contents about the greater blue mountains drive 4 southern highlands, wollondilly, macarthur 110 greater blue mountains world heritage area 12

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2 contents about the greater blue mountains drive 4 greater blue mountains world heritage area 12 trip planning 28 lower, central & upper blue mountains 36 attractions 42 experiences 44 discovery trails 50 classic walks & mountain bike rides 56 lithgow 62 attractions 66 experiences 69 discovery trails 72 classic local highlights 76 oberon 78 attractions 82 experiences 84 discovery trails 88 classic walks & highlights 94 capital country 98 attractions 102 experiences 106 discovery trails 108 southern highlands, wollondilly, macarthur 110 attractions 114 experiences 118 discovery trails 120 local highlights 122 penrith valley 126 attractions 130 experiences 134 hawkesbury valley 138 attractions 140 experiences 150 discovery trails 156 upper hunter 168 attractions 174 experiences 180 discovery trails 184 mudgee region 190 attractions 195 experiences 204 discovery trails 206 classic walks 210 about the world heritage area 212 travelling the world heritage area 236

3 map key water catchments The Warragamba Catchment and Lake Burragorang supply 85 per cent of the Sydney region s water. For nearly fifty years since Warragamba Dam was built, access to lands around Lake Burragorang has been strictly limited to protect the quality of the stored water. Two special protection zones overlap the reserves around Lake Burragorang and place important constraints on recreational use. These restrictions are vital to the safety of the region s water supply. Schedule One Water Quality Protection Zone: An area about three kilometres wide surrounding Lake Burragorang. All public access, on foot or by vehicle, is prohibited. Schedule Two Water Quality Protection Zone: A larger area surrounding Lake Burragorang. Vehicular access is limited but walkers are generally permitted. national park enquiries Phone: or Website: the drive website The Greater Blue Mountains Drive s website has been set up both as a rich information resource on its own plus as a portal to other sites with key information you may wish to access.

about the greater blue mountains drive The Greater Blue Mountains Drive is a network of touring routes through the byways and highways of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.

4 about the greater blue mountains drive The Greater Blue Mountains Drive is a network of touring routes through the byways and highways of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. You can use the drive network to shape your own mountains journey and experience world heritage places once only the locals knew about. Discover the opportunities that lie beyond the carpark while enjoying the hospitality of the communities that share the Greater Blue Mountains as their own backyard. Choose your route to meet your own timeframe and interests, confident that the Greater Blue Mountains Drive will guide you along the way.

5 The drive comprises a core route that follows the arterial roads encircling the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. You can use this main drive section to easily get from one part of the Greater Blue Mountains to another. When you re ready to leave the highway, step aside onto one of the drive s 18 discovery trails. These take you into the heart of the world heritage area and its environs. By following the Greater Blue Mountains Drive, you can visit these places confident of what to expect in terms of both driving conditions and the experiences on offer once you arrive.

6 GREATER BLUE mountains WORLD HERITAGE AREA GREATER BLUE mountains WORLD HERITAGE AREA

8 the regions that host greater blue mountains drive GOULBURN RIVER Upper Hunter Mudgee Region WOLLEMI FOOTHILLS MUDGEE DUNNS / CAPERTEE WOLGAN VALLEY NEWNES PLATEAU THE MOUNTS KURRAJONG DISCOVERY TRAIL GREAT NORTH ROAD Lithgow HAWKESBURY VALLEY O CONNELL / TARANA Hawkesbury SYDNEY BLACKHEATH / MEGALONG DISCOVERY TRAIL Blue Mountains: Lower, Central and Upper Penrith Valley Oberon JENOLAN / KANANGRA BLUE MTNS DRIVE GLENBROOK YERRANDERIE WOLLONDILLY DISCOVERY TRAIL Wollondilly Macarthur WOMBEYAN Southern Highlands Goulburn

9 A feature of the Greater Blue Mountains Drive is the way it links together the regions that share the mountains as their own backyard. These places sit like an extended series of base camps dotted around the mountains. They provide a natural venue from which to undertake your travels into the surrounding world heritage landscape. They also provide a vital social element to your appreciation of the Greater Blue Mountains. Just as their common mountains backyard is a place of surprising diversity and contrasts, so too does each region have an ambience and array of attractions all its own. This means that when you fancy a break from the bush out the back, you can relax amidst the company of your hosts in these local communities. As any seasoned traveller knows it s the countryside and attractions you set out to see, yet it s often the experiences you share and the people you meet along the way whom you remember. One of the advantages of connecting with local communities as an integral part of your mountains journey is also the chance it brings to take advantage of local knowledge. All of these regions operate Accredited Visitor Information Centres that can provide you with both the detailed information and maps you need to undertake your chosen activity safely and with confidence about what you can expect along the way. This includes matters like up-to-date road conditions and the availability of accommodation, fuel and other services.

Blackheath (NPWS) 02 4787 8877 Camden 02 4658 1370 Campbelltown 02 4645 4921 Denman 02 6547 2799 Dural 1300 884 881 Glenbrook 1300 653 408 Goulburn 1800 353 646 Hawkesbury (Clarendon) 1300 362 874

10 Blackheath (NPWS) Camden Campbelltown Denman Dural Glenbrook Goulburn Hawkesbury (Clarendon) Katoomba Lithgow Merriwa Mittagong Mudgee Muswellbrook Oberon Penrith Picton Scone Singleton Warragamba accredited visitor information centres These are the best places to obtain up-to-date information about road conditions and services like fuel stations, as well as offering the depth of insight into the local facilities and attractions only locals can provide. These centres can also sell you the detailed mapping products you ll need for activities such as bushwalking, cycling and remote area travel. Look for the Accredited Visitor Information Centre symbol both on the maps in this guidebook and when you re out on the road on your travels.

accommodation & dining Accredited Visitor Information Centres are also the best place for you to find out about the range of accommodation and dining options available across the Greater Blue

11 accommodation & dining Accredited Visitor Information Centres are also the best place for you to find out about the range of accommodation and dining options available across the Greater Blue Mountains. You can also visit www. GreaterBlueMountains Drive.com.au and use the links to local regional tourism websites to access this information. Indulge yourself on your journey around the Greater Blue Mountains and discover the timeless beauty of old fashioned hospitality at a cosy B&B nestled in private gardens. Historic guesthouses offer the charm and opulence of yesteryear, surrounded by period antiques and old world allure. Boutique hotels provide the finest quality service in intimate surrounds, while spa cottages provide the ultimate in privacy surrounded by dramatic landscapes. If you need to indulge, be pampered at a luxury resort with a full range of facilities including health clubs, award winning restaurants, massage and beauty therapies. Self-contained cottages provide the perfect base for families or large groups with kitchen facilities and common areas for friends to mingle. For the budget conscious, the Greater Blue Mountains region has a great range of motels, cabins, caravan parks and backpacker accommodation. Bushland and country retreats allow you to unwind in the seclusion and tranquility of some beautiful natural locations. Many properties have their own walking tracks or are close to bushwalking trailheads in national parks.

THE GREATER BLUE MOUNTAINS WORLD HERITAGE AREA Your Handy Pocket Sized Guide

THE GREATER BLUE MOUNTAINS WORLD HERITAGE AREA Your Handy Pocket Sized Guide Produced by the Western Sydney Publishing Group wspublishing.com.au western sydney publishing group 2 WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD