This time last year, Mt Wilson was overwhelmed. The annual autumn festival combined with the Easter weekend and school holidays saw visitor numbers soar.
Roads were at a standstill, rubbish bins overflowed and the toilets backed up. Even the RFS sausage sizzle sold out.
Locals, perhaps nervous about a repeat performance, cancelled the autumn festival this year. And council also stepped in to help.
The result: A lot of happy visitors but no major issues.
Mt Wilson Progress Association vice-president, Alison Halliday, said Easter Sunday had been the busiest day.
“The RFS sold over 600 sausages. All visitors happy and no traffic problems at all.
“BMCC have been wonderful and supplied six portaloos, very much needed. Consequently there have been none of the problems of last year,” she said.
A council spokeswoman said 38 additional bins were installed in the Cathedral of Ferns reserve and Mt Wilson village centre.
“Council also supplied eight portaloos ... prior to the chestnut harvest weekend which remained in place over Easter.”
She said many Mountains villages and towns experienced very high numbers over Easter and during the school holidays, including Katoomba, Leura, Wentworth Falls, Mt York and Megalong Valley campground.
“Council provided additional bins and significant additional staff resources to clean public toilets and empty bins in all of these locations as well as Echo Point, Bull Camp Woodford, and Sutton Park Blackheath.
“Council increased the normal level of service each day to manage the increased volume of rubbish and demand for public toilets during this time.”
Traffic was particularly bad on the highway at Wentworth Falls, Katoomba and Blackheath with many reporting the trip from Sydney to the Upper Mountains took up to five hours.