Three Sisters above the forested Jamison Valley
Published on 09/12/2026 at 09:42 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
On the escarpment above the Jamison Valley in New South Wales, the sandstone towers of Three Sisters form a striking silhouette beside the town of Katoomba in Australia. Carved from Triassic sandstone and named Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo, they stand above the valley floor within Blue Mountains National Park and the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.Triassic sandstone peaks
Sandstone pillars on the edge of the Jamison Valley
Three Sisters is an unusual rock formation on the north escarpment of the Jamison Valley, close to the town of Katoomba in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales.north escarpment of the Jamison Valley The three sandstone pillars rise to elevations of 922 m, 918 m and 906 m (3,025 ft, 3,011 ft and 2,972 ft) above sea level, standing above a broad amphitheatre of eucalyptus forest.each stands over 900 metres tall
The formation sits at Echo Point, a promontory on the escarpment rim where the ground falls away into the Jamison Valley and distant sandstone cliffs form a wide horizon.Echo Point in Katoomba From the main viewing area the three towers stand side by side on a spur of rock, with forested slopes dropping away beneath them and layers of pale sandstone visible in the surrounding cliffs.
Aboriginal legend and the names Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo
Three Sisters carries Aboriginal significance as a place tied to stories from local peoples of the Blue Mountains. One widely shared legend tells of three sisters named Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo who lived in the Jamison Valley as members of a Katoomba group and were turned to stone by a clever man using his magic to protect them from danger.legend of Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo Another version of the story introduces the Bunyip, a feared creature whose appearance prompted their father Tyawan to transform his daughters into rock while he himself became a lyrebird, forever searching for the magic stick that would restore them.Tyawan and the lyrebird
The legends sit alongside the visible geology of Three Sisters, where erosion of the sandstone plateau has isolated the pillars from the surrounding cliff line. Over geological timescales water, wind and the weathering of softer layers of rock have shaped the towers and surrounding ravines, leaving vertical faces, terraces and ledges that catch light differently through the day.geological erosion of sandstone
Walking routes and viewpoints around Three Sisters
The most direct vantage point for Three Sisters lies at Echo Point lookout, a developed viewing area on Echo Point Road in Katoomba where paths and platforms reach the escarpment edge above the Jamison Valley.Echo Point lookout From here a short walking track leads towards the formation itself, with the Three Sisters walk in Blue Mountains National Park taking visitors along the cliff top and towards a closer view of the pillars on a route described as an easy 0.8 km return.
Beyond the main lookout, paths continue along the escarpment and down into the valley through routes such as the Giant Stairway, which descends hundreds of steps from near Echo Point into the forest below.Giant Stairway descent Other tracks link to longer walks through Blue Mountains National Park, where sandstone ledges, gullies and dense eucalyptus forest form a varied landscape around the Three Sisters and neighbouring cliffs.
Visiting Three Sisters: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Three Sisters stands at Echo Point on the northern rim of the Jamison Valley in Katoomba, a town in the Blue Mountains region of New South Wales, west of Sydney in eastern Australia. The site lies within Blue Mountains National Park and the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.
- The terrain around Echo Point includes paved paths, viewing platforms and sections of staircases along the escarpment. Descending routes such as the Giant Stairway use narrow steps that drop steeply from the cliff top into the valley.
- In this part of New South Wales the seasons bring varying conditions to the escarpment and valley, with mist and cloud sometimes gathering around the sandstone cliffs and forested slopes.
- Nearby, the town of Katoomba provides a cluster of services, with railway access from Sydney and the Great Western Highway running through the Blue Mountains region towards the escarpment.
- The official language is English and the currency is the Australian dollar. Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
Searching for Three Sisters on social platforms
These links open searches for Three Sisters on each platform.
Frequently asked questions about Three Sisters
Where is Three Sisters located?
Three Sisters stands at Echo Point near Katoomba in the Blue Mountains region of New South Wales in eastern Australia, above the Jamison Valley.
What should visitors expect on a visit?
Visitors encounter sandstone pillars rising above a forested valley, with viewing platforms and walking tracks along the escarpment and routes descending by staircases into Blue Mountains National Park.
What makes Three Sisters distinctive among Australian landscapes?
The combination of three named sandstone towers, elevations above 900 m (2,953 ft) and enduring Aboriginal legends associated with Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo gives Three Sisters a distinctive character on the rim of the Jamison Valley.
