Three Sisters are sandstone rock formations in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales , Australia . The peaks stand 3,025 feet (922 meters), 3,012 feet (918 meters), and 2,972 feet (906 meters) above sea level. The Three Sisters rise above the Jamison Valley near Katoomba.
The Three Sisters are popular with tourists. Echo Point is the most common location from which to view the peaks. From there, a trail of about 1,000 steps known as the Giant Stairway leads to the valley floor. A scenic walkway near the base of the Three Sisters leads through an ancient rain forest .
The Three Sisters stand in territory sacred to Aboriginal people of the Darug, Gundangurra, Tharawal, and Wiradjuri tribes. The origin of the name Three Sisters is told in several Aboriginal legends. One version tells of three sisters, Meehni, Wimlah, and Gunnedoo, of the Katoomba mountain tribe. Three young men from the Nepean tribe of the plains courted the girls. Marriage between the sisters and the young men would have broken strict marriage laws. When the young men persisted, a battle broke out between these tribes. A Katoomba witch doctor used magic to turn the three sisters to stone for their protection, but he was killed before he could bring them back to life.
In 2000, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) added the Three Sisters to its World Heritage List as part of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. The World Heritage List recognizes places of unique cultural and natural importance.
