Katoomba

Katoomba, Aboriginal for "shining falling water”, is the chief town of the city of Blue Mountains in New South Wales, Australia. Katoomba is located 64 miles west of Sydney, Australia, and has a population of 7,623.http://www.bluemts.com.au/tourist/towns/Katoomba.asp Its main industry is tourism, with visitors attracted to Katoomba’s vast mountain scenery. The town is well known for its scenic views, and nature and bush walks.http://www.katoomba-nsw.com/ The most famous destination is a rock formation known as the Three Sisters, located just over one mile south of Katoomba. There are many tracks that hikers of all levels of experience can walk, including: mount Solitary; Ruined Castle, a rock formation visible from Echo Point; and the Giant Stairway, that provides access to a number of trails through the valley. Other natural attractions include large areas of sub-tropical rain forest, swamps, waterfalls, and the Jenolan Caves, which are the oldest discovered open caves in the world.http://www.katoomba-nsw.com/

Katoomba features a large tourist complex in the southwest end of the town, called Scenic World. Visitors to Scenic World can see the steepest funicular railway in the world, the Katoomba Scenic Railway, and ride the Scenic Skyway cable car, which travels over the Jamison Valley offering views of the Katoomba Falls and Orphan Rock.

Katoomba was originally developed a as a tourist destination toward the end of the nineteenth century. The first rail platform was opened in the area in 1874. http://www.katoomba-nsw.com/History.html Three years later, the name Katoomba was adopted, and a coal mine was opened below the cliffs of Orphan Rock, by John Britty North. Katoomba gained recognition as a mining town. The Sydney society, saw the potential for recreational areas in the Blue Mountains, and decided to open the Great Western Hotel for visitors in 1882, transforming Katoomba into a resort area. http://www.katoomba-nsw.com/History.html

Following World War I, Katoomba continued to thrive as a tourist destination, with a number of hotels and guesthouses being erected, and larger projects like the Giant Stairway being undertaken. Mining in Katoomba ended in the early part of the twentieth century, with the Katoomba government turning their full attention toward the tourist industry. http://www.katoomba-nsw.com/History.html

Katoomba has a subtropical highland climate, typically found in mountainous locations. These temperatures tend to remain relatively constant throughout the year, spear in saying moderate spring-like conditions. http://www.bluemts.com.au/tourist/about/climate.asp In Katoomba, summer days typically reach the 70’s, with night time temperatures dropping into the 50’s. Winters are colder in Katoomba, with the days in the low 50’s, and night temperatures in the high 30’s. Snow falls approximately 2 to 3 times each year, and rainfall tends to be heavier with roughly 50 inches each year. http://www.weatherzone.com.au/station.jsp?lt=site&lc=63039&list=ds