For a taste of the serenity of the Blue Mountains at half the distance of Katoomba, Glenbrook is a beautiful little mountain village with its own unique corner of the National Park.
Only an hour from Sydney CBD and a mere 10 minutes from Penrith, it is very easy to reach by car along the Great Western Highway and by train on the Blue Mountains Line.
The entrance to the National Park can be found at the end of Bruce Road, where you'll also find a visitors centre. You'll have to pay a vehicle entry fee which is currently $7 per day. Once inside the park there are paved roads in the most popular areas and well-maintained dirt roads elsewhere, so it's easy to get around.
Nepean Lookout
One of the highlights of this part of the National Park Jellybean Pool, which will be the first turn-off signposted inside the park gates. It is a peaceful waterhole bordered by soft banks and eucalpyts, popular for picnics and swimming on warm days.
In Euroka Clearing, a few kilometres further into the park, you'll find a lush green valley suitable for camping and larger barbecues, and if you're lucky you'll see some of the resident wild wallabies grazing.
Wallabies
To stretch your legs a bit, follow the signs pointing to Nepean Lookout for a magnificent view of the Nepean River, or walk to Pisgah Rock for more secluded views of the surrounding valleys. A unique side-trip is Red Hands Cave - also well-signposted - a protected site with Aboriginal hand stencils visible on the cave walls.
Once you've had your nature fix, Glenbrook is well-known amongst locals as a cafe hot spot, and also has a number of small restaurants and the Lapstone Pub a few minutes drive further along the Great Western Highway, so there's no need to head home on an empty stomach.
Check out the
official page from the Department of Environment for the latest updates on the park.
