This Australian Town Is Known for Both Art Deco Architecture and Outdoor Adventure

Only slightly inland of Sydney’s famous surf beaches and yacht-lined harbor is a sleepy oasis marked by waterfalls, slot canyons, sacred rock formations, and forests overflowing with fragrant eucalyptus and ferns. Katoomba is the seat of New South Wales’ Blue Mountains region, a national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site just an hour and a half’s drive from Australia’s most populous city.

Pure Aussie bushland envelops the small town, magnetizing travelers thirsty for adventure. The rocky, wet bottoms of canyon floors inspire thrill-seekers to suit up in neoprene, abseil into the dank underworld, and release their most primal sounds while shooting down natural waterslides on their backs. The waterfalls that gave the town its name—“Kedumba” is an Aboriginal word that means “shining, falling water”—produce ethereal swimming holes. The sandstone peaks call for climbing high above the valleys of trees to admire from panoramic clifftops.

It’s easy to see why they call the mountains there “blue.” The sea of eucalyptus creates a tinted haze that sits like mist over the canopy. And within it, the town of Katoomba is both a friendly basecamp and a strange time warp, with Art Deco architecture and signage preserved from the ‘20s and ‘30s. The mountain hideaway has held onto the retro flair from its golden era, with resorts and bars that look straight out of Gatsby. What’s more, Katoomba also offers the rare opportunity to visit a national park without a car. Trains from Sydney depart every hour, seven days per week, and ticket prices can cost as little as $7 AUD, making it all too easy to indulge in the vintage splendor of this wild, hidden gem.

1 hour, 30 minutes by car from Sydney
2 hours by train from Sydney

Imagine the iconic ravines of Utah, but cloaked in verdant moss and flora. Locals like to say that Blue Mountains National Park has the highest concentration of vegetated slot canyons in the world, though it’s unclear exactly how many there are. Regardless, canyoning is the best way to literally immerse yourself in the otherworldly scenery while also packing as much blood-pumping action as possible into one activity.

A mix of hiking, “cliff” jumping, rappelling, and swimming, canyoning (aka canyoneering) is, hands down, the pinnacle of adventure in the Blue Mountains. Choose a tour operator like the Blue Mountains Adventure Company or High and Wild to kit you out and lead you down into the water-carved slot canyons. They offer a variety of tours in several locations and for different skill levels. Beginners with a high thrill tolerance will love the full-day Empress Falls adventure, which ends with rappelling—“abseiling” in Australian—down one of the area’s most famous landmarks.

Don’t worry: You’ll practice descending a series of routes before squeezing into a wetsuit and exploring the gorge. Only after you’re comfortable will you wade in chest-deep water, scramble over boulders, and slide off rocks into cool canyon pools between towering sandstone walls. (Helmets are absolutely required.) Then, for the grand finale, you’ll rappel down the 100-foot-high Empress Falls.

There are lots of other options, including introductory trips into the nearby Grand Canyon of the Blue Mountains, as well as intermediate and advanced tours for those who already know their stuff.

Besides canyons, waterfalls are what this natural wonderland is all about. Katoomba's many cascades range from segmented “falling lakes” to plunging cataracts. One of the most impressive is a mere mile from the town center: Katoomba Falls, sending water over a 750-foot cliffside into the Jamison Valley. On the other side of the city, across a neighborhood named after Yosemite National Park, Minnehaha Falls drops 65 feet into a turquoise swimming pool. If you have time to see more, you can travel east along the Great Western Highway and hit Leura Falls, the Pool of Siloam, Empress Falls, and Sylvia Falls. There’s also the ever-popular Wentworth Falls, which flows from Jamison Creek over three tiers of rock, and shares a name with the nearby small town it’s in, where there are lots of other lookouts and walks.

The Blue Mountains region is a land of superlatives. Visit New South Wales calls Jenolan Caves “the most ancient open caves in the world,” and it’s also believed to be Australia’s largest cave system. Several “show caves” within the 6,000-acre Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve are open to the public. Subterranean walking tracks and ladders built into the caves give you a close-up of mesmerizing stalactites and limestone formations. Keep your eye out for bats and cave spiders.

Make sure to check to see if the caves are open before you go.

If they’ve been closed due to heavy rainfall, there’s an abandoned railroad tunnel at Newnes Plateau that’s been taken over by glow worms. It’s about an hour’s drive from Katoomba to get to the four-mile walking track that goes into the tunnel, but you will be glad you made the journey when you look around at the mystical bioluminescence that speckles the walls.

The most recognizable landmark in Katoomba is the Three Sisters rock formation. As the Aboriginal legend has it, sisters Meehni, Wimlah, and Gunnedoo of the Katoomba tribe fell into forbidden love with three brothers from a neighboring tribe. A war between the tribes ensued, and to protect the sisters, a witch turned them to stone. Today, the sisters stand tall over the eucalypt forest. They’re best witnessed from the Echo Point lookout, which is also on the Prince Henry Cliff Walk, a four-mile hike connecting more than 20 viewpoints. Other popular vantage points include Olympian Rock, Govetts Leap Lookout, and Sublime Point, all offering panoramic views of the valley. The Wentworth Falls Lookout, less than a 15-minute drive from Katoomba, overlooks the top section of the falls, and a little further down the road, Lincoln’s Rock is a popular sunset photography spot.

Another way to get a bird’s-eye view of the Blue Mountains is by hopping on the Southern Hemisphere’s steepest aerial cableway at Scenic World. There, you can even ride on the roof of it. Seriously, they let you stand on top of the cable car—harnessed in, obviously—while it travels 900 feet high over the valley.

Downtown Katoomba is lined with Art Deco storefronts harkening back to the early 20th century. The buildings are beautifully preserved with color, geometric designs, and ornamental details. Many of the signs are original, still emblazoned with giant vintage typefaces reading “Cafe Niagara,” “Paragon Restaurant,” and “The Savoy.” None of these places are open still, although the old Savoy theater has been turned into an aesthetically on-brand diner. Off the main drag, you can also find Art Deco influences at The Carrington Hotel and Palais Royale.

Without a doubt, the best way to explore the World Heritage wilderness of Katoomba is on foot. The New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service lists 50 trails in the area. Lace up your walking shoes and tackle the 998 steps of the Giant Stairway. It starts at Echo Point and descends to Honeymoon Bridge, which leads to a cave inside one of the Three Sisters. Trekking along the Grand Canyon Track, Overcliff-Undercliff Track, and Charles Darwin's Walk is more about the journey through hanging swamps and rainforest than any kind of summit payoff. Keep your eye out for spiky banksia flowers, koalas, wombats, platypuses, and echidnas. A third of Australia’s bird species are also represented in the Greater Blue Mountains Area, so bring binoculars if you have them.

For lunch: The food at Yellow Deli is almost as iconic as its stone fireplace, stained-glass windows, and log cabin furnishings. Pick up a sandwich or some picnic supplies for your lunchtime hike or find a cozy spot on the mezzanine to enjoy one of the fan-favorite Reubens. There’s also Aunty Ed’s, a retro diner serving burgers and over-the-top shakes in a basement on Katoomba Street. And if you’re in North Katoomba, the area of Minnehaha Falls, stop at Little Village Co. for a toastie.

For post-hike beers: Even with Sydney’s beer giants to compete with, Mountain Culture was voted New South Wales’ best brewery venue in a survey of 2,500 Australians. Its Katoomba brewpub is across the street from Blue Mountains Adventure Company and therefore perfectly positioned for a boozy wind-down after an action-packed canyon tour. The flagship Status Quo Pale Ale has earned the Great Australian Beer SpectTAPular (GABS) People's Choice Award, making it a big deal for Aussie beer enthusiasts. For more of a pub vibe, go to the Old City Bank Bar, a 19th-century haunt inside the Carrington Hotel. While there, sample the Katoomba Brewing Co. IPA, the hotel’s signature ale that’s brewed inside an old power station.

For dinner:Station Bar & Woodfired Pizza has some of the most far-out pizza toppings you’d probably find anywhere in Australia: lemony tiger prawns, Vegemite, kangaroo filet, duck with plum sauce. But no worries if you’re not an adventurous eater—it also has more typical pies and vegetarian options. Katoomba also has a slew of Italian, Vietnamese, Korean, and Malaysian restaurants, but 8Things celebrates street food from all over the globe. Per the name, there are only eight things on the menu, although each comes from a different country. You can have Mexican tacos as your appetizer, Singaporean laksa as an entree, and finish with Japanese red bean mochi.

The Avalon Restaurant & Cocktail Bar is your fancier option, with dishes like confit duck in an orange liqueur reduction and a panoramic mountain view out of picture windows. Pins On Lurline is your fanciest option, serving six- and 10-course meals inside a historic house.

For cocktails:The Bootlegger is a favorite for live music and cocktails that come smoking or in tiki mugs topped with a flaming lime. Centrally located in a historic building downtown, the self-described speakeasy serves elaborate libations alongside slow-cooked barbecue. The Liquid Smoke is a Bootlegger classic that offers both a rich molasses flavor and Instagrammable theatrics. For a more buttoned-up vibe, there’s also Champagne Charlie’s, Katoomba’s oldest cocktail bar. It’s inside The Carrington Hotel and offers an extensive drinks menu of creative martinis, sours, and dessert cocktails like the Toblerone, made with butterscotch schnapps and a wafer straw. If you’re ever in the mood for a cocktail before 9 p.m., Aunty Ed’s (the retro diner) has classics and some original creations.

For wine tours: It’s no Italy, but you’ll find primo Australian wine in the nearby Megalong Valley. Fantastic Aussie Tours and Beyond the Blacktop are some tour operators that make trips from Katoomba to the two vineyards there, Megalong Creek Estate and Dryridge Estate, both about 40 minutes away. Sitting outside with a glass of wine, soaking in vineyard views framed by sun-kissed sandstone escarpments: *chef’s kiss*.

For a sweet treat: If calorie-burning adventure sparks a sweet tooth in you, the Blue Mountains Chocolate Company is the place to get your sugar fix. The menu highlight is deconstructed hot chocolate, which comes as a candlelit DIY fondue spread. On the Wentworth Falls side, you can’t beat High Mountain Pies for all things baked in pastry. It’s possibly as known for its sweet selection as it is for its Aussie-style meat pies.

Luxurious lodgings: Katoomba is both a backpacker-friendly destination and a place where Sydney’s privileged go for a luxurious mountain break. On the high end of that spectrum is the five-star Lilianfels Blue Mountain Resort & Spa located along the Prince Henry Cliff Walk, less than half a mile from Echo Point. Tucked in two acres of manicured gardens, this Queen Anne Victorian stunner houses some 80 wallpapered rooms with regal wrought-iron beds and other period furnishings. There’s also a spa, indoor and outdoor pools, and several bars and restaurants. A bit more modest are the four-star Art Deco Palais Royale and the lodge-like Fairmont, which looks out over the Jamison Valley.

Holiday homes: Katoomba and the surrounding area are teeming with beautiful homes that you can rent out for a group trip or romantic two-person vacation. One is The Gatsby, a two-bedroom self-contained cottage at the south end of Katoomba Street. This area is actually a hotspot for holiday rental homes, boutique hotels, and budget-friendly motels. The three-room Katoomba Falls Cottage is also around the corner. There are dozens to choose from on Airbnb as well.

Free camping: Camping is an Australian tradition, and there are countless places around Katoomba to park or pitch a tent for free. “Freedom camping”-friendly sites include the Ingar Campground near Wentworth Falls, Newnes Campground near the Glow Worm Tunnel, Old Ford Reserve in the Megalong Valley, and the hike-in Acacia Flat Campground, which is a three- to four-hour walk from Perry’s Lookdown in Blackheath.

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