Archaeological
studies indicate that the Blue Mountains were formed around one million years
ago as part of the Kosciusko Uplift during the Pliocene Epoch.
Pressure from
the east raised the area upwards in a monoclinal fold, reaching an elevation of
around three thousand feet to the top of the Blue Mountains where Mount Victoria
is today.
In
1788 the Blue Mountains were originally named "Carmarthen Hills" and
"Landsdowne Hills" by Governor Phillip, however, it wasn’t long
after, that the distinctive blue haze surrounding the area saw the change in name
to the Blue Mountains.
The Blue Mountains is densely populated by oil bearing
Eucalyptus trees. The atmosphere is filled with finely dispersed droplets of oil,
which, in combination with dust particles and water vapour, scatter short-wave
length rays of light which are predominantly blue in colour.
Australian
Aborigines were the first to inhabit the Blue Mountains, however, we are unable
to determine how far back in history this occurred.
Evidence of the Daruk tribe
who inhabited the area in ages past can be seen through aboriginal art carved
into rock. Remarkably preserved today is the ancient rock carving known as "the
flight of the Great Grey Kangaroo" which is located at the foot of Hawkesbury
Lookout, Hawkesbury Heights (near Winmalee).
Due
to the rough terrain and lack of resources, the Blue Mountains were seen as an
impassible barrier for future exploration from the time of Captain Cook’s
landing in 1770 through to 1813.
In 1813, Gregory Blaxland, William Charles
Wentworth, and Lieutenant Lawson, along with four servants, four pack horses and
five dogs, set off on an exploration which was to create history. On the 11th
May 1813 the explorers departed from Emu Plains reaching the foothills of the
Blue Mountains, or Glenbrook as it is known today.
For Blaxland, Wentworth
and Lawson, the trip across the Blue Mountains was a tremendous struggle. Having
insufficient food for their journey, they recorded the trek required constant
hacking through thick scrub and treading through "damp dew-laden undergrowth".
They were also in fear of attack by aborigines. These factors, in combination
with sickness, nearly saw the men defeated by the rugged terrain.
Eighteen
days later, on the 29th May 1813, the Blue Mountains was no longer
considered an impassible barrier following the discovery of the gently sloping
mountains to the west.
Today, just west of Katoomba you can see the remains
of a Eucalyptus tree marked by the famous explorers Blaxland Wentworth and Lawson.
The Marked Tree, along with Caley’s Repulse at Lawson, are the only remaining
marks of the early explorers. A cairn of stones was also placed at Linden, however,
we can not be certain if the existing cairn at Linden is the original.
With
William Cox having established a road across the Blue Mountains, Governor Macquarie
journeyed across the Blue Mountains in 1815 naming both Springwood and Blackheath.
A few years later, 1816 - 1817, the Blue Mountains saw its first building. Established
by Governor Macquarie, a military post was built at Springwood to keep communications
with Bathurst. This site was located on Macquarie Road between Homedale and Short
Streets where a plaque has been erected. This building was the first of several
military posts which were necessary to protect travellers from being attacked
by the aborigines. It has been recorded that posts were located at Springwood,
Bull’s Camp, Woodford, Weatherboard (Wentworth Falls), Blackheath and Mount
Victoria.
Blackheath saw its first building in 1831 being "The Scotch
Thistle" Inn erected by Andrew Gardner which was visited by the renowned
scientist Charles Darwin in 1836. The site for "The Scotch Thistle"
was located slightly south of the present Gardners Inn Hotel.
In
the 1850’s Gold was discovered in the Bathurst district. This discovery resulted
in a lot of travellers across the Blue Mountains.
The Gold Rush attracted many
Chinese people who were not so much interested in Gold as they were in selling
their skills and merchandise across the Blue Mountains.
Springwood, with
it’s pleasant climate, became the camping ground for hundreds of Chinese
around this time. And while hundreds of people flocked to the gold fields, the
need for better and faster transport became apparent. In the early 1860’s
a survey was under-way for the Blue Mountains railway.
Suddenly the
Blue Mountains experienced great change. The old horse-drawn mail coaches were
no match to travellers who could now take advantage of this super new form of
transport across the mountains. The first railway stations were located at Emu
Plains, Blaxland, Springwood, Woodford, Lawson , Wentworth Falls and Mount Victoria
adjacent to popular Inns.
On the 11th July 1867, the first official
journey by train was made between Penrith and Weatherboard (Wentworth Falls) where
the line terminated. The first passenger train was a G.23 Class 2-4-0 Passenger
Type engine.
Another part of Blue Mountains Railway history is the origin
of the "The Fish" which is still the name of one of the peak hour train
services between Sydney and the Lithgow. In 1866 a 14 Class 2-2-2 Express Passenger
Type No. 15 first made the businessman’s journey between Sydney and Penrith.
For around fourteen years this service was regularly driven by a Mr John Heron
who, being a big man, gained the nick name "The Big Fish" which eventually
transferred to the train itself. The original engine pulling "The Fish"
survived around 20 years.
As the Blue
Mountains began to commercialise, Springwood became the Mountains commercial centre,
primarily due to the "Springwood Hotel". This hotel operated in 1876
as a hotel, boarding house, newsagency, store and post office owned by Mr Frank
Raymond. The Hotel was later renamed to the "Oriental Hotel". The existing
"Oriental Hotel" was opened in 1891 where church services were also
held on occasions as there were no churches in Springwood around this time.
At
the turn of the century the population of Springwood had reached around five hundred
people. Springwood gained a reputation for it’s climate, surrounding bush
and wildlife, which is still as glorious today as it was in the early 1900s.
Surprisingly
enough Katoomba was little known in history until 1879 when J.B. North opened
the Katoomba Coal Mine. Coal was obtained from the side of the mountain near Orphan
Rock using a cable car to bring the coal to the top. The now famous Scenic Railway
operates in the original cutting in the mountain side.
The first hotel in Katoomba
was erected in 1882 by Mr. Harry Rowell. Known as the ‘Great Western Hotel’
this establishment attracted many visitors and tourists to the area. The hotel
was sold in 1886 to Mr. F. Goyder who performed major alterations on the building
and renamed it "The Carrington" after the reigning Governor.
Along
the Blue Mountains railway line in 1874, there an area where stone was quarried
to provide ballast. The area was given the name of "Crushes". It was
at this point trains stopped to adjust the brakes of the carriages to allow for
the descent to Springwood. The name "Crushes" was changed to Katoomba
in 1877.
In
1832 Major Mitchell built a road from Mount Victoria to Hartley to replace the
dangerous grades of Bathurst Road built by William Cox. This new road made it
possible to travel safely via horse-drawn vehicles. However, not foreseeing some
72 years into the future in 1904, the first motor car to travel down Victoria
Pass required the assistance of a horse to be able to get back to the top. Of
course motor vehicles soon improved with the likes of the prestigious De Dion
Bouton.
The motor vehicle created a lot of dust and noise, yet the appeal of
their speed soon saw the end of the horse and carriage for the Blue Mountains
travellers. The Blue Mountains began to boom as a tourist destination just prior
to the roaring twenties with the first Motor Coaches coming on the scene.
Location
/ Maps
