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Ask Auntyji

Ask Auntyji

Pine, thought to have been extinct for millions of years. The few surviving pines are located in remote gorges.

BY PETRA O’NEILL

Many more steps?”

I asked the hiker heading towards me.

“Why, thousands!” replied Hal, a spritely looking 74-year-old who had walked for 5 hours from the Three Sisters down to the valley floor, and was now completing the ascent to Leura Cascades. Somewhat more ambitious than my 2-hour hike along the Prince Henry cliff walk, one of many hiking trails.

The Blue Mountains is an area of breathtaking views, waterfalls, sheer cliffs, deep valleys and one of Australia’s most spectacular wilderness areas, within easy reach of Sydney.

World Heritage Site listed, it consists of 10,000 square kilometres of mostly pristine forest that forms part of the Great Dividing Range. A plateau runs from east to west on which the rail line and highway were built, as well as the many towns and villages. With an altitude of 975 metres above sea level at Leura, 1017 metres at Katoomba and 1300 metres at its highest point, during winter temperatures drop and a sudden snowfall is not uncommon.

More than 100 species of eucalypts are found here as well as one of the world’s rarest species, the recently discovered Wollemi

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