The Blue Mountains National Park is a forested canyonland west of Sydney, part of the Great Dividing Range. The blueish haze from the Eucalypt trees is said to be the source of the name. All settlements in the Blue Mountains lie on the plateau which is cut into deep broad canyons.

The Great Western Highway connects Sydney with the Blue Mountains and the chain of small towns serving as a tourist gateway. Katoomba (K) is the largest of them, with hotels, campgrounds and a YHA Youth Hostel. You can also reach Katoomba from Sydney by train. Other noteworthy towns are Blackheath (B) and Wentworth Falls (W).

The lake in the center of the image is Lake Burragorang, a reservoir providing the Sydney area with water from the Blue Mountains.