Guide to Mount Wilson New South Wales Australia

Mount Wilson is a small village on a basalt-capped ridge about 1,000 metres high, eight kilometres off Bells Line of Road between Bell and Mount Tomah. Wealthy Sydney families built summer houses here from the 1870s and planted the deep volcanic soil with oaks, elms, maples and beeches. The result, a century and a half later, is a village of avenues and large gardens surrounded by rainforest and national park.

Known For

• Autumn colour and spring blossom
• Historic gardens open to visitors
• The Cathedral of Ferns

There are no shops, no fuel and very little mobile coverage, which is part of the appeal. Come with a picnic and a full tank. The village is busiest in the last two weeks of April and the first week of May, when the leaves turn and cars line the avenues.

Things To Do in Mount Wilson

Gardens

Several of the big gardens open to the public in spring and autumn for a small entry fee, among them Breenhold, Nooroo, Windyridge and Merry Garth. Opening days differ from garden to garden and year to year, so look for the signs at the gates or check the village website. Even with every gate closed, a walk along the Avenue and Church Lane under the trees is worth the drive.

Cathedral of Ferns

At the northern end of the village a short loop track runs through cool rainforest of sassafras, coachwood and giant tree ferns. It takes about twenty minutes. The Waterfall track, near the centre of the village, is a steeper half-hour loop to two small falls.

Lookouts

Du Faurs Rocks and Wynnes Rocks are sandstone outcrops at the edge of the ridge with views over the Wollemi and Blue Mountains wilderness. Both are a short walk from a car park.

Turkish Bath Museum

The Turkish bath house built in the 1880s in the grounds of Wynstay is now a small museum of village history, open on selected days.

Canyons

The Wollangambe River below the village is one of the best known canyon trips in the mountains, floated on air mattresses in summer. It is a full day and a serious undertaking; go with a guide unless you are experienced.

Where To Stay

There are a handful of guesthouses and cottages in the village, and a basic free camping area at Cathedral Reserve.

Eat & Drink

Food is limited to occasional tea rooms and stalls during the garden seasons. The nearest reliable meals are at Mount Tomah, Bilpin and Blackheath.

History

The mountain was surveyed in 1868 and named after John Bowie Wilson, the Secretary for Lands. The first houses went up in the 1870s after a railway platform opened at Bell, and several of them are still owned by descendants of the families who built them.

Getting to Mount Wilson

Mount Wilson is about 125 kilometres from Sydney by Richmond and Bells Line of Road, a little over two hours. From Katoomba, drive by Mount Victoria and the Darling Causeway to Bell, about 50 minutes. There is no public transport.