Blue Mountains Blog

Craving your favourite restaurant or café meal during lockdown? No need – just order takeaway or home delivery. By Julie Miller

By Ellen Hill         Photos: David Hill, Deep Hill Media

By Ellen Hill

Crackling fireplaces, steaming drinks, cheery decorations, rousing entertainment and even the possibility of snow-dusted landscapes, all just 90 minutes from Sydney by car, tour bus or train. Welcome to Yulefest in the Blue Mountains, writes Ellen Hill.

In the mid-19th century, the village of Hartley, just beyond the winding descent of Victoria Pass, was the most significant administrative centre west of the Blue Mountains, its stately Courthouse a symbol of its importance in the colonial judicial system. Perfectly preserved and looking like a ready-made film set, this quaint little collection of cottages and churches is today managed by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, with a self-guided tour and interpretive signage bringing history to life.