Three Sisters

Probably the most famous natural formation in the Blue Mountains, The Three Sisters jut out of the rocky northern escarpment of the Jamison Valley. They are impressive from any angle, but the best way to see them is from Echo Point, from which you can get a spectacular vista of the blue-tinged, undulating valley beyond.

A Heart of Stone

Scientifically-minded types may be satisfied with the so-called explanation that the Sisters were formed as the soft sandstone of the mountains was eroded over time, slowly breaking up the valley sides. However, those of a more romantic disposition will be pleased to hear that the native Aboriginal population have their own version of the story. The legend tells that three sisters of the Katoomba tribe, Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo, fell passionately in love with three men from the neighboring Nepean tribe. Unfortunately, a longstanding feud between the two factions meant that their proposed marriages were forbidden.

This was not good enough for the three men. They attempted to take the sisters by force, resulting in all-out warfare between the tribes. Fearing for the lives of the sisters, an elder turned them all to stone for their protection, but he was killed in the subsequent fighting. Since he was the only one who could reverse the spell, the sisters were doomed to a stony eternity, and have stood there ever since.