Acer Corner, our studio apartment at Blackheath in the NSW Blue Mountains is perfect for guests without a car. I was prompted to write this after a young soldier came to stay, on leave from his base in the Northern Territory. He travelled by train,
Most people do drive up and there is undercover parking, but a vehicle is definitely not a necessity. The journey from Sydney by rail takes about two and a half hours. From the station it’s a downhill, under ten minute walk to our property at Popes Glen. My partner and I do this regularly with our wheeled cases and we are in our seventies. 😎
The studio is on the left in the following photo.
The walk through to Govett’s Leap begins 100 metres up the road in Dell Street.
Within walking distance in Bacchante Street, the Campbell Gardens are spectacular in spring when the azaleas are in bloom. Those blackened gum trees in the background are a legacy of the bushfires that almost destroyed the gardens in 2019/20.
In the other direction you will find the duck pond, swimming pool and Soldiers’ Memorial Park, with it’s century old rhododendron trees. October/November is peak rhodo time, with the festival held in the first week of November.
Walk through the park and you are almost back at the village. There are plenty of restaurants, cafes and antique shops for days when the weather is unkind.
Hop on the train to visit Katoomba and the Three Sisters or beautiful Leura, known for it’s boutique shops and avenue of flowering cherry trees. A couple of stops west of Blackheath is Mount Victoria with its wonderful museum at the station, historic hotels and the famous Art Deco picture theatre. Uniquely, the theatre snack bar is inside the auditorium.
There are probably few other accommodation places in the Mountains where so much is available to those relying on public transport.
By the way, it’s uphill back to the station, but we would happily drive guests there. 🥰🚘
Heather came from Western Australia to attend the Blue Mountains Writers’ Festival in November 2024. She did have a car, but what a delightful review;
To book a stay at Acer Corner visit Airbnb.
For more information on the Rhododendron Festival, CLICK HERE