The Blue Mountain World Heritage area begins approximately 31 miles west of Sydney’s city center. The Greater Blue Mountains Area was nominated for listing as a World Heritage Area and was unanimously accepted on November 29, 2000. It thus became the fourth area in New South Wales to be listed.

Starting the morning with a stroll around the mountain town of Leura, students energized the day’s start with some fresh espresso. Good thing they did because once over at Katoomba, students joined Discovery Ranger Muliyan Waters to begin hiking the area.

Students observed numerous coach buses dropping loads of tourists in the area and noted more international visitors here in comparison to Royal National Park. On the trail in Royal, the group only encountered a half dozen other hikers. However on the Blue Mountains’ trails, they saw nearly a hundred hikers.

Understandably, tourists flock to the area for outstanding views of gorges up to 2,493 feet in depth from moutain points up to 3,904 feet above sea level. The tourist numbers didn’t decrease the group’s immense enjoyment of the park though.

“The Katoomba Falls took my breath away,” says student Keara Ziegerer. “I must have taken nearly 300 photographs during the day. Around every corner there was something incredible.” Katoomba Falls, pictured right.

Other highlights for the day included a hike, pictured left, with views of the famous Three Sisters formation and a scenic railway ride from the gorge floor to the cliff line.