Last updated: October 1, 2023
A guide to the best things to do in Leura in the Blue Mountains, from scenic lookouts to walking trails and unique sights.
Leura is a small suburb nestled between Wentworth Falls and Katoomba, approximately 100 km west of the Sydney CBD. The village centre is home to a great variety of restaurants, coffee shops, boutiques, and galleries.
But the area surrounding the town of Leura is the main reason so many people visit throughout the year, with various beautiful lookout points, walking tracks, waterfalls, and so much more to explore.
In this article, we will reveal the 11 best attractions in and around Leura, one of the most popular areas in the Blue Mountains.
Top 11 Leura Attractions
In geographical order, here is our top 11 things to do in the Leura area of the Blue Mountains.
1. Sublime Point Lookout
The Sublime Point Lookout is a spectacular vantage point and picnic spot at the southernmost tip of the Sublime Point headland, overlooking the beautiful Jamison Valley.
A short walking path, which includes a set of stairs and a footbridge, leads to this lookout, offering 360-degree views of the Valley, with various popular Blue Mountains landmarks visible in the distance.
Sublime Point is located at the end of Sublime Point Road in Leura, where you will find a small car park.
2. Pool of Siloam
The Pool of Siloam is a natural waterhole and small waterfall on Gordon Creek, a creek that drops into Jamison Valley via Gordon Falls a bit further south.
The small waterfall is most impressive after some rainfall when more water passes through the creek, which also makes the water in the pool cleaner.
The easiest and quickest way to access the Pool of Siloam is via a short but steep walking track starting from Gordon Falls Reserve.
3. Gordon Falls Lookout
Only moments away from the walk to the Pool of Siloam is the Gordon Falls Lookout, a vantage point that offers superb views of the Jamison Valley and glimpses of the Gordon Falls waterfall.
The views of the waterfall aren’t the best, especially during a period of dry weather, but the valley views are fantastic.
To access the lookout, follow the short walking trail starting from the information board at the corner of Olympian Parade and Lone Pine Avenue.
4. Buttenshaw Bridge
The Buttenshaw Bridge is a small bridge between two parts of the Elysian Rock Lookout. The bridge forms part of the popular Prince Henry Cliff Walk between Scenic World in Katoomba and Gordon Falls Lookout in Leura.
The original bridge was built in 1936, but in 2015, the Blue Mountains City Council replaced it with a modern 14 metres long steel bridge.
The views from this fascinating piece of engineering, across a deep rock chasm on the cliff edge, are pretty special. It can be accessed via Olympian Parade.
5. Olympian Rock
Olympian Rock is another lookout facing the Jamison Valley, and is only a short walk away from the Buttenshaw Bridge and Elysian Rock.
The views from Olympian Rock are incredible, with the Three Sisters and Mount Solitary visible in the distance.
Like Elysian Rock, you can access Olympian Rock via a section of the Prince Henry Cliff Walk. Otherwise, you can park your car on Olympian Parade and follow the short trail to the fenced lookout.
6. Bridal Veil View
Bridal Veil View is a small, fenced lookout facing Leura Falls, the waterfall that carries Leura Falls Creek into the valley. The waterfall resembles a bride’s veil.
This fenced lookout is located very close to Tarpeian Rock, a lookout similar to Olympian Rock and Elysian Rock lookout points.
To get to Tarpeian Rock and Bridal Veil View, either follow the cliff walk from Olympian Rock or the short Tarpeian Rock Access Walk from Cliff Drive.
7. Leura Cascades
The Leura Cascades walking track is a short, family-friendly bushwalking trail along Leura Falls Creek, leading up to a beautiful lookout point above Bridal Veil Falls.
Once you’ve reached the lookout, you have the option to continue hiking into the valley and get closer to the waterfall by doing the Bridal Veil Falls circuit walk.
The start of the Leura Cascades walking track is at the Leura Cascades picnic area, which offers excellent facilities, such as tables, seating, toilets, and tree-shaded sections.
8. Lunch in Leura Mall
A full day out in the Leura area of the Blue Mountains is not complete without a delicious lunch and coffee in Leura Mall.
There are plenty of food options along Leura Mall, with so many great cafes and restaurants to choose from. It does get busy there, though, especially on the weekends.
Perhaps try authentic Devonshire Tea with delicious scones and clotted cream and jam, either for lunch or as an afternoon treat. Many Leura cafes and tea shops will offer this.
9. Fortress Ridge
We are now travelling to the northern side of Leura, where more great walking tracks and lookouts can be discovered, mostly via Mount Hay Road.
The Fortress Ridge Trail is a 7.5 km return hiking trail to a beautiful vantage point that offers panoramic views of the Grose Valley.
A second walk, starting from the same car park on Mount Hay Road, leads to Fortress Rock, another scenic lookout with scenic valley views from a different angle.
10. Lockleys Pylon
The 7 km return walking trail to Lockleys Pylon is quite similar to the trail to Fortress Ridge, but the district views are a bit different.
It leads to the summit of Lockleys Pylon, from where you get to take in beautiful 360-degree valley views.
The walk can be extended to Du Faur Head, with even more views to enjoy. It requires a bit of climbing to get there, but it’s a fun adventure.
11. Mount Hay
One of the most spectacular walking tracks in the Blue Mountains is the 4 km return walk to Mount Hay. The views along this track are absolutely fantastic.
The trailhead is located at the very end of Mount Hay Road, for which an SUV or 4WD vehicle (with higher ground clearance) is recommended. The road between the Lockleys Pylon trailhead and the Mount Hay carpark does have a few rough sections.
There is another walking trail nearby, to Butterbox Point, which is also highly recommended as it offers stunning views of the Grose Valley and the surrounding cliff walls.
About Leura
Leura is a small suburb in the Blue Mountains, located approximately 100 km west of the Sydney CBD, 5 km west of Wentworth Falls, 2 km east of Katoomba, and 14 km southeast of Blackheath. It is located along the Great Western Highway and the Main Western Railway line.
The suburb of Leura is home to just under 5,000 residents, holds the 2780 postcode, and is part of the City of Blue Mountains local government area.
While nearby Katoomba still holds the reins as the most popular destination in the Blue Mountains, Leura is not far behind. In fact, many consider Leura’s village centre more attractive than Katoomba’s counterpart, mainly because of Leura Mall.
Also worth mentioning is that various festivals are held throughout the year in Leura, with the Leura Village Fair and the Leura Garden Festival being two of the biggest ones.
How to Get to Leura
Leura is very easy to get to, by car as well as by public transport.
1. Car
The Great Western Highway (A32) passes through Leura.
To get into Leura, take the Leura Mall exit from the Great Western Highway. At the roundabout above the highway, turn left to go into the Leura village centre, and turn right to go into the northern part of Leura.
2. Train
Travelling by train to Leura from Sydney is incredibly easy.
The Blue Mountains Line travels west from Sydney to Bathurst via several towns in the Blue Mountains, including Springwood, Lawson, Wentworth Falls, Leura, Katoomba, Mount Victoria, and Lithgow.
To get to some of the attractions from Leura station, it’s best to use the 695 Leura and Katoomba loop service. Use the trip planner on the NSW Transport website for more details.
Accommodation in Leura
If you don’t go to the Blue Mountains very often, it’s worth staying one or two nights to make the most of your visit.
While there are plenty of accommodation options in nearby Katoomba, Leura is also a good location for an overnight stay, close to many tourist highlights and excellent facilities in the Leura Mall area.
Here are two good hotel options in Leura:
Hopefully this guide to the best things to do in Leura was helpful and inspiring. Here are some more destination guides you might be interested in:
