Sandstone escarpments and eucalyptus valleys in the Blue Mountains, then the cellar doors of Australia's oldest wine region. That is what Sydney to the Blue Mountains and Hunter Valley promises, and it delivers. At about 310 miles (499 km), it is a drive best taken slowly, over 3–4 days, with time to pull over whenever the view demands it on the way from Sydney to Pokolbin.
Open this route in XCRSNSetting out from Sydney
Start early, with a full tank and a loose plan. Sydney is where the road begins, and the first miles set the rhythm for everything that follows.
The first big moment is Three Sisters at Echo Point (UNESCO World Heritage). Give it the time it deserves; it is why many people make this trip at all.
Along the way
The road strings together Katoomba and Mudgee. Each one makes a natural break, and Mudgee sits close to the middle if you want to split the drive with a night's sleep.
Do not miss Scenic World railway in Katoomba.
Arriving in Pokolbin
Save energy for the final stretch: Hunter Valley cellar doors in Pokolbin is still ahead.
By the end you will have seen Three Sisters at Echo Point (UNESCO World Heritage), Scenic World railway in Katoomba and Hunter Valley cellar doors in Pokolbin, and you will understand why Sydney to the Blue Mountains and Hunter Valley belongs on any list of great drives.
When to go and how to pace it
The best time to drive it is September–May. Plan on 3–4 days so the drive never feels rushed.
The Bells Line of Road links the mountains and the wine country with fewer trucks than the Great Western Highway.
XCRSN prices fuel for every leg in the local currency, finds stops along the way and books overnights near each town.
