38-757: Scenic World is a family-owned tourist attraction located in Katoomba in the Blue Mountains , New South Wales , Australia , about 100 kilometres west of Sydney . Scenic World is home to four attractions, the Scenic Railway , the Scenic Skyway , the Scenic Cableway and Scenic Walkway , a 2.4-km elevated boardwalk through ancient rainforest. The Scenic Railway is an incline railway now used for tourism. The steepest section of track
76-453: A reputation for snow in winter. However, despite the cool temperatures, there are only around five snowy days per year in the upper mountains area. It is extremely rare to see snow below Lawson . It is not unusual to see white blankets of frost covering the ground in the early morning hours. In the evening, thick coverings of ice can form on car windscreens . Moreover, winters are not as snowy and rainy as those of Orange and Oberon , to
114-638: A service for train commuters at Springwood and Katoomba stations two days a week. Blue Mountains Leisure Centres operate from five locations. All five locations have pools and the Katoomba and Springwood locations have gyms and offer various fitness classes. The City of Blue Mountains has a number of heritage-listed sites, including the following sites listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register : The City of Blue Mountains has sister city relationships with
152-539: A tract of land in the middle of town in north Katoomba, as part of discriminatory policies established at the beginning of the 20th century. Today, there are still many traditional Aboriginal peoples living in the Blue Mountains, where there are now a number of cultural sites that walk visitors through the region's rich past and share the customs and heritage of the local tribes. Katoomba and nearby Medlow Bath were first developed as tourist destinations towards
190-705: Is a local government area of New South Wales , Australia, governed by the Blue Mountains City Council . The city is located in the Blue Mountains , on the Great Dividing Range at the far western fringe of the Greater Sydney area. Major settlements include, Katoomba, Lawson, Springwood and Blaxland. The mayor of Blue Mountains City Council is Councillor Mark Greenhill, a member of the Labor Party . The urban part of
228-575: Is a base for bush and nature walks in the surrounding Blue Mountains . At the 2021 census, Katoomba had a population of 8,268 people. Kedumba or Katta-toon-bah is an Aboriginal term for "shining falling water" or "water tumbling over hill" and takes its name from a waterfall that drops into the Jamison Valley below the Harrys Amphitheatre escarpment. Previously, the site was known as William's Chimney and Collett's Swamp. In 1874
266-539: Is a not-for-profit organization representing the Gundungurra traditional owners , promoting heritage and culture and providing a support for Gundungurra people connecting back to Country. Gundungurra Tribal Council Aboriginal Corporation has had a registered Native Title Claim since 1995 over their traditional lands which include the Blue Mountains and surrounding areas. Katoomba is the home of local community radio station 89.1 Radio Blue Mountains . The local cinema
304-651: Is also set in the town. Blues musician Claude Hay is also a resident of Katoomba, having built his home and recording studio on the outskirts of town. Both of Hay's albums, 2007's Kiss the Sky and 2010s Deep Fried Satisfied were recorded in Katoomba, with the latter earning Hay critical acclaim and a No. 1 on the Roots Music Report Australian chart and No. 21 for airplay worldwide in October 2010. In addition to its alternative sub-culture,
342-514: Is called The Edge, located on the Great Western Highway. Since 2014, Katoomba has hosted the biennial Vertical Film Festival . There is also a live entertainment scene in Katoomba, with a wide range of music on offer at various venues, and theatre. At the 2021 census, the suburb of Katoomba recorded a population of 8,268. Of these: Katoomba's main industry is tourism based on its mountain scenery. The rock formation known as
380-512: Is now Varuna, The Writers' House . In 1921, production house duo Raymond Longford and Lottie Lyell filmed The Blue Mountains Mystery in part around the town centre. Ursula Dubosarsky 's 1991 time-travel novel Zizzy Zing is set in Katoomba in 1938, at the time of the Sesquicentenary . Poet and author, Steven Herrick wrote a novel, 'The Bogan Mondrian' located in modern-day Katoomba. His verse-novel, 'love, ghosts and nose-hair'
418-402: Is on an incline of 52 degrees (128% gradient) contained within a total distance of 310 metres (1,020 ft). It was originally constructed for a coal and oil shale mining operation in the Jamison Valley in the 1880s, in order to haul the coal and shale from the valley floor up to the escarpment above. From 1928 to 1945, it carried coal during the week and passengers at weekends. The coal mine
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#1732772905732456-673: Is the administrative centre of Blue Mountains City Council . Katoomba is located on the lands of the Dharug and Gundungurra Aboriginal peoples . Situated on the Great Western Highway , Katoomba is home to the Three Sisters , 102 km (63 mi) west of Sydney Central Business District and 39 km (24 mi) south-east of Lithgow . Katoomba railway station is on the Main Western line . Katoomba
494-610: Is the main road access route. Katoomba Airfield is also located about 11.5 kilometres (7.1 mi) by road from the Katoomba Central Business District . The airfield is currently closed to airplanes and helicopters, but is available for use by emergency services. Katoomba has a number of heritage-listed sites, including the following listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register : The following are listed on other heritage registers: City of Blue Mountains The City of Blue Mountains
532-664: The Three Sisters , viewable from Echo Point about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south of the main town, attracts thousands of visitors each year. Other features of the Jamison Valley visible from Echo Point include Mount Solitary and the rock formation known as the Ruined Castle. A short walk from Echo Point leads to the Giant Stairway which provides access to a number of nature walks through the Valley. Several of
570-562: The 1980s was increasing rapidly, mostly due to increased numbers of Japanese visitors, necessitating additional access into the valley and the idea for Scenic World's third ride, The Cableway (originally Scenicscender), was born. Portions of the coaster's track have been removed as of 2017. Katoomba, New South Wales Katoomba is the main town and council seat of the City of Blue Mountains in New South Wales , Australia , and
608-593: The 1980s, the guest houses and hotels again became fashionable and many were restored. In 2012. under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 , the Hon. Bob Debus , local Member of Parliament, officially declared The Gully an “aboriginal place”, a place of special significance to Aboriginal culture. Katoomba has an oceanic climate ( Cfb ) with mild summers and cool to cold winters. At Katoomba (1040 metres above sea level) summer daytime temperatures are usually in
646-763: The Blue Mountains generally, and the town hosts the Winter Solstice festival, Winter Magic , that features local talent, art and handicraft. The festival was established in 1994 to provide a local focus for the Blue Mountains-wide Yulefest. Yulefest is a long-running tourism initiative that promotes Northern Hemisphere-style Christmas celebrations during the Australian winter months June to August. Novelist and historian Eleanor Dark (1901–1985) lived in Katoomba with her husband Eric Dark from 1923 until her death. The couple's home "Varuna"
684-732: The City of Blue Mountains are: Blue Mountains City Council is composed of twelve councillors elected proportionally as four separate wards , each electing three councillors. All councillors are elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The mayor is elected by the councillors at the first meeting of the council. The most recent general election was held on 4 December 2021. The City of Blue Mountains Council maintains cemeteries at Blackheath, Faulconbridge, Katoomba, Lawson, Megalong Valley, Mount Irvine, Mount Victoria, Mount Wilson, Springwood, and Wentworth Falls. Blue Mountains Library operates three full-time branches, three part-time branches and
722-471: The Jamison Valley tracks, including the Stairway itself, were closed in recent years due to maintenance, but most have since been re-opened. The local geography includes extensive areas of dense warm temperate rainforest , hanging swamps and a series of waterfalls. Other attractions include Scenic World, a tourist complex in the southwest of the town. This site is home to the steepest funicular railway in
760-535: The Paragon which dates to the early 20th century, as well as a number of second-hand book and antique stores. Katoomba was connected to the Main Western railway line in 1874, when the station was called "The Crushers". Katoomba railway station is now served by the Blue Mountains Line . The weekly Outback Xplorer from Sydney to Broken Hill also stops at Katoomba. The Great Western Highway
798-686: The Sceniscender, now called Scenic Cableway, 84-passenger cable car from Doppelmayr that passes over a 25-metre-high (82 ft) tower on the edge of the cliff, and then 510 metres (1,673 feet) to the Botton Station in the Jamison Valley 200 m (656 ft) below. Like the redevelopment of the Railway and Skyway, the Cableway had a replacement of its cabin in 2018. Scenic World operates two food and beverage outlets, namely EATS270 and
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#1732772905732836-587: The Terrace Café. The former Scenic Revolving Restaurant was renovated and reopened in late 2012 as an eatery. During this time, a decision was made to cease operation of the revolving floor. The floor can still, however, be turned on by request for private functions. Both EATS270 and the Terrace Café feature balcony areas with extensive outdoor seating overlooking the Three Sisters and Jamison Valley. Scenic World food and beverage outlets are not open in
874-580: The area is home to a large number of culturally diverse families and has a significant Aboriginal population. Catalina Park , commonly known as the Gully, was declared an Aboriginal Place in May 2002. It is an ecologically and culturally sensitive area with a long history of occupation by the Gundungarra and Darug tribes. The Gundungurra Tribal Council Aboriginal Corporation, which is based in Katoomba,
912-434: The area, with damage to buildings and major difficulties with road and rail transport. More recently, a cold snap brought very heavy snow, up to 20 cm, to Katoomba and other towns in the upper Blue Mountains on 17 July 2015 which was the heaviest snowfall in many years. The area's scenery and art deco-style shops and houses attract an alternative subculture. Many poets, artists and environmentalists reside in Katoomba and
950-567: The car travels. In 1983 construction began at the site on a roller coaster called the Orphan Rocker; the track was completed, but this attraction has never been opened to the public. Katoomba is served by hotels and guest-houses, the oldest of which is the Carrington Hotel , established in 1882 and occupying the highest point in town. The town centre, centred on Katoomba Street, features dozens of cafes and restaurants, including
988-506: The city brands itself as "The City Within a World Heritage National Park". The towns and villages are generally grouped into lower, mid, and upper mountains. The economy of the upper mountains is dependent almost entirely on tourism . The road to Sydney, the Great Western Highway, is mostly dual carriageway but is relatively slow due to the urban development and hilly terrain. The electric train service integrates into Sydney Trains, Sydney's suburban rail network. The main towns and villages in
1026-527: The city consists of a ribbon of close or contiguous towns which lie on the Main Western railway line , served by NSW TrainLink 's Blue Mountains Line , and Great Western Highway between Emu Plains and Lithgow . About 70% of the city's area is within the Blue Mountains National Park which lies north and south of the ribbon of towns. The National Park is part of the much larger Greater Blue Mountains Area World Heritage Site and
1064-482: The edge of a 200 m (656 ft) cliff. It has in the past been referred to as a "sitdown suspended" coaster, because although it is a conventional sitdown coaster, the trains can tilt from side to side, like a suspended coaster, giving it its name. It was originally planned as a scenic monorail ride, but it soon evolved into a roller-coaster ride. The roller coaster has never publicly opened due to demands for redevelopment elsewhere onsite. Visitation to Scenic World in
1102-450: The end of the 19th century when a series of hotels were built and then repeatedly extended. Coal and oil shale mining was also carried out in the Jamison Valley for many years, but when the seams were completely exhausted by the early 20th century, Katoomba was an established resort town. By the 1960s, Katoomba had somewhat declined, and several of its guest houses were converted for other purposes, including convalescent hospitals. In
1140-461: The evenings for general dining, but can be booked for private functions and corporate events. In 1984, Scenic World began building a roller coaster known as the Orphan Rocker, named after the nearby Orphan Rock. This is the first roller coaster to be completely designed and manufactured in Australia. The highlight of this ride is meant to be a swooping banked turn that takes riders within metres of
1178-489: The locality was named The Crushers after the name of the railway station that served a nearby quarry. The name Katoomba was adopted in 1877 and the town achieved municipality status in 1889. For thousands of years, the Blue Mountains were home to Aboriginal peoples, specifically, the Gundungurra and Darug tribes. They knew the area as kedumba , meaning shiny, falling waters . Many of them were forced to move from their ancestral lands to Aboriginal settlements such as The Gully,
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1216-570: The low 20s – with a few rare days extending into the 30s (Celsius) – and night-time temperatures usually in the low teens. In winter, the maximum temperature is typically about 10 °C (50 °F) while the minimum generally around 0 °C (32 °F) or so on clear nights and 3 to 4 °C (37 to 39 °F) on cloudy nights. There are usually two or three settled snowfalls per year. Temperatures are on average 7 °C (13 °F) lower than Sydney with many misty days. Katoomba has 79.8 days of clear skies, annually. The Blue Mountains has
1254-426: The ride progresses. In November 2005, a second station on the opposite cliff-face opened, allowing Skyway passengers to disembark and follow bush walking trails to the nearby Echo Point . In November 2017, the latest Scenic Skyway cabin was launched. This Skyway cabin is 30% bigger than its predecessor, offering visitors a more spacious ride with easier boarding, as well as free Wi-Fi. In 2000, Scenic World installed
1292-658: The steepest incline in the world. However the railway uses a winch system and no counterbalancing carriage, therefore it is an inclined lift rather than a funicular . As of 2017 the steepest true funicular is the Stoosbahn in Switzerland. Built in 1958, the Scenic Skyway is another cable-driven conveyance at Scenic World. It travels across the gorge above the Katoomba Falls , 270 metres (886 feet) above
1330-455: The valley floor. The original Scenic Skyway was withdrawn on 4 April 2004 after 587,401 crossings and now sits in the picnic area at Scenic World. It was replaced by a new cabin in December of the same year. The new Skyway was built by Doppelmayr and CWA Constructions, and features a 72-person cabin with sections of liquid crystal glass that turns a raised section of the floor transparent as
1368-548: The west; this is due to the fact Katoomba mostly lies on the leeward (eastern) side of the ranges, thereby experiencing a moderate foehn effect . Several significant snowfalls have been recorded. On 5 July 1900, snowdrifts were over 1.8 metres (6 ft) deep in parts of the Blue Mountains. The snow and ice caused significant problems throughout central New South Wales , with rail and road closures, damage to buildings, and disruption to telegraph services. A winter storm on 17 July 1965 also produced very heavy snow and ice in
1406-492: The world, the Katoomba Scenic Railway , which was originally built to facilitate coal and oil shale mining in the Jamison Valley. Scenic World also offers the Scenic Skyway cable car, which travels over an arm of the Jamison Valley and offers views of Katoomba Falls and Orphan Rock. In 2004 the original Skyway car was replaced by a new car with a liquid crystal panel floor, which becomes transparent while
1444-518: Was closed in 1945 after which it remained as a tourist attraction. The Scenic Railway was temporarily closed on 13 January 2013 (although the Skyway, Cableway, and Walkway remained open) as construction to upgrade both tracks and carriages began. The work was completed and the railway reopened in April 2013. The Scenic Railway makes many claims to be the steepest passenger railway, the steepest funicular, and
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