While COVID-19 shuttered many global destinations, Australia's borders remained closed longer than most, for nearly two years. During this time, the country's Blue Mountains, less than two hours northwest of Sydney, also experienced devastating bushfires that destroyed 2.5 million acres of the region's UNESCO-listed National Park. The fires were followed by two years of cataclysmal flooding that wiped out farms, roads, and riverbeds, and killed two successive wine harvests. Until recently, the region felt impenetrable.
But these hardy azure-tinted mountains—a phenomenon that owes to the eucalyptus oil in the trees that cloak the landscape—are experiencing a rebirth. A new generation of transplants has arrived and injected the region with some much-needed freshness while the locals have continued to fine-tune their crafts.
Too long defined by their stuffy old-school resort dining, the Blue Mountains used the downtime to develop a more independent food identity. Blazing the trail was Tempus Katoomba, which opened in 2021 under the watch of Welsh-born chef Jason Lee Cole. It draws diners with dishes like duck breast with chestnuts and Kanimbla Valley truffles and coconut rice pudding with caramelized figs. Kyah, a 1970s roadside motel turned stylish modernist lodge, also debuted during the closure. Its restaurant, Blaq, serves updated local fare, like light-as-air fennel pork rinds and blueberry cobbler with macadamia ice cream.
“I knew it was time to move here when I took my first breath of fresh air and saw I was surrounded by trees,” says 47-year-old Sydney transplant Maria Njari, of This Little Piggy Deli, which opened just before the pandemic in the small town of Blackheath. Having lived in Europe for years, Njari and her horologist partner Dan run the micro cafe inspired by the delicatessens of Europe. Its cases are stocked with a variety of cured meats, a wide selection of cheeses, cherry strudels, quiches, and soups, and shelves heave with jars of Australian truffle salt, local honey, and port-soaked prunes.
The region had long been known for its wine and spirits, making the most of its access to high-quality fruit and long growing season. Megalong Creek Estate in the Megalong Valley, which cranks out top-notch Shiraz and rosé, is rebooting after the recent hardships. “Our 2019 crop was destroyed by fire and smoke, and our 2020, '21, and '22 harvests were impacted by flooding,” manager Kim Draguns says ruefully. “There are easier places to make wine.” If you see a tall blond guy in a cowboy hat at Hillbilly Cider in Bilpin, he's probably chief cider maker Shane Mclaughlin. His award-winning apple ciders—including the only one in the world made from Julie apples—pair well with his crisp wood-fired pizzas. The vegetarian pesto and signature apple are staff favorites.
But nature remains the real star here. The Blue Mountains National Park—more of a canyon than a cascading set of mountains—teems with revamped trails and new adventure experiences. A typical hikes starts at the top and descends past fragrant gum trees into bioluminescent worm caves and waterfall-strewn rainforests that echo with the calls of lyrebirds and kookaburras. The rebuilt Grand Cliff Top Walk trail retraces the steps of Charles Darwin, who visited in 1836, while a new experience at Scenic World, a local park with trails and funiculars, invites daring visitors to climb atop the cable car's roof as it dangles above the Jamison Valley with the Three Sisters rock formation in the background.
Because the area is blessed with minimal light pollution, its skies are especially dark, perfect for stargazing sessions with Dimitri Douchin, PhD, a cultural astronomer at Blue Mountains Stargazing. He can help you spot Southern Hemisphere constellations like the Southern Cross and Phoenix, an apt sight for a place that's risen from the ashes.
This article appeared in the January/February 2024 issue of Condé Nast Traveler. Subscribe to the magazine here.
