Discover the Blue Mountains

10/09/2026

🌸 Ten glorious gardens. Four spring days. One of Leura’s most colourful traditions.

Leura Gardens Festival returns from Friday 2 to Monday 5 October, granting you access to 10 gorgeous private gardens filled with rhododendrons, azaleas, tulips, daffodils, wisteria and cool-climate trees bursting into bloom.

Festival favourites including Ewanrigg, Westholme, Allawah, Caramar, Tussculum and The Braes will return, alongside four newcomers: QUANTM, Honeysett, Merilong and Fjell Heim.

Come for the garden inspiration, mountain scenery and spring colour and support a good cause along the way. Festival proceeds help the Blue Mountains District Anzac Memorial Hospital and other local health-related organisations.

📅 Friday 2–Monday 5 October 2026
⏰ 9.30am–4.30pm
🎟️ From $10; children under 16 free
🚌 Hop-on-hop-off bus available between gardens

Read more on Page 8 of our spring edition:

Blue Mountains Visitor Information Centres Sydney.com Visit NSW

09/09/2026

🚗 Don’t just drive through Lithgow. Stop. Shop. Explore.

Beyond the highway, this town of second chances is breathing new life into its industrial past. Explore the towering ruins of the Lithgow Blast Furnace, ride the historic Zig Zag Railway, visit Eskbank House Museum and the Lithgow State Mine Museum or venture further afield to the Glow Worm Tunnel and Lake Lyell.

Lithgow’s reinvention continues along Main Street. Discover slow fashion, repairs and sewing classes at The Huntress xx; natural fibres, yarns and handcrafted wares at The Shepherd's Choice - Wool Fibre, Sheep & Shearing; contemporary art at GANG GANG Gallery; local flavours at Blue Fox Bar + Kitchen; and Lebanese mezze, smoky chargrilled meats and cocktails at Moons Restaurant & Bar.

Surrounded by the magnificent Seven Valleys, Lithgow is much more than a gateway. It’s a destination worth stopping for.

Read more on Page 12-13 of our spring edition.

📸 David Hill, Deep Hill Media

Seven Valleys NSW

04/09/2026

Enjoy reading our spring magazine.
Click on our curious little cover guy, surrounded by wildflowers to read 44 pages of engaging content crafted by our team of award-winning journalists.

In this issue we continue to celebrate what's great about our region: the joy of the seasons, the wonders of the landscape, the thrill of discovery, of place, p

03/09/2026

🌸 Garden gates are opening across the mid Mountains this spring!

The -Mountains Garden Festival returns over two weekends, inviting visitors into 11 private gardens across Woodford, Linden, Hazelbrook and Lawson.

From historic estates and cool-climate cottage gardens to productive food patches, native retreats, Mediterranean-inspired landscapes and family-friendly spaces, there’s plenty to explore – and plenty of inspiration to take home.

📅 September 12–13 and 19–20
⏰ 10am–4pm
🎟️ One festival pass provides entry to all 11 gardens across both weekends. Children under 16 enter free with a paying adult.

Best of all, the festival raises funds for Hazelbrook Public School, supporting local students and valuable P&C initiatives.

Explore the gardens and book tickets:
👉 Mid-Mountains Garden Festival: https://www.midmountainsgardenfestival.com/gardens-on-show/

Blue Mountains Visitor Information Centres Sydney.com Visit NSW

02/09/2026

🚗 With Victoria Pass closed for major repairs, the historic village of Hartley is off the well-trodden route and well worth the extra travel time.

Explore the beautifully preserved Hartley Historic Site, step inside the grand sandstone Courthouse, wander past colonial buildings and churches or follow the River Walk beside the River Lett.

Then linger over coffee and locally sourced food at Postmistress Cafe + Store, hunt for vintage treasures at Antiques, and discover more independent businesses scattered throughout the valley.

Hartley’s local traders need support while passing traffic is diverted – and in return, you’ll discover rich history, rural tranquility and plenty of character.

Make Hartley your destination this spring. 🌿

📸 Hartley Historic Site. Photo: David Hill, Deep Hill Media

Blue Mountains Visitor Information Centres Visit Seven Valleys Sydney.com Visit NSW

01/09/2026

🌸 Our spring 2026 edition has dropped – and just look at our little cover guy!

Captured by local photographer Jeremy Murray, this juvenile eastern grey kangaroo appears perfectly at home among the spring flowers.

Inside, you’ll find our usual colourful mix of walks, thrills, gardens, food, brews, stays, wellness, arts, vintage finds, nature, history, events, maps and much more.

Pick up your free copy and spring into the Blue Mountains!

📷 Cover image: Jeremy Murray

Blue Mountains Visitor Information Centres Sydney.com Visit NSW

31/08/2026

🛍️✨ Editor’s Pick: Yesterday Store, Katoomba

Did you know Yesterday Store has rolled down the hill in Katoomba Street and into a new home next to Black Cockatoo Bakery?

Alongside racks of vintage clothing, you’ll find the wonderfully unexpected – tartan kilts, colourful socks and blankets, exquisite Japanese brass homewares and painted metal toolboxes ready to hold whatever takes your fancy.

Our editor Evelyn Taylor came home with wire baskets to declutter her shelves. They’re still empty, but she’s enjoying the minimalist look! 😄

Yesterday Store is always on trend, so don’t just walk past. Drop in, explore and say hi to owner Rosie.

📍 167 Katoomba Street, Katoomba

Blue Mountains Visitor Information Centres .com NSW

30/08/2026

🌿🥾 Follow the path. See where it takes you.

Past towering eucalypts and sandstone overhangs. Through pockets of fern and dappled light. Around a bend to a view you weren’t expecting.

There’s something about walking through the Blue Mountains’ World Heritage-listed bushland that clears the head and resets the senses.

No grand plan required. Just pick a track, put one foot in front of the other and let the bush work its magic.

Sometimes nature really is the best balm for the soul. 💚

Blue Mountains Visitor Information Centres Sydney.com Visit NSW

29/08/2026

🍽️🍷 Good food should bring people together.

That's the philosophy of chef Saran at One Orient in Katoomba.

The kitchen champions fresh, locally sourced ingredients, timeless techniques and beautifully balanced flavours, served in a warm, intimate dining room designed for lingering over lunch or settling in for dinner. There’s also a carefully curated wine list celebrating local and regional producers – and plenty of guidance on finding the perfect match for your meal.

📍 1 Orient Street, Katoomba

One to add to your next Katoomba dining itinerary.

Blue Mountains Visitor Information Centres Sydney.com Visit NSW

28/08/2026

🏔️👀 Last chance to go Beyond the Views!

We all know that postcard view of the Three Sisters – but how much do you know about the extraordinary landscape you’re actually looking at?

This weekend is your last chance to join Blue Mountains City Council's Beyond the Views guided walks and talks at Echo Point. In just 30 minutes, discover the geology, ecology and stories behind this World Heritage landscape, or join Dharug educator Uncle Chris Tobin for an introduction to Aboriginal culture, Country and the significance of this special place.

If you’ve walked up, taken the photo and walked away before, this is your chance to look a little deeper.

📍 Echo Point Visitor Information Centre, Katoomba
⏱️ 30-minute sessions
🎟️ Bookings recommended: https://www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/whats-on/beyond-views-echo-point-walks-and-talks

Blue Mountains Visitor Information Centres Sydney.com Visit NSW

Beyond the Views invites you to pause, listen and discover the stories of this remarkable place through short, guided walks and talks.