6 Ways to Visit the Blue Mountains Sustainably in 2024

The Blue Mountains is a UNESCO World Heritage site, about a 2-hour drive from the center of Sydney, Australia. It is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the country.

Known for its beautiful scenery. Dramatic steep cliffs, eucalyptus forests that haze the mountains blue, waterfalls, and small villages that dot along its landscape.

It is also where I grew up. From 1-18, I lived in the bush, completely amongst this natural spectacle.

Our tiny little mountain towns see thousands of tourist buses every year, while we watch from our homes as, annually, 6.4 million people spill into the streets. I have watched this traditional land begin to disintegrate.

The points in this article have been sourced from members of the Blue Mountains community via social channels. They are all things that locals here feel very strongly about! So I really encourage you to take every point to heart.

1. Support Blue Mountains local businesses

The Mountains are home to less than 80,000 people across 27 villages and 100km. Today, my hometown still only has roughly 4000 inhabitants. That being said, we have a lively cafe scene, galleries, antique stores, boutiques, local guides, and small businesses.

When visiting the Blue Mountains, be sure not to spend your money at a high street chain or big business. Instead, support small local businesses like ‘The Little Lost Bookshop’, ‘Moontree’, ‘Basilnut’, and many more.

Use what you have to support the tight-knit community and give back to the area you are visiting. Go to a local bar like ‘Auntie Ed’s’ or ‘Bootlegger’ to support a local band, and buy tours from local guides over big private tourism companies.

2. Leave no trace, take your rubbish home with you

Over the last few years, this has become a big problem in the Mountains. Overflowing bins at trailheads and lookouts, trash on the ground, toilet paper scattered just off the track, and careless behavior from visitors when it comes to rubbish.

You can go to places that used to be beautiful and pure, but people have now left beer cans, pizza boxes, Maccas bags, and toilet paper all over the place. Not even putting it in the bin. Not only is it an eyesore but it seriously hurts the flora and fauna.

If you want to travel more ethically to the mountains, I suggest bringing a rubbish bag and disposing of it when you get back to Sydney, or back to your accommodation!

3. Don’t feed the native birds and animals

Feeding the native wildlife is often something that is even ENCOURAGED by tourist companies, but it is an absolute no. It upsets the fragile ecosystem we have and makes animals less cautious and afraid of people, putting them in potential danger.

It changes their behavior immensely which, while good for big tourism, is not good for our wildlife in the long run.

4. Leave your Bluetooth speaker at home

This one won’t be popular either, but it is one that many locals have asked me to include. People live here to connect with nature, and if you are going to the Mountains to be outside, see beautiful views and places, embrace it.

Waterholes, waterfalls, lookouts, etc., are shared spaces. Having music is very fun, but also keep in mind that for many locals who are trying to exist peacefully and mindfully in nature, it can be very disturbing.

5. Take the train

The Blue Mountains really only have 1 major highway that circles up through all of the major towns and villages. Every long weekend, public holiday, or school vacation, this road is SWAMPED with traffic coming from Sydney. This has two major issues.

The first is that locals are unable to get to where they need to go. To work, the supermarket (for the upper Blue Mountains, only Katoomba has a major supermarket), school sporting activities, and other commitments.

The second is that due to such high demand for the road, the government has been pushing for years to expand the highway. It has been a massive fight by residents, especially in the town of Blackheath, to preserve our old little village.

In order to reduce traffic and support the preservation of our towns, I highly recommend taking the train, which will get you to every town up the highway.

6. And most importantly… Treat the Blue Mountains like the National Park it is

Finally, instead of treating the Blue Mountains like a commodity, treat it like it really is; A UNESCO World Heritage site, a National Park, a haven of biodiversity, and an Australian natural treasure.

If you decide to visit, try to show the Blue Mountains the utmost care and respect. Though it is beautiful and powerful, it is also finite if we continue to treat it as it has been treated.

I don’t advocate for not visiting the Mountains, in fact, I talk about why you SHOULD visit in articles like this one. However I do advocate strongly for careful tourism in the region, and I truly hope that visitors can embrace the sustainable travel movement that has started.

Thank you for taking the time to learn how to better protect the Blue Mountains!