Blackheath (postcode: 2785) is a town[2] located near the highest point of the Blue Mountains, between Katoomba and Mount Victoria in New South Wales, Australia.

The surrounding areas of Blackheath were thought to be a summer corroboree meeting place for peoples of the Darug, Gundungurra and Wiradjuri nations.

[6] After crossing the Blue Mountains in 1815 and returning from Bathurst, Governor Lachlan Macquarie renamed the settlement as "Black-Heath", in reference to the colour and texture of the native shrubbery in the area.

[8] The extent of the original grant of land to Gardner can be seen today as the area bound by the Great Western Highway, Govetts Leap Road and (the misspelt) Gardiners Crescent.

Blackheath developed into a town after the Main Western railway line was built in 1869; the current station location was completed in 1883.

Of these:[1] From Blackheath town centre, a short drive to the east-north-east takes visitors to Govetts Leap, a lookout with views of the Grose Valley and nearby waterfalls.

The area is known today for its colourful blooms in Spring and golden Autumn foliage as the weather begins to cool.

The 18.5-hectare (46-acre) gardens comprise rhododendrons/azaleas planted underneath a native Australian bush canopy tended by the volunteers of The Blue Mountains Rhododendron Society of NSW.

[18] Occurring on the first Sunday of November, the festival commemorates the flowering of the Rhododendron Tree, a species commonly planted throughout Blackheath by European settlers, especially in the Blackheath Soldiers Memorial Park and the Campbell Rhododendron Gardens The festival includes a parade, as well as stalls from local businesses.

Local topography tends to keep minimum temperatures in the −3 to 5 °C (27 to 41 °F) range as the coldest air during radiative cooling (clear, calm nights) drains into the valleys.

[citation needed] Blackheath's location on a high ridge makes it vulnerable to strong and sometimes destructive winds, especially in the winter months when cold fronts surge up from the Southern Ocean, producing land gales.

On 5 July 2011 a strong cold front passed over the area that produced winds that officially gusted up to 139 km/h (86 mph), causing many trees to be uprooted and extensive damage to some property.

The Venturi effect, where airflow is constricted by vertical cliffs and deep valleys, would probably have produced winds notably stronger than this in vulnerable locations in town and nearby.

The most common cause for quite frequent spring/summer thunderstorms in and around Blackheath is related to the early, mid morning heating of the lower atmosphere, due to the town's elevation.