Leura sits 985 metres above sea level, about 100 kilometres west of the Sydney CBD, and that height shapes a family trip here more than most people expect. Leura with kids means cool mornings, a village street with cherry trees down the middle, and lookouts over the Jamison Valley.
This page pulls together the town's sights, the walks, the wildlife-focused tours and the parks, plus the weather figures worth checking before you pack. Check current prices and times with each operator before you book.
Why Leura suits a family holiday
Leura is a small town on the Main Western railway line, next to Katoomba, the largest centre in the upper mountains. The two towns merge along Leura's western edge, so a bigger town is close if you need it. In 2016 Leura was named among the top 50 most postcard-worthy small towns in Australia.
The village centre is Leura Mall, where most commercial buildings date from 1900 to the 1920s. A wide grassy median strip is planted with flowering cherry trees, the work of Danish-born landscape gardener Paul Sorenson. The streetscape has been largely preserved. The Mall has a Metro supermarket, handy for stocking up, and the historic post office building now also houses two cafes.
For wider context, our Blue Mountains destination guide covers the surrounding area, and the Leura travel guide has the basics for the town itself.
Lookouts and walks to try with children
The natural attractions are the main event. Sublime Point to the south and Gordon Falls park both offer panoramic views of the Jamison Valley. Leura Cascades lies in the southwest. Whether a given track suits your children depends on their age and stamina, so size up each one before you set out.
The cliff-top network
A network of tracks, some of them part of the Prince Henry walk and the recently completed Grand Cliff Top Walk, links Wentworth Falls Railway Station with Echo Point. Along the way in the Leura area you pass these stops:
- Pool of Siloam
- Elysian Lookout
- Olympian Lookout
- Leura Cascades and Leura Falls
- Jamison Lookout
- Linda Falls
- Dardanelles Pass
The route then climbs to Echo Point by the Giant Stairway. Because the walk is made of named stops, you can pick short sections rather than attempt the lot. A downloadable map covers walking tours of Leura and bushwalks from Gordon Falls or Sublime Point. Bushwalking and photography are both popular here.
For more ideas beyond the walks, see our page on Leura activities.
Gardens, theatre and village events
Leura calls itself the Garden Village, and it has many formal, English-style, cool-climate gardens influenced or designed by Paul Sorenson. Some open to the public in early October each year.
The Everglades Gardens, the former home of Belgian-born industrialist Henri van de Velde, is now run by the National Trust. It includes 5 hectares of landscaped gardens and a Moderne-style house. There is also an outdoor theatre that often hosts productions such as Cirquinox and the Leura Shakespeare festival. Open garden paths tend to work well for children.
The Leura Gardens Festival runs every October. It is a registered charity and raises money for the Blue Mountains District ANZAC Memorial Hospital in Katoomba by opening private gardens. The popular Leura Village Fair runs at the same time, though the two are not connected. October is busy, so book ahead. Our Leura events page is the place to check dates.
One older drawcard has gone. The NSW Toy and Railway Museum at Leuralla closed in 2022 and its toys were auctioned, so do not plan around it.
Family-friendly tours from Sydney
If you would rather leave the driving to someone else, several tours include Leura as a lunch or village stop, and many add wildlife.
| Tour | Length | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Ultimate Blue Mountains and Wildlife Tour | 11 hours | from AUD 305.0 |
| Unforgettable Blue Mountains Day Tour | 11 hours | from AUD 305.0 |
| Private Blue Mountains Tour: Waterfalls, Koalas and Views | 8 to 9 hours | from AUD 543.75 |
| Blue Mountains Private Tour | 10 hours | from AUD 640.0 |
| Blue Mountains Highlights, Wildlife Park and Scenic World | 9 to 10 hours | from AUD 1029.1 |
The Ultimate tour is timed for dusk, when wallabies and kangaroos graze in the bushland, and the Unforgettable tour takes no more than five people in a 4WD. Both include a lunch stop in Leura.
For animals up close, the Highlights tour starts at Featherdale Park, where you handle koalas, kangaroos and wombats, then moves to Scenic World for unlimited rides on the Scenic Railway, one of the world's steepest. The Blue Mountains Private Tour lets you choose guided walks of one to three hours, and Scenic World is available at extra cost.
Two other private options also fit families. The 10-hour private wildlife and cruise tour (from AUD 934.0) includes hand-feeding kangaroos and meeting koalas at a wildlife park. The High Country day trip (from AUD 1042.14) reaches Featherdale Wildlife Park before the crowds. Long days in a vehicle are a lot for little ones, and we reckon the shorter private tours are the easier choice for young children.
More choices are under Leura tours and rentals.
Holiday parks and where to stay
Two parks are listed on this site. Blue Mountains National Park offers powered sites and cabins. Katoomba Falls, in Katoomba, also has powered sites and cabins. Contact the park for current rates and availability before booking.
For rooms rather than sites, our Leura accommodation page covers hotels, apartments, resorts and more.
Weather and what to pack
The climate reflects all four seasons distinctly, and snow falls occasionally in winter. The figures below are for the Blue Mountains area, about 4 km from Leura, using 1991 to 2020 averages.
| Month | Max (C) | Min (C) | Rain (mm) | Rain days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 23.5 | 12.6 | 123.2 | 15.0 |
| February | 22.1 | 12.4 | 145.2 | 15.3 |
| March | 19.7 | 10.5 | 106.9 | 15.0 |
| April | 16.7 | 7.4 | 56.4 | 9.0 |
| May | 13.1 | 4.4 | 48.0 | 6.7 |
| June | 10.2 | 2.4 | 63.6 | 7.7 |
| July | 9.8 | 1.3 | 36.8 | 6.3 |
| August | 11.3 | 1.6 | 45.9 | 6.7 |
| September | 14.9 | 4.0 | 53.0 | 8.3 |
| October | 17.9 | 6.4 | 74.5 | 10.4 |
| November | 20.0 | 8.7 | 104.2 | 13.5 |
| December | 21.9 | 10.8 | 118.7 | 13.3 |
Summer is mild but the wettest, with rain on about 15 days in January and February. July is the coldest, averaging 10 degrees by day and 1 at night. August has the most sunny days, at about 28. Pack layers in any month, plus rain jackets for the warmer, wetter stretch.
Getting there
By road, the Blue Mountains are 104 km and about 104 minutes from Sydney. Other drive times from the Blue Mountains area:
- Central Coast: 150 km, about 144 minutes
- Wollongong: 161 km, about 146 minutes
- Orange: 158 km, about 155 minutes
- Newcastle: 233 km, about 204 minutes
Leura also sits on the Main Western railway line. If you prefer not to drive, see Leura transfers. For general state information, Visit NSW has an official site at Visit NSW, and background on the town's history is at Wikipedia: Leura.
Frequently asked questions
Is Leura good for a family holiday?
It can be. The town is small, with gardens, lookouts over the Jamison Valley and several family-oriented tours that stop here for lunch.
When is the best time to visit Leura with children?
It depends what you want. Summer is warmest, with highs of 22 to 24 degrees, but it is also the wettest. Winter is cold, with July nights near 1 degree and occasional snow. October brings the Leura Gardens Festival and Village Fair.
Where can children see native animals near Leura?
Several tours include Featherdale Park or another wildlife park, where you can see koalas, kangaroos and wombats. The sunset wildlife tour also looks for wallabies and kangaroos grazing in the bushland at dusk.
