Lithgow – Blackheath – Katoomba

Lithgow proved to be an interesting choice of places to stay.  There are interesting old mining things to see and decent lookouts on the cliffs above town but the town has that disorganised, unplanned layout that gives most mining towns the appearance of being “temporary”.  The only van park in town is full of mine workers in cabins and has the features of the Great Western Highway and the western Coal railway line running at the back fence.  Its pretty hard to miss a coal train running less than 20 metres from your van.  P.S. there is more than one train per day!!

 Lithgow Info Centre

 Lookout cave above town

Carol and Garry managed a drive through the hills above Lithgow and enjoyed a couple of good lookouts.  The lookouts are around the edge of the sandstone cliffs and offer great views but have very basic safety barriers. 

Fabs, Em, and the grandkids met us in Lithgow for the weekend.  We headed to Katoomba and the Scenic World on Saturday morning.  The cable car running across the valley and the old railway running down to the valley floor are newer versions than the ones in place last time we visited in the 80’s.  There is a new cable car running down into the valley and we managed to ride all three.  Elliot and Violet all the rides and showed no fear sitting on the glass floor of the cable car going across the valley and peering the 270 odd metres to the forest floor below.  The new boardwalk around the valley floor is well presented and we enjoyed the whole visit.  This is a very good tourist attraction and we were glad we got there early enough before the coach loads of Asians arrived.  The scenery is fantastic and the tickets are quite reasonably priced.

 Katoomba

 Lookout near 3 Sisters

 Cable car across the valley

 Elliot & Violet enjoying the valley below

 Loaded up on the steep railway

When the coaches arrived it was time for the girls to find some shops and time for Fabs and Garry to hit the Katoomba Golf Course.  Shops are shops but the Golf Course was impressive. Despite being interrupted by a few showers and some bad golf shots from Garry, the course is very interesting. It is a tight course with every hole having a different and interesting layout.  I loved the huge trees that were so pretty and so different to the brigalow trees of CQ.

Next day we headed into the hills for a morning on the Zig Zag Railway.  This is a great day out for olds and young kids alike.  There was an old Queensland Railmotor running on the day we visited.  The trip is just long enough and includes several stops at bridges, stations and workshops.  The volunteers that man the railway give very informative talks about the railways history.

 Qld Railmotor on Zig Zag Railway

 One of the viaducts (bridges) built from local sandstone 143 years ago. No mortar used, the blocks lock together.

 Steam engine undergoing repairs

The kids headed home to Mudgee on Sunday arvo and Garry went for a tour of the Lithgow State Mine and Railway Museum.  This is a very interesting facility and the tour is well worth the $5 fee. The old mine office, shaft pit head, workshops, and   building are very interesting and well kept.  One of the buildings is rented out for themed weddings and functions.  It is necessary that you like old industrial bath houses with mining machines lining the walls and huge union banners hanging from the ceiling dating from the last two centuries of labour day marches.   The railway workshops were full of diesel and steam locos and it was good to be able to climb into them for a closer look.  Carol was very patient during this tour and caught up on some phone calls in the shade of a tree.

 Union Banners hanging in function hall (old powerhouse)

 Diesel & Steam engines being serviced for Museum

 Power Station building on left, pit head, mine workshop/stores building at rear

On our drives around the Blue Mountains we called in to see vans parks at Lake Lyle, close to Lithgow, and Blackheath close in to Katoomba.  Blackheath was a good choice.  It is a small park only a few minutes of the highway but very quiet. 

We visited the Mt Tomah Gardens which are the Blue Mtns Botanic Gardens behind Blackheath.  These gardens are really well presented and contain forest trees from many regions around the world.  It is a very interesting walk with the Blue Mountains always on display in the background.  It is one of the few attractions we have come across that has no charge to enter or no parking fee.

 Mt Tomah - Blue Mtns Bot Gardens

 Herbs from around the world

A couple of minutes further along the street passed the van park in Blackheath and there is a great lookout above the cliffs, waterfalls, and ranges and valleys of the Blue Mountains National park.  The scenery is great and there are a number of really good walks along and down the cliffs.  There are at least 3 large waterfalls in good view and several more visible in the valley below.  The walks are very scenic as they mostly follow the cliffs edge and the wildlife is plentiful.  A lyrebird was scratching beside the path and not concerned about the hikers at all; and a small (50cm) and a large (2.5m) eastern brown snakes decided to share the path as I came along.

 Baby Brown

 Falls beside the Hanging Gardens at Blackheath

 Top of Bridal Vale Falls

 Blue hills

 Clifftop walk follows the edge between falls.

I must mention one of the best antique shops I have seen for a while.  It is the Regent Theatre and café in Blackheath.  The range of old books, clothing, jewellery, furniture, and stuff is amazing and it is all really well lit and presented nicely.  It is not the dark and dusty sort of shop.  Between that and the bookstore next door, a couple of hours were consumed.