VenuEs
Craft
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Connection
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Joy
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Grief
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Rage
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Legacy
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Possibility
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Family
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Reflection
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Friendship
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Redemption
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Wonder
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Craft • Connection • Joy • Grief • Rage • Legacy • Possibility • Family • Reflection • Friendship • Redemption • Wonder •
The Carrington Hotel
The Carrington Hotel will play host to the majority of events over the Festival weekend. The Carrington Hotel has had a long, rich history since opening its doors in August 1883, offering the unique ambience and timeless elegance of a bygone era.
The Carrington Hotel is at 15-47 Katoomba Street, 160 metres from Katoomba railway station.
Parking for wheelchair users at The Carrington Hotel can be reserved by emailing hello@bluemountainswritersfestival.com.au. Once inside, all venues have accessible seating, and wheelchair accessible toilets are available in all venues except The Baroque. Further information is on our Accessibility page.
The Grand Dining Room
The Grand Dining Room of The Carrington Hotel, with its spectacular vaulted ceiling and stunning art deco features, was built in 1887. The Grand Dining Room has long been a venue for all kinds of celebrations and remains largely as it was when it was built over 130 years ago (but don’t worry, it has air-conditioning now).
The Grand Dining Room sits 220 people.
Access to the Grand Dining Room is via The Carrington Hotel’s main entrance, which involves two flights of steps. Alternative access is via the undercover car park on the right of The Carrington Hotel, where there is a small ramp to an entrance that gives flat access to the venue.
T-loop and live captioning services will be available for sessions in the Grand Dining Room.
The Ballroom
Access to the Ballroom is via The Carrington Hotel’s main entrance, which involves two flights of steps.
Alternative access is via the undercover car park on the right of The Carrington Hotel, where there is a small ramp to an entrance that gives flat access to the venue.
The Ballroom sits 115 people.
The Baroque Room
The Baroque Room is located in a separate building from the main hotel. Featuring an archway entrance, marble bar and a stage for performances, this stylish venue is a sight to behold.
The Baroque Room seats 100 people.
To reach The Baroque Room, walk up the driveway from Katoomba St, past the Old City Bank Brasserie. Enter through the Baroque archway and turn right into the laneway. There is level access to the main room and bar from the driveway of The Carrington Hotel.
Please note that there are no wheelchair-accessible toilets at this venue.
tibbi whalan hall
The Tibbi Whalan Hall is located in the heart of Katoomba town centre. Originally built in the 1970s, it provides a link between Katoomba Street, the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre, Katoomba Library, and the Katoomba Village Shopping Centre.
The Tibbi Whalan Hall seats 320 people.
There is both flat ground and ramp access to the Hall from College Lane or Katoomba Street, although do note that both College Lane and Katoomba Street are relatively steep. Accessible parking spaces are available underneath the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre & Coles carpark (accessed via Parke Street) with lift access to College Lane. There is an accessible toilet located within the Main Hall.
T-loop and live captioning services will be available for sessions in the Hall.
Located at 81-83 Katoomba Street, Katoomba.
Scenic World
Located in Katoomba at the corner of Violet Street and Cliff Drive, Scenic World offers thrilling ways to enjoy some of the Blue Mountains’ most spectacular sites. The Scenic World complex is wheelchair accessible and has accessible toilets.
Scenic Skyway
One of the ultimate spots from which to view the iconic Three Sisters, Orphan Rock and Mt Solitary, the Skyway is the exhilarating venue for our Writers in the Sky events, where you will be suspended over the Jamison Valley while listening to authors and poets.
There are no seats in the Skyway, but we can provide seats for those who are unable to stand for the duration of the event.
This venue is wheelchair accessible. Entrance to the Skyway is on the third floor, and can be accessed via elevator from the ground floor.
Scenic Railway
The Scenic Railway is extremely steep and as such is not wheelchair accessible, nor suitable for guests with serious neck or back injuries.
For comfort and safety on the Railway:
Guests must be able to maintain an upright seated posture and must be able to support themselves independently for the duration of the ride using either their arms or legs (amputees’ prosthesis must be fitted).
Guests must be able to embark and disembark the Railway independently or with assistance from a carer. Staff cannot assist with lifting or moving guests.
Prams, strollers and some mobility aids are not permitted on the Railway.
The Old Stables at Lot101
These refurbished old stables have been converted into a 140-square-metre venue, blending rustic charm with restored wooden floors, open ceilings, and large windows that flood the space with natural light.
There’s accessible parking next to the building, as well as an adjacent accessible toilet.
Located at 853 Megalong Valley Road, Megalong Valley, opposite the Mill House accommodation. Just 30-seconds drive past the Megalong Valley Tea Rooms!
Note: there is no public transport or Festival transportation available to this venue.
Cultural Centre
Festival workshops take place in the Seminar and Workshop Rooms in the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre. The centre also houses the Katoomba Library, where the Kids Program takes place. Make sure to also check out the viewing platform for stunning views of Katoomba and the Jamison Valley.
There are accessible parking spaces available within the Cultural Centre building (accessed via Parke Street), underneath Coles. There is also lift access to the Cultural Centre from both parking levels.
Located at 30 Parke St, Katoomba.
Seminar & Workshop Rooms
Festival workshops take place in the Cultural Centre’s Seminar Room and Workshop Room. Make sure to also check out the viewing platform for stunning views of Katoomba and the Jamison Valley.
Katoomba Library
Katoomba Library is located within the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre and is where the Kids Program will take place on Saturday 31 October.
The Varuna Reading Room
The Varuna Reading Room is a stunning new workshop and event space at Varuna the National Writers’ House. During the Blue Mountains Writers’ Festival, the Varuna Reading Room will host writing workshops.
There’s limited accessible parking next to the building, as well as an accessible toilet.
Drivers can drop-off their passengers onsite and then move to the recommended parking area on Cascade St (not Sherman Ave). Varuna's driveway, car park and gardens are uneven and care is recommended when accessing the property at all times.
Located at 141 Cascade St, Katoomba.
Blue Mountains Sauna
Blue Mountains Sauna is Australia's first dedicated European-style public sauna, in the heart of Leura.
There is limited parking on site, otherwise there's street parking on Quinns Avenue, Leura Mall, or the nearby Woolworths car park. Blue Mountains Sauna is not wheelchair accessible.
Located at 7 Quinns Avenue, Leura NSW 2780
More festival information
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With the exception of Scenic World, the Megalong Valley and Varuna, all venues are within two minutes’ walk of one another.
Three of the four main stages for the Festival’s panels and interviews will be in venues at The Carrington Hotel, at 15-47 Katoomba Street, Katoomba
The fourth venue, the Tibbi Whalan Hall, is located at 81-83 Katoomba Street, Katoomba.
Workshops will be held at the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre (next door to the Carrington Hotel) and Varuna (a 5 minute drive or 20 minute walk from the Carrington Hotel).
The kids’ program will be held at Katoomba Library.
Writers in the Sky and Inspired by Nature will be at Scenic World, 1 Violet Street, Katoomba. There will be a shuttle bus for Writers in the Sky, leaving from the Carrington, but there is no transport to Inspired by Nature.
Friday’s Megalong Valley program will be held at the Old Stables, 853 Megalong Road, Megalong Valley. You will need your own transport to get there.
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There are 40 all-day parking spots available on Saturday and Sunday from 9:00am to 6:30pm in the TAFE Katoomba carpark located on Parke St, opposite the Parke St entrance to the Carrington. Please ensure that all cars are removed by 6:15pm.
Parking at The Carrington Hotel itself is available for Carrington Hotel overnight guests only.
A limited number of onsite parking spots at The Carrington (via the Parke Street entry) will be available for those with an Accessible Parking Permit. More information about Accessible Parking is available on our Accessibility page.
For the festival weekend you can find parking at the underground car park of Coles (next door to The Carrington), the open-air parking outside Woolworths, the underground car park for Woolworths, and the commuter carpark next to Hotel Gearin in Goldsmith Place, Katoomba.
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There will be a breakfast, lunch and light dinner menu available from the bar at The Carrington Hotel, as well as dinner at the Bistro above The Baroque Bar. For a complete listing of dining options, see our Stay page.
Making our festival accessible
Varuna, the National Writers’ House is committed to making our programs and events as accessible as possible. Detailed access information for the 2026 Blue Mountains Writers Festival is available here.
If you have individual access requirements that aren’t covered on our website, please contact us at hello@bluemountainswritersfestival.com.au and let us know how we can help.
