Author name: Paul Beames

As I let the cave-cool air settle around my shoulders as I walk into Jenolan Caves, I’m reminded how different this place is from the rest of the Blue Mountains. As soon as you turn off Jenolan Caves Road and hit the limestone cliffs, you’re in another world. The temperature drops, the bush quiets and […]

Letting the biting mountain air set in over my shoulders as I slide into winter in the Blue Mountains – that’s how it starts. And honestly, winter up here hits a lot harder than people imagine it will. Winter here’s like a full-on switch – things get quieter on the tracks, the valleys fill with

I’ve pedalled a lot of dirt in my time, but Blue Mountains bike trails still manage to surprise me with their long ridgelines, sandstone punch-ups and the kind of views that stop you mid-ride – whether you like it or not. When you roll into this UNESCO World Heritage-listed landscape on two wheels, you quickly

Josophan’s Chocolate shop in Leura is one of my go-to pit stops whenever I find myself wandering the stunning Blue Mountains – a World Heritage site that’s just begging to be explored. You can catch a whiff of those rich Belgian chocolates wafting out onto Leura Mall even before you lay eyes on the old-world

As I ease down the last bend into the valley, the dust plume behind my tyres and I feel Megalong Valley Farm wrap itself around me like the NSW Blue Mountains can — slow, steady, like the land is finally permitting me to breathe out. Mentioning Megalong Valley Farm straight up feels right, because this

Letting the shed door swing open on my first proper wander into the Australian Alpaca Barn I suddenly had a pretty good idea that alpaca gear isn’t some cute novelty you’d find at the local farm shop – it’s actually proper travel gear that’s been built to withstand everything from icy winds off the Blue

Let the orchard breeze spin a new yarn about Mountain Culture Beer Co. stepping into Katoomba on a crisp Blue Mountains afternoon, I remember the first time I walked into Mountain Culture Beer Co and felt like I’d stumbled into the heart of Australian craft beer. This place changed how the Mountains drink, socialise and

Rattling along the Bells Line of Road, towards Bilpin, I just couldn’t shake the feeling that I was going to have to pick some apples in Bilpin – as the trees closed in around the road and the air started to cool on my arm as it poked out the window, I was itching to

Rolling into Apsara Day Spa in Katoomba and kicking the gravel off the soles of my boots, I get the feeling that every good Blue Mountains trip starts with a straightforward rule – you have to slow down, or the mountains will speed you right on up. Planning a trip to Katoomba is always a

Kicking the gravel off my boots as I roll into One & Only Wolgan Valley, I’m reminded how rare it is to find a luxury stay that still feels grounded in proper Australian bush. This valley—wedged between Wollemi National Park and Gardens of Stone National Park—doesn’t pretend to be anything it’s not. You come for