Sydney to Broken Hill road trip: Best stops, distance & drive time
Sydney to Broken Hill road trip: Blue Mountains
The Blue Mountains is one of Australia’s tourism honeypots. If you’ve budgeted plenty of time, this is an obvious overnight stay. More to the point, several of the key attractions in the region can be visited without making a massive detour.
7 Blue Mountains experiences you should pre-book
- Scenic World tickets – combine dramatic train rides, cable cars & forest walks.
- The Blue Mountains hop-on, hop-off bus – get around Katoomba and Leura’s top sites hassle-free.
- Guided stargazing with an astrophysicist – learn how to read the clear night skies.
- Give canyoning a try – jumping, climbing and sliding through Empress Canyon.
- Take a half day abseiling adventure – in the Blue Mountains National Park.
- Indulge in a local produce tasting experience – with beers, wines & meats.
- Get adventurous – on a 4WD tour to the world’s second largest canyon.
In the Glenbrook section of the Blue Mountains National Park, there are great views from the Portal Lookout. You can also enjoy reliable kangaroo sightings at the Euroka Campground and wild swimming in Jellybean Pool.
As the elevation increases, extra feasible stops include the Valley Heights Rail Museum in Springwood, the Norman Lindsay Gallery in Faulconbridge and the Linden Observatory in Linden.
Mabel Falls, Horseshoe Falls and Wentworth Falls are also along the road trip route.
Leura and Katoomba
Leura and Katoomba are the most likely spots for an overnight stay on the Sydney to Broken Hill drive, however.
The latter plays host to the Three Sisters and Scenic World.
6 top Katoomba experiences to book in advance
- Connect the key sights in Katoomba and Leura the easy way – on the hop-on, hop-off bus.
- Discover your adventurous side – while canyoning at Twister and Rocky Creek.
- Indulge in NSW-sourced wines, beers and tasting platters at Echo Point, while overlooking the Jamison Valley.
- Combine canyoning and abseiling on a full day adventure.
- Explore the Jamison Valley from all angles – with the trains and cable cars of Scenic World.
- See ancient Aboriginal rock art – and the views other people miss – on a 4WD adventure.
Katoomba accommodation options include the budget-friendly Blue Mountains Heritage Hotel, the pool-equipped Skyrider Motor Inn and the heritage-laced Carrington Hotel.
Beyond Katoomba come Medlow Bath and Blackheath, where you’ll find the Blue Mountains Heritage Centre, Evans Lookout and Govetts Leap. There’s also Mount Victoria, home of the Sunset Rock Lookout, Bushrangers Cave and the Pulpit Rock Lookout.
Click through for the next section: Lithgow and surrounds.