How were the Blue Mountains formed?

The formation of the Blue Mountains landscape occurred over 300 million years ago and began with earth movements that created the quartzite base on which the mountains stand. From there, the geography was formed by rivers that regularly flooded the base and left sediment deposits. read more

In 1788 the Blue Mountains were originally named "Carmarthen Hills" and "Landsdowne Hills" by Governor Phillip, however, it wasn’t long after, that the distinctive blue haze surrounding the area saw the change in name to the Blue Mountains. read more

Structurally, the Blue Mountains are part of the greater Sydney Basin. The Sydney Basin consists of layers of sedimentary rocks laid down over the past 300 million years. The Blue Mountains and Great Dividing Range were formed about 50 million years ago, when the area was uplifted. read more