What wildlife can you spot within the Blue Mountains?

Just a short drive from the dazzlingly city of Sydney is the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains. Spanning 11,400 km and estimated to be around 470 million years old, this amazing region is well worth the visit.

Home to astonishing bush land, jagged rock formations, and deep canyons. It is the perfect paradise for a range of Australian plants and animals. Step inside this wondrous land and discover some of the best flora and fauna the Blue Mountains can offer.

Animals

• Lyrebird

  You most likely will hear it before you see it, as the complex mimicking call belongs to the Australian superb lyrebird. They can easily be identified by their long protruding tail feathers that are used in their courtship dances to each other. Usually found around the tree trunks rustling the fallen leaves aside for a tasty worm.

• Koalas

  If you are travelling to Australia, you most likely have to spot a koala written on your bucket list. The Blue Mountains is covered with them, but due to their dull colour and their ability to reach crazy heights in trees, they aren’t always spotted easily. However, if you head on a valley bush walk and crick your neck to the tree branches, you may be able to see one sleeping or eating above.

• Kangaroos

  Koalas aren’t the only beloved Aussie animals, with Kangaroos coming in a close second. trek into the bush land in the early hours of the morning and find a mob tucking into the delicious grass. If travelling mid-day, try to find some shady spots in and you’ll see them relaxing in the soft grass. You will even be able to see some wallabies, which are basically smaller kangaroos, around as well.

• Cockatoos

  These noisy birds are hard to miss, with their distinct chatter ringing across the bush land. Most Australian’s are used to the classic white feathers with the yellow head flick, but the blue mountains are also home to the black cockatoos as well. Black cockatoos are covered in dark feathers except for its yellow-banded tail and cheek patches. If your visiting from March to August, you’re guaranteed to see both these types.

Plants

• Eucalyptus Trees

  The famous Eucalyptus trees are the mascot of Australian plants. Ancient beings that tower over other trees and have bonus properties for health with their leave’s oil. The trees flood the blue mountains area and are the reason for its name. The name ‘blue’ comes from the trees admitting its eucalyptus oil when basking in the sunlight. This oil mist reflects the light, and thus creates a blue haze within the area. From Sydney, this haze covers the entire range, resulting in the mountains to look blue from afar.

• Smooth-barked apple

  Also known as Sydney’s red gum, these trees grow up to 30 metres high. Used throughout the Blue Mountains as a perfect habitat for local birds, mammals, and reptiles, the eco-system relies on these trees to survive. See a range of these gums as you bush walk through the lush forestland.

• Waratah

  The brilliant colour of the Waratah flower is hard not to miss. The native bush scatters the area, sprouting these humongous brilliant pink and red flowers every spring. The waratah is so unique and distinguishable that is has been assigned as New South Wales official state emblem.

Related article: Where to go in the Blue Mountains?