Echo Point, Blue Mountains

Katoomba, New South Wales 2780

Spanning acres of lush green mountains, carpeted valleys, and spectacular views, the Blue Mountains look they’ve stepped straight out of a storybook.

Echo Point

Boasting some of Australia’s most surreal scenery, they prove to be a popular destination for tourists on the hunt for incredible scenery and jaw-dropping panoramic views. One of the best places to capture the surroundings in a panoramic shot is the Echo Point Lookout, located in Katoomba. From this elevated hotspot, you can gaze out across velvet-looking mountains towards the legendary Three Sisters monuments and the National Park as it unfolds beneath you.

Taking a day trip here is the perfect way to soak up everything the area has to offer. It also acts as a gateway to numerous walks perfect for beginners and keen hiking enthusiasts. The stunning scenery lends itself to picturesque walking trails, while the abundance of wildlife on offer keeps walkers busy.

History of Echo Point

Every day, tourists and locals alike make their way to the Echo Point lookout for breathtaking views of Kings Tableland, the sole mountain in the Jamison Valley; Mt Solitary, and Narrow Neck. Before white settlement in the surrounding areas, the traditional owners of the land were the Darug and Gundungurra people who used the land’s flora and fauna for medicinal and food usages. It wasn’t until the 1920’s that the area became a tourism hotspot and the ‘go-to’ destination. Nowadays, the site gets over a million visitors a year who come to see the iconic Three Sisters, however, Victorian-era tourists were not all that excited about the Three Sisters, but rather Orphan Rock. Orphan Rock lies to the west of the lookout and is a solitary rock formation with a lopsided base.

It wasn’t until the early 1900s that intrigue for the Three Sisters grew and from Echo Point, the rock formation took out the front-page spot of Katoomba’s official tourism guide. Souvenir shops in the nearby village of Katoomba did their part in increasing the importance of Echo Point by filling their stores with photographs of the Three Sisters.

Indigenous Links between Echo Point and the Three Sisters

Echo Point

It’s reported that the Indigenous story that is attached to the Three Sisters was published by a museum proprietor in 1949 stated that the story had been told to him by Indigenous sources in Burragorang. This has become an area of debate for historians who are sceptic about the reliability of the story. It wasn’t until research done by traditional owners of the land and the local council uncovered that there was indeed an Indigenous connection to the story and the site was listed as an Aboriginal Place in the year of 2014.

The Legend of the Three Sisters

The Indigenous Dream-time story that relates to the famed rock formation recounts the tale of three sisters from the Katoomba tribe. Their names were Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo and they were in love with three brothers from the Nepean tribe. Marriage was forbidden by tribal law and so the brothers, who were unhappy with this decision made a plan to capture the girls from the tribe so that they could wed. A war broke out and a sorcerer from the Katoomba tribe sought to protect the girls by temporarily changing them into rocks for the remainder of the battle. Unfortunately, amidst the chaos of the fight, the sorcerer died and as he was the only one who could change the girls, the three sisters now forever remain into the magnificent rock formation.

Here are three of the best walks you can do from Echo Point

Echo Point Walks

  • Prince Henry Cliff Walk

    The Prince Henry Cliff Walk, connects up Echo Point with Leura Cascades, offering plenty of amazing lookouts along the way. Clinging to the edge of the cliffs, the route takes in some of the best scenery in the area and allows you to see the National Park from a number of different perspectives. The walk takes around 6.8 kilometres to complete and is graded at a level 3, which means it is a challenging hike and should only be attempted by those with bushwalking experience. During the walk, you’ll encounter river lookouts, the Katoomba cascades and the Three Sisters.

  • To Scenic World

    This day-long walk takes you all the way to Scenic World via the Giant Stairway. You’ll end up in one of the best-loved parts of the Blue Mountains, having passed sprawling valleys, handcrafted monuments, and the iconic Three Sisters that jut up out of the Mountains.

    Along the way, you’ll get to soak up the fascinating history of the region, as well as discover some of Australia’s most breath-taking natural scenery. When you arrive at Scenic World, you can take a trip on the Scenic Railway for spectacular views and you can even adjust the settings for your journey to make it an adrenaline-pumping experience with a steep incline on your chair setting or keep it original. For even more breathtaking sights, why not travel on the Scenic Cableway where you’ll have a splendid view of the valley below thanks to the glass-floored cabins.

  • To Katoomba Falls

    The nearby Katoomba Falls are well worth a look-in while you’re in the area. You can walk to them from Echo Point, taking in the splendid scenes of the Jamison Valley along the way. The Falls are hidden below Katoomba Park, where you can watch the mesmerising cascades fall down the rocks into the stream below. From here, the walk continues along the cliff-edge, taking in more scenic lookout points before returning full-circle to Echo Point.

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