Dino dreams come true at Blue Mountains' most extraordinary exhibition

Dinosaurs are alive in the Blue Mountains.

Dubbed Australia's biggest dinosaur exhibition, Scenic World's Dinosaur Valley in Katoomba - just over an hour's drive from Sydney - has more than enough prehistoric delights to entertain even the most die-hard dino devotees and now is the time to check it out.

With a trio of children under five in tow, our group was perfectly suited to testing just how family-friendly the trek through the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains would be.

Before you walk through the entrance to Scenic World you are greeted by half a dozen daunting dinos moving their leathery appendages robotically to and fro. A three-year-old in our group was a little nervous when faced with the dino display, so consider having a chat with your youngster ahead of time if they're easily scared. Though for the most part, things are very tame.

Before heading off, we collected our optional junior ranger kits, which include everything your youngster needs to play the part of dino explorer for the day. We donned our binoculars, tightened our bandanas and rode the cableway down into the Jamison Valley, which was blanketed in an early-morning fog. As we pierced the clouds, you could be forgiven for believing we had travelled back in time more than 100 million years. It really sold the experience.

The air was cool and crisp, and the cicadas provided the backing track to our stroll through the valley.

There are more than two dozen species of dinos to discover and it is up to you to keep a keen eye on your surroundings and listen carefully to the sounds of the nature that surrounds you as you walk along the elevated rainforest boardwalk.

Even in the summer heat, the dense canopy keeps you well protected from the harshest of the sun's rays during the roughly 40-minute walk. Keen-eyed explorers will not only spot life-sized, moving dinosaurs but also bones, eggs and footprints hidden among the lush greenery of the rainforest. You might even spot one of the friendly rangers along the way, baby dinosaurs in tow, who are more than happy to let you pet and feed the tiny creatures and answer even the trickiest dinosaur questions.

For the parents reading this, the best part of the Scenic World experience is that everything can be done at your own pace. There is no rush to see everything, and there are no timers on how long your walk needs to be. The boardwalk is wide, with plenty of room for energetic kids to safely run ahead, hoping to spot the next dinosaur.

Dinosaur exploration is hungry work, and getting back up is a cinch. Making our way out of the valley we opted for the famous Scenic Railway. Going backwards in the world's steepest railway journey at a 52-degree angle, as short as it is, was something we won't forget soon.

The dino delights aren't just confined to the valley. The restaurant has been transformed with glass-encased fossils and statues to check out while you think about what to order from the dinosaur-themed menu.

The entire experience was done in a few hours, including riding the Scenic Skyway and stopping for lunch. For the dinosaur-obsessed, it's an unforgettable (and easy) day out.

Read more on Explore:

Where: Scenic World, Katoomba, NSW. Two hours or less west of Sydney.

When: Dinosaur Valley runs until February 16, 2025. Scenic World is open seven days a week: from 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday; and 9am to 5pm Saturday and Sunday, and in the school holidays.

How much: Tickets start at $54 and a Dinosaur Valley ticket will get you unlimited rides on the Scenic Railway, Cableway and Skyway. Kids under three are free.

The writer was a guest of Scenic World.