers up sweet ciders and delicious wood-fired pizza. (Image: DNSW)

Kurrajong & Richmond

Leaving Bilpin loaded up with apples, you are heading into the lush, green Hawkesbury region, which is earning quite a reputation for the quality of its produce and alcohol. Stop off at Kurrajong Village to browse the eccentric old wares at the Kurrajong Antique Centre, or make time to stroll around the historic centre of Richmond, one of the five original Macquarie Towns established by Governor Lachlan Macquarie in 1810.

Views out over North Richmond and the Hawkesbury River. (Image: DNSW)

The Hawkesbury region: for a foodie trail

Now it’s time to indulge in a foodie trail through the towns that thrive on the banks of the Hawkesbury River. Download a Harvest Farm Gate Trail map and follow its path through the likes of Richmond, Windsor, Wilberforce and South Maroota stopping to buy everything from farm-fresh fruit to chestnuts to award-winning meats.

Ebenezer & Grose Vale

Visit Tizzana Winery in the tiny village of Ebenezer (where you should stop in at Ebenezer Church with its cemetery filled with heritage gravestones), which looks like it has been transported straight from Tuscany and produces dry whites and reds from its vines. For something a little stronger, head to Karu Distillery , in Grose Vale for tastings of a weekend.

Sackville

And, as if to prove its foodie credentials, the Hawkesbury has its own local star chef in residence. Martin Boetz’s Cooks Shed is a 20-minute drive from Windsor at Sackville, where the award-winning chef holds dining events out of a stylishly rustic corrugated iron shed.

Walk it off at Dharug National Park

Before leaving the area and heading back to Sydney, spend some time in Dharug National Park, where you can walk or ride along the historic Old Great North Road, built by hundreds of convicts between 1826 and 1836. Or stay a little longer by booking a night (or two) floating on a houseboat on the river , sipping your Ironbark Gin and enjoying the quiet.

Make sure you stay up to date with the road conditions before you set off with the latest travel alerts at Visit NSW.

Hawkesbury houseboat. — End your trip with a night or more on a houseboat. (Image: DNSW)

Download our beautifully illustrated map of NSW’s best road trips (pictured below) or find the giant wall map inside issue 90 of Australian Traveller magazine.

Map of the best road trips in NSW — Illustration: Mike Rossi

Discover the magic of a Sydney staycation in summer at The Fullerton Hotel Sydney.

Sydney City is magical in summer. Warm summer evenings beg to be spent sipping cool cocktails at one of many al fresco and rooftop bars. Ferries and buses are ready to transport travellers to the best nearby beaches for salty days on the sand. National parks and rainforests are waiting to be explored. And the city’s events calendar is packed, from live music to cultural attractions. All elements that call for a Sydney staycation.

Discover where to eat, stay and play for the perfect local getaway.

Where to stay

The Fullerton Hotel Sydney

Amid the bustle of the perfect Sydney staycation, one needs a place to escape to and recharge. Enter, The Fullerton Hotel Sydney . The hotel is an icon in its own right – nestled inside the 151-year-old building that was originally Sydney’s General Post Office, its heritage-listed sandstone walls and Victorian renaissance grandeur have been carefully preserved – providing a rare chance to sleep within Sydney’s history.

Despite its fascinating history, the hotel isn’t short on modern, luxurious comforts. Rooms and suites are available in both the modern high-rise with gorgeous views over the clock tower and lively city below, or inside the historical post office building itself.

the Fullerton Hotel Sydney Heritage Long Suite bathroom — Heritage rooms maintain their old-world style.

Either way, guests can enjoy sophisticated touches, including a deluxe bed and pillow menu, Harman Kardon Bluetooth speakers, a digital concierge, a Vittoria coffee machine and amenities from the Balmain bathroom collection.

The team at this five-star hotel provides excellence and a quality experience for all their guests, while amenities like a gym help with a well-rounded stay. For a peaceful moment with sweeping city views, enter The Fullerton Club Lounge on level 28. This private haven for dining and relaxation is available to any guests staying on the hotel’s club floors and suites.

Add to this a central location in the CBD’s Martin Place, with easy access to Sydney’s top attractions, and convenience meets style.

Where to drink & dine

1. The Bar

the Fullerton Hotel afternoon tea at the bar — Indulge in the Fullerton Signature Afternoon Tea.

Inside The Fullerton Hotel Sydney’s lobby, The Bar does more than sling a few delicious cocktails (although it certainly does that well). Its brown leather chairs and glass ceiling create the perfect, almost al fresco, setting for the Fullerton Signature Afternoon Tea .

Served daily from 12 to 4 pm, the afternoon tea is a nod to the cherished social occasion it once was during the Victorian Renaissance era. People like to dress up for this afternoon tea, and if you’re lucky, a pianist often sits down at the on-site grand piano, just adding to the elegance.

The afternoon tea is served high tea style, offering reimagined British flavours of the Victorian Renaissance era with a unique blend of Australia’s culinary heritage. A sweet layer offers delights like a Malted Milk Envelope (a milk mousse layered between two biscuits), Bakewell Pudding (a super tasty egg-based pudding), and Apple Charlotte.

On the savoury layer, expect finger sandwiches with fillings like cucumber, egg and smoked salmon. While classic pinwheels and stuffed eggs almost make the menu. And, of course, all finished off with traditional scones served with cream and mixed berry jam.

Can’t fit in a whole afternoon tea? Be sure to at least order a slice of the 32-layered chocolate cake, a decadent mix of dark chocolate crémeux, fresh whipped cream, and Valrhona Azélia chocolate sauce. ⁣

2. The Place

the Fullerton Hotel the place dining — Dine in the stunning GPO atrium.

On level one of The Fullerton Hotel Sydney lives The Place – the hotel’s restaurant, in an atrium overlooking the former GPO. Here, dine on Modern Australian cuisine – think fresh, local seafood and a Riverina steak sandwich – along with a touch of Singaporean signature dishes, like Thai-style green curry or chicken satay. All in the shadow of the GPO clock tower, enjoying the GPO atrium’s natural light.

3. Local gelato

Couple enjoying ice-creams at First Fleet Park, The Rocks — Enjoy ice cream in the sunshine. (Image: Destination NSW)

What is summer without ice cream and/or gelato? Luckily, there are plenty of options just a short walk from The Fullerton Hotel Sydney, whether you’re craving a midday pick-me-up or an after-sun treat.

What to do/see

1. GPO Heritage Tour

the Fullerton Hotel Sydney lobby — Be awed by the building’s history.

Want to know more about the building you’re staying in? The Fullerton Hotel Sydney offers a complimentary 90-minute GPO Heritage Tour. Follow a knowledgeable tour guide to discover the stories, tales and legends of the former Sydney General Post Office building.

From the iconic clock tower (completed in 1891) to the black-and-white tiled staircase at 1 Martin Place, which was once the main entrance to the GPO and today serves as a prominent feature of the building to the 24 stone faces (mascarons) on the Martin Place side of the building. Part of the 1880s-era facade (designed by architect James Barnet), each represents different states, countries and continents.

2. Circular Quay

aerial of circular quay sydney — Catch a ferry from Circular Quay. (Image: Destination NSW)

An easy walk or light rail ride away from The Fullerton Hotel Sydney, lies the bustling Circular Quay. Here, you can sit for a drink and nibbles at the Opera Bar, or head into the iconic house itself for a show. It’s also a major ferry port, becoming your gateway to Sydney’s beaches, Luna Park and even Sydney Zoo.

3. Royal Botanic Gardens

view of circular quay from Sydney's Royal Botanic Garden — Wander through Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden. (Image: Destination NSW)

Just beyond Circular Quay, discover Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden. Wander through this 30-hectare, heritage-listed, botanical garden – exploring its differing sections, from Australian native botanicals to garden beds of vibrant flowers to towering groves of international trees.

It’s also the perfect place for a picnic, so pick up supplies before you come and enjoy a spot on the grassy meadow looking out into the harbour.

4. Theatre Royal

Just a one-minute walk from The Fullerton Hotel Sydney, take in a show at Theatre Royal. Built in 1976, the theatre has been offering a broad range of entertainment since the 1990s. Expect a show roster that ranges from the classics (like Cats) to the modern) like Pretty Woman: The Musical).

Start planning a summer stay in Sydney worth remembering at fullertonhotels.com/fullerton-hotel-sydney.

The great road trips of NSW: Greater Blue Mountains itinerary