Sydney Day 6 - Blue Mountains and another disappointment at Madame Tussaud's (Australia Part 34)

For our last day in Sydney, we had booked a trip to the Blue Mountains. Early in the morning, we set off towards the national park, which has been declared a World Heritage site because of its eucalyptus forests.

First, we visited a farm in the morning, where we saw various native (koalas, kangaroos, emus, lizards, wombats, snakes...) and introduced (pigs, rabbits, goats, camels) animals.

There, we also had the opportunity to pet a koala, which posed nicely on the arm of the caretaker. We also saw a small kangaroo living in a pouch.

After that, we visited two different viewpoints, from where we could admire the vast, densely forested valleys and mountains.

At the second viewpoint, we saw the rock formation known as the "Three Sisters," for which there are various stories among the Aboriginal people. According to one legend, they were turned into stones by their father to escape the abduction by young men from another tribe. Unfortunately, shortly after, a fight broke out in which the father was killed, so he couldn't change his daughters back. Now they have to stand as stones on the cliff and serve as a photo opportunity for tourists.

the Three Sisters

At noon, we had the option to have lunch at a restaurant or go on a hike with a picnic. We decided to take the hiking trail, which led us past several waterfalls with some ups and downs.

After climbing the last 450 steps to the viewpoint, where we met up with our group, we were rewarded with a glass of champagne.

Our last stop was the botanical garden of the Blue Mountains, which showcases a wide variety of plants. We could have used more time for a stroll there, but we still got a glimpse of some bizarre blossoms.

There were also some specimens of the "Wollemi Pine," a very ancient tree species that was long unknown. By chance, a hiker discovered a cluster of 40 of these trees in the Blue Mountains in the 1990s. To preserve this population, the location is kept secret. When you fly there (there is no other way to reach the area), all passengers - except for the pilot - have their eyes covered.

Seeds have been distributed worldwide to preserve the species, even if this last remaining location is destroyed. The trees were also adorned with small bags to collect the seeds.

Wollemi Pine

Back from the trip, we hurried to Madame Tussaud's to at least briefly use our entry ticket after we were denied entry the previous day. We arrived just in time before the usual last admission time - only to find out that the exhibition had spontaneously closed earlier today. There was, of course, no one responsible for a refund, and we were sent away with an email address where we could write our complaint.