Named after the three daughters of the Katoomba tribe, this sandstone formation is a gift from nature!The Three Sisters, or the Meehni, Wimlah, and Gunnedoo towers, are located in the Jamison Valley of New South Wales, Australia. With fresh rock layers being exposed every year due to constant erosion, no two people will have the same experience while visiting this ginormous structure.Formed 300 million years ago, the Three Sisters have many legends surrounding them, which you may or may not indulge in. However, you must soak in the beauty and grace of the natural marvel whenever you get the chance!The Three Sisters’ Geographic LocationThe Three Sisters rock formation is a part of the Blue Mountains and is a great tourist attraction. The rock formations attract millions of tourists all year.The Three Sisters rock formation is situated in the Jamison Valley.Jamison Valley is located in New South Wales, Australia.This rock formation is a two-hour drive away from Sydney and has facilities such as car parking. It attracts many people who are looking for quick relief from city life!The formation of the rock beds was caused due to the settling of sediments in a horizontal fashion.The rock formation looks over the Jamison Valley and stands at over 2,952.7 ft (900 m) above sea level.The Three Sisters rock formation is located near a town named Katoomba.The Katoomba tribe believes in some ancient legends about the rock formations, and all guided tourists are given a slice of the age-old tales.Formation Of The Three SistersThe Three Sisters rock formation of the Blue Mountains is undoubtedly beautiful and is the seat for many legends. Whether or not you choose to believe in the tales is up to you, but you should definitely learn about the formation of these beautiful structures.The Three Sisters formation was formed due to land erosion.According to research and relevant studies in the field, the formation of the Three Sisters started around 300 million years ago.This was the time when planet Earth was going through massive changes in the form of movement of the tectonic plates and the crust itself.As a result of these movements, the oceanic waves started flowing around the area, and the multiple layers of sediment in them started settling.These layers of sediments started settling in a horizontal fashion and eventually gave rise to the Three Sisters.After years of erosion and the work of other natural forces, the sandstone formation started looking like three towers that were conjoined in the middle.The three individual peaks that form the Three Sisters are called Meehni, Wimlah, and Gunnedoo.Meehni is the tallest of the three peaks.Significance Of The Three SistersThe Three Sisters’ formation holds a lot of cultural significance. The rock formation is held dear by the Katoomba tribe of the nearby town, and there are a lot of legends that you may get to hear if you decide on taking a trip to this beautiful place.There are multiple versions of the legends, but the only things that remain constant are the names of the three sisters: Meehni, Wimlah, and Gunnedoo.According to one version of the Aboriginal legend, the story of the three sisters and their love is behind the naming of this formation.According to one version of the story, there were three sisters who were very close to one another and very always together.Their hamartia was that the sisters fell in love with three brothers from a rival tribe.Even though the two tribes did not see eye-to-eye, the brothers decided to give in to love and decided to take the girls away with them in spite of tribal law.This caused major strife and battles between the tribes.In order to save the sisters, they were turned into rocks by a witch doctor at the brothers’ request.However, the two tribes and their battle killed the witch doctor before he could bring the three sisters back to their human form.Hence, the sisters remained immortalized in the form of stone.The tribal law stated that people from the Katoomba and Nepean tribes could not get married.Another version of the story does not involve the breaking of any tribal laws, although it is just as tragic.In another widely circulated version of the story, there were three sisters whose father was a witch doctor named Tyawan.According to legend, Tyawan was very protective of his daughters and left them behind a rocky wall whenever he had to go anywhere.This was also because there was a rock cavity where a monster named Bunyip lived.On one such occasion, when Tyawan had to leave, the sisters were terrified by a centipede that had come near them.To shoo it away, the sisters threw three stones at it.One of the stones ended up going into the rock cavity in which Bunyip lived, and this angered the monster greatly.The monster wanted to kill the sisters, and as Tyawan noticed his daughters’ plight from a distance, he used his magic bone to turn them into stone.Bunyip and Tyawan then had an elaborate fight, which the witch doctor could escape since he could transform into a lyrebird.However, the magic bone was broken and lost in the process, which left the three sisters towering over the valley forever.In the present context, the Three Sisters sandstone formation holds great significance since it draws many tourists.Tourism is an important part of the Australian economy, and as more and more people indulge in the many scenic places and the natural beauty of the Blue Mountains and its surrounding areas, the economy booms!The Three Sisters sandstone formation is a World Heritage Site, which, in addition to the Aboriginal legend, should be reason enough for you to visit the place!Things To Do At The Three SistersIf you plan on visiting this beautiful place in Jamison Valley, there are a few things to keep in mind and a few spots which should not be missed!A place called Echo Point in the Jamison Valley is where you should be headed in order to take a look at these beautiful rocks.The Echo Point is easy to reach and has many facilities such as car parking and wheelchair accessibility which will help in making sure that everyone’s needs are attended to.If you wish to catch a bird’s eye view of the Three Sisters, head towards the stone steps called the Giant Stairway.True to its name, the Giant Stairway consists of over 800 steps which you need to climb in order to catch the best views.Understandably, if going up and down the Giant Stairway is too much of a workout, and you do not wish to have cramps the next day, you may just as well take the Scenic Railway, which will take you around the best spots!In spite of concerns, the Three Sisters are intact and haven’t fallen yet.
Named after the three daughters of the Katoomba tribe, this sandstone formation is a gift from nature!
