The Three Sisters declared an Aboriginal place by the NSW government

The Three Sisters at Katoomba in the Blue Mountains has been recognised as an Aboriginal place by the New South Wales government.

The Three Sisters at Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, NSW

The New South Wales Environment Minister, Robyn Parker, made the announcement last week, making it the 98th site to be declared in the state.

Aboriginal people have been connected to this land for thousands of years, and Gundungurra Elder Sharyn Halls says the declaration will preserve Aboriginal culture in the Blue Mountains.

"It wasn't nominated for tourism, it was nominated for protection and our cultural values," said Ms Halls.

The iconic landmark attracts over 600,000 tourists every year, who visit the site to learn about Australia’s Aboriginal history.  

“The Gundungurra Aboriginal Heritage Association came to the government with a proposal to make The Three Sisters an Aboriginal place, that's a place of significance and it’s critically important that the request comes from the Aboriginal community because it’s about their culture, their history and their stories," said Minister Parker.

Nominations for the declaration of Aboriginal places began in August of 2011.