Posted in: Musicouching by Mike greaves on June 25th, 2012 | 0 Comments
The Blue Mountains is one of Australia’s most beautiful natural areas, not to mention home of some of the country’s best annual events.
The Blue Mountains is one of Australia’s most beautiful natural areas, not to mention home of some of the country’s best annual events. Whether it is music, flowers or races, this magical mountain region has great events on all year round, with the following just a taste of what will be going down in 2012.
Rydal Show
One of Australia’s long-running country shows, the Rydal Show will mark its 90th year in 2012, and is known as the “biggest little show in the West”. Located about 20 minutes from Lithgow, this lively festival features everything country, such as horse riding, wood chopping, fresh produce and dog trials, and is bound to have something to please everyone.
Oberon Show
The year 2012 will witness the 112th running of the Oberon Show. Featuring a 200-class horse show, yard dog trials, a huge display of flowers, produce, arts and crafts, there are also heaps of games for the kids as well as an animal nursery, and a great fireworks display is always guaranteed. If you missed the first 111 years, make a point of getting to this fun and family-friendly event this year.
Blue Mountains Music Festival
If you like live music, you will love this festival, which is a celebration of folk, blues and roots music. It takes place in the bustling mountain town of Katoomba and consists of three days of live music, dancing, food, drink, art and crafts. This is easily one of the most fun events of the year in the Blue Mountains.
The North Face 100
This gruelling event takes place in the World-Heritage-listed Blue Mountains National Park, and is the highlight of the Australian ultra-marathon circuit. Run over an extremely challenging course in mid-May 2012, this event is sure to attract some of the best distance runners in the world. Whether you are competing or watching, this high-energy event brings hundreds of people out, and is sure to have the mountains buzzing again this year.
Sculpture at Scenic World
The Blue Mountains World Heritage Area will host 26 magnificent art pieces in the first ever ‘Sculptures at Scenic World’. The sculptures will be on display throughout the ancient rainforest area, with the artists also on hand to answer any questions. If you like art, don’t miss this fantastic cultural event.
Six-Foot Track Marathon
Stretching from the famous Explorers Tree to Jenolan Caves, this lengthy race follows what is a historic 45-kilometre footpath through the trees. This popular event always draws a large crowd and is great whether you’re taking part or just watching.
Where to Stay
The Blue Mountains is quite a small place considering it hosts so many fabulous annual events, so if you are coming for a big event, you really should book well in advance. With the Blue Mountains International Hotel School located here, it is no surprise that the accommodation options consist of some fantastic spots. If you are staying in one of the many Sydney hostels, you may be able to find information about trips to the Blue Mountains for backpackers. Sydney is one of the main draws for tourists visiting Australia, but as this article shows, there are plenty of fantastic things to see and do if you venture a little further afield!
