Scenic World Blue Mountains

Katoomba, New South Wales 2780

Located under two hours from Sydney in the heart of the beautiful Blue Mountains, Scenic World offers some spectacular viewing points with a hearty dose of wildlife thrown in along the way (expect native birds and some cute critters).

The views over the World Heritage-listed mountains take in some of Australia’s best-loved landmarks, including the Three Sisters, Katoomba Falls, and Jamison Valley. Here are some of the ways you can get a load of the sights in Scenic World.

History of Scenic World

These days, Scenic World is Australia’s premier nature attraction that is privately owned. But where does their story begin? The answer lies in the year of 1945 with the Hammon Family’s purchase of the land that at the time was an operating mine. They began taking tourists on the passenger car ‘Mountain Devil’ early on and over time decided that passenger railways was to be the main operation of the business. Over time they would add a souvenir shop and in 1958, construction began on the Scenic Skyway. Nowadays, Scenic World is managed by the same family who began it all those years ago, with the 3rd generation now taking care of the business.

• Scenic Railway

  The Scenic Railway inclines at a breath-taking 52-degree angle, which makes it the world’s steepest passenger railway. You may be wondering how the Scenic Railway got its name. Back in the 19th century, it became a popular term to refer to amusement park rides that carried a simple rail while riders went through a scenic background. Inside the pretty red carriages that can carry 84 passengers, the glass roofs offer panoramic views across the rainforest landscape of Jamison Valley below.

  What’s more, the selection of individually designed carriages mean passengers can choose their own adventure, and even change their seating position by a margin of 20 degrees. The original setting is at 52 degrees and has an incline of 128%. For the adventurous visitor, the “Cliffhanger” ride climbs up at a 64-degree incline, but there are several laid back options for those who just want to soak up the peaceful views. At the bottom of the 310m descent, the railway emerges into a beautiful, ancient rainforest.

• Scenic Walkway

  

  The 2.4km long Scenic Walkway provides visitors with the chance to get up close and personal with the spectacular scenery of the Blue Mountains. It’s essentially an elevated walkway that takes you through the Jurassic rainforest of the Jamison Valley.

  As you pass ancient trees and colourful local flora, you’ll also get to learn about the history of the region, including its past as a mining area. Listen out for some of the native birds that call the Valley home, too, like the tuneful lyre bird.

  You can even learn about the rich history of mining coal in the area. During the walk, you’ll come across a replica miners hut, see the miner’s entrance and marvel at a bronze sculpture of a miner with his pit pony.
  No matter what time you arrive in the Blue Mountains, don’t let a little rain scare you off! In fact, Scenic World believes that the most beautiful time to discover the rainforest as the tall canopy above creates the forest’s own microclimate and shields it from the heaviest of the rain. It makes the colour seem more vibrant and gives off a mysterious atmosphere to the Jurassic forest.

  Elsewhere on the route, the Marrangaroo Spring offers a delicious taste of pure Blue Mountains water, while the open-air Rainforest Room provides a seating place where you can indulge in the peaceful views.

• Scenic Cableway

  

  Descending into the charming surroundings of the Jamison Valley, the Scenic Cableway boasts exceptional panoramic views of the Blue Mountains. The fully-enclosed cabins of the cableway mean you can safely look down on the Three Sisters, Orphan Rock, and Katoomba Falls from way above.

  Who wouldn’t want to take a journey on the steepest aerial cableway in the Southern Hemisphere?

  Along the 545-metre adventure you’ll slowly make your way down to the bottom where you can venture onto the 2.4-kilometre boardwalk. For those with limited accessibility, Scenic World underwent a major upgrade in 2018 that improved its accessibility procedures, streamlined the boarding process and even added Wi-Fi to the cable carts so that you can send all your amazing landscape photos to your family and friends during the journey.

• Scenic Skyway

  The Scenic Skyway gives you the chance to glide between the impressive cliff tops and admire the lush greenery through the glass floor. For those who are afraid of heights and feeling a little nervous about the glass floor, there are cabins that include seating and a solid floor so that you can catch your bearings and focus on the stunning views straight ahead Hitched 270m above the archaic landscape below, the Skyway offers a unique way to experience the beauty of the Blue Mountains. It offers 360-degree views of the surrounding scenery, including snapshots of the Three Sisters, Jamison Valley, and Katoomba Falls. As a result of the major upgrades conducted, there is now 30% more capacity to the individual cabins which means more room for moving around to see the Blue Mountains from every angle. Free Wi-Fi is also included in every cabin!

• Sculptures during the Boardwalk Journey

  Every year, an outdoor exhibition called Sculpture makes its way to Scenic World adding an extra element of interaction while you walk through the forest floor. This year, in the exhibitions 8^th year of running, there are 25 art installations and art pieces scattered along the trail that are a treat for families with young children as well as art lovers.