Long ago in the Blue Mountains there lived three beautiful Aboriginal sisters. They were Meenhi, Wimlah and Gunnedoo, whose Witch Doctor father was called Tyawan.
Only one creature was feared by all - the Bunyip, who lived in a deep hole. When Tyawan had to pass the hole, he would leave his daughters safely on the cliff behind a rocky wall. One day, waving goodbye to his daughters, he descended the cliff steps. On top of the cliff a big centipede suddenly appeared and frightened Meehni, who threw a stone at it. The stone rolled over the cliff and crashed into the valley.
The angry Bunyip emerged to see the terrified sisters. In the valley, Tyawan saw the Bunyip close to his daughters, so he pointed his magic bone at the girls and turned them to stone. The Bunyip then chased Tyawan, who found himself trapped, so he changed himself into a Lyre Bird. Everyone was safe, but Tyawan had dropped his magic bone. After the Bunyip had gone, Tyawan searched and searched for his bone, and he is still searching.
The Three Sisters stand silently watching him from their ledge, hoping he will find the bone to turn them back to Aboriginal girls.
As you look at the Three Sisters, you can hear Tyawan, the Lyre Bird, calling his daughters as his search for the lost bone continues.
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We toured the Blue Mountains today with Blue Diamond Tours. Our guide was Andrew, and he was terrific. Andrew picked us up at our hotel at 7 am and drove around to a few other hotels picking up people until we had 14, filling up our van. We drove over the Sydney Harbour Bridge and headed to the Blue Mountains, about 90 minutes away. Andrew told us about Sydney's history and other interesting pieces of information.
We stopped at a lookout to get our first glimpse of the Blue Mountains. They are called the Blue Mountains because of the blue haze that hangs over them. The valleys and slopes of the mountains are covered with eucalyptus trees, also known as gum trees. A blue haze results from the sun hitting particles of eucalyptus oil in the atmosphere.
Our next stop was a place called Scenic World. It was truly scenic. First we went across the valley on a cable car. It had one of those floors that is opaque until someone throws a switch and makes it transparent. You can't really appreciated the scenery from the top of the cliffs. As soon as the cable car leaves and you are able to view the cliffs from inside the canyon, you will be awestruck. The Three Sisters appear in the distance.
On the other side, we took an incline railway down to the bottom of the valley. This railway was originally built to provide transportation for a coal mine in the area. It is said to be the world's steepest railway, at 52 degrees. You more or less recline in your seat and hold onto a bar on the ceiling.
Right after beginning the descent, the train goes through a natural tunnel and emerges into a very narrow, deep gap between sides of the rock face. It is just barely wide enough for the train to go through.
Eventually the train comes to the end and stops on a small level platform that extends out into nothingness. After getting off, you can choose one of three paths through a rainforest. The forest is on a steep slope, so the only way to. Walk through it is on a boardwalk.
After about 30 minutes we came to the end of the boardwalk and had to take a tram up to the Visitors' Center.
At the next stop we took a short walk to Katoomba Falls.
There are wild cockatoos in this area.
At one of the lookouts we stopped at, we had 10 minutes to take more photos and/or look in a shop that sold Aboriginal art. I went to the shop and saw some beautiful watches designed by Aboriginal artists. One theme of this watch is honey ants, an important part of the traditional Aboriginal diet.
The circle represents a campfire or meeting place. Another theme is the sharing of stories and knowledge by women.
After lunch we went to Featherdale Wildlife Park. This was great fun. We got to pet a koala. I love their faces.
Andrew
We enjoyed seeing all the other animals, too. I also had a chance to pet this wombat.
Having seen gum trees in the morning, it was only right that we should see kookaburras.
If you crossed an ostrich, a turkey, and a dinosaur with a bony plate on its head you might get a cassowary.
If you crossed a porcupine with a duck you might get an echidna. It lays eggs.
If you crossed a wolverine with a rat you might get a Tasmanian devil. If you like dogs, you will love dingoes.
Never smile at this guy.
We drove most of the way back to SYdney, stopping at a suburb near Olympic Park. Here we received ferry tickets and rode the River Cat back to Circular Quay.
A fantastic day!
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