Blue Mountains National Park is located 80 kilometres west of Sydney in the Australian Great Dividing Range. The park covers an area of almost 268,000 hectares, but its boundaries are very conventional, as they are crossed by roads and residential settlements. Despite the word "mountains" in the name, the territory of the park is a is an upland area carved by large rivers. The highest peak in the park is Mt. Verong (1,215 metres) and the lowest point is at the Nepean River (20 metres). The main rivers in the park are the Wollangambe in the north, the Gros in the centre, and the Cox and Wollondilly in the south. The latter two flow into Lake Burragorang, which lies outside the park and is the main source of drinking water for Sydney.
The traces of an ancient aboriginal settlement found on the territory of the Blue Mountains - rock paintings and grindstones - are about 14 thousand years old! The mountains served as a natural barrier to explorers of the continent - the first road was built only in 1813.
The idea of creating a national park belonged to conservationist Miles Dunphy, who in 1932 proposed that the entire Greater Blue Mountains be protected. His suggestions were heeded, and in 1959, Blue Mountains National Park was established, followed by a number of other protected areas in the same area. In 2000 the entire Great Blue Mountains were designated a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site.
Today, the Blue Mountains Park is one of the most popular parks in Australia. Most tourists make it a point to visit one of the viewing platforms between Wentworth Falls and Blackheath. Perhaps the main attraction of the park is the Three Sisters rock formations. In the park you can walk along one of the many walking trails over the cliffs, stay overnight in a tent or take a long-distance hike to remote to remote areas of the park. Sports activities include canoeing, rappelling, rock climbing and mountain biking.
