DAY 01: Drive Sydney to
The Blue Mountains (125km)
Collect your self drive car this morning and take the
Western Freeway through Sydney's suburbs to Parramatta and Penrith, then climb up to
Katoomba, the main town in the breathtaking World Heritage listed Blue Mountains.
Visit the spectacular Wentworth Falls spilling 300m down the escarpment . Ahead near Blackheath is Bridal Veil Falls , the highest in the Blue Mountains Follow the road across the top of the Blue Mountains between Jamison Valley and Goose Valley . At Echo
Point , stop for a classic view of the Three Sisters rock formation
Light lunch or refreshment at the Old Style
Paragon Café in Katoomba. Consider an afternoon walk in the Jamieson Valley with a
return ride on the scenic railway.
Overnight: (A) Lilianfels or (B) Leura
Gardens Resort. (Optional extra day to relax or explore the scenery?)
DAY 02: Drive Blue Mountains to Hunter
Valley (285km)
To avoid the Highways drive along the scenic route
inland via Mt. Victoria, Richmond and Highway 69 before taking the Putty Road via Colo
Heights into Hunter Valley. You can take a horse drawn carriage tour or drive
yourself around the abundant wineries tasting and purchasing some of Australia's finest
wines.
There are many gourmet restaurants too in this
delightful area around Pokolbin.
Overnight: (A) Peppers Guest House or (B) The
Hunter Resort.
(Optional extra day to join Horse-Drawn Carriage sampling tour of the
Wineries?)
DAY 03: Drive Hunter Valley to Port Stephens
(90km)
Depart Pokolbin via Cessnock and Kurri Kurri to
join the Pacific Highway to Hexham. Take route 122 to Williamstown and then Nelson
Bay Road into the Tomaree Peninsula and the Blue Water Paradise of Port Stephens Harbour.
Fresh local seafood is a speciality so why not try Moffat's Oyster Farm?
Overnight: (A) Peppers Anchorage,
Corlette or (B) Country Comfort Resort, Salamander. (Optional extra day
to join a Harbour Cruise with Dolphins at play?)
DAY 04: Drive Port Stephens to Sydney (225km)
Return back down the Nelson Bay Road to
Williamstown and on towards Newcastle. Queens Wharf in Newcastle has a vast array of
restaurants and a boutique brewery and is joined to the city centre by a walkway.
Take the Pacific Highway south and then join the
coastal route via Budgewoi, Toukley, The Entrance, Long Jetty, and Wamberal before
arriving into Terrigal for lunch.
After lunch proceed south to Gosford to visit the
recreated pioneer settlement of Old Sydney Town, and then onwards passing over the
Hawkesbury River into the Ku-ring-Gai Chase National Park before rejoining the Pacific
Highway Route 1 into North Sydney.
The Blue Mountains Self Drive Itinerary can of course be
extended at any point to include additional accommodation and car rental. Rates for
third person sharing car but occupying room, or four persons sharing larger car are also
available.
All pictures are copyright of Tourism Australia
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