Why are the Blue Mountains blue?


Three Sisters
Three Sisters

Why are the Blue Mountains blue? Yep, same question I asked. When you get there it becomes apparent that they aren’t a harsh artificial blue just a soft blue hue. Upon discussion in a group of locals and tourists we think it’s because of the reflection of the sky against the white trunks of the trees. The trees in Australia have various genius ways of self preservation and restoration after fire, one of which is to shed it’s bark, leaving a white trunk. So I’m told, arborists feel free to correct me. Anyway the blue enhances the absolutely breath taking views.

View from cable car
View from cable car

I pushed my limits once again by not only taking to a seemingly deadly steep tram / train journey down a ravine and back up in a cable car. I then travelled across a deep ravine in a what I considered a glass bottomed ‘death cage’ otherwise known as a ‘skyway’.

Words in Stone
Words in Stone

As I expressed my concern at the gale force winds I was corrected by the owner of the resort, who just happened to be passing. He informed me the same type of cable cars are used in ski resorts and are perfectly capable of keeping us in one piece. I’m here, so guess what he got it right. Thankfully.

Top 5 things about Blue Mountains:

The views

The walks into the woodlands

The opportunity to challenge yourself

An unspoilt wilderness

They really are BLUE!