Leura Gardens Festival

Garden No 13 - Blue Vista, 17 Olympian Parade
Courtesy of Dr R. Lindeman and Dr E. Lindeman

Blue Vista is one of the original show gardens in Leura, and has been included in this year’s Leura Gardens Festival as a sentimental reminder of its history.

The garden was established by well-known Blue Mountains identities, Harry and Mary Hammon. Harry was regarded as the "father" of tourism in the Blue Mountains, owning and operating Katoomba's Scenic Railway (now known as Scenic World) for almost 55 years; he died in 2000.

Mary Hammon established the Blue Mountains Health Trust, and had a love of the Blue Mountains, having lived here since she was five years old. She established the beautiful and well set-out gardens known as Blue Vista and opened them to the public every year during the Springtime Festival. The flowering cherry trees, rhododendrons, azaleas, magnolias and daffodils she planted can still be seen, and frame a magnificent view over the Jamison Valley. 

The front portion of the garden is dominated by a weeping linden tree that hides the house from the street, while the area behind the house contains ponds and meandering paths through azalea beds, and falls away to the escarpment, with views to Mount Solitary and the Three Sisters. 

Thanks to Sandra Hill and Amanda Newman who have helped to again reveal this beautiful garden.