Springwood, New South Wales

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Springwood is a town about halfway up the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, New South Wales, between Valley Heights and Faulconbridge on the Blue Mountains railway line. To the north is Winmalee. Springwood is in the heart of the Blue Mountains National Park and the Greater Blue Mountains Area World Heritage Site. It is part of the City of Blue Mountains, known as "the City within a World Heritage National Park".

It is 360 metres above sea level and, like most of the towns in the vicinity, is located on a narrow ridge between two gorges. The ridge barely has enough room for the road and railway to climb up to the summit at Katoomba.

It shares the postcode 2777.

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[edit] Population

According to the 2001 Census, there were 8019 people living in Springwood including 3767 males (46.97%) and 4252 females (53.03%). The majority (79.7%) were born in Australia.

[edit] History

In 1815 Governor Lachlan Macquarie and his wife stopped by what Macquarie called a "spring" for the area was known to be rich in springs - It was later named "Springwood" - Spring (named after the springs in the area) Wood named after the magnificient Mountain Blue Gums(Euc deanei)of the area -now a nationally listed threatened and endangered local ecological community.

From this visit came the town's name and also the name of the main street, Macquarie Road.

Unfortunately however ridgetop development has disturbed this sensitive Winamatta shale geology of the area and is now hard to find springs in the region.

Springwood features the oldest railway station building in the Blue Mountains built in 1884

[edit] Climate

Springwood generally has mild winters and mild summers, but frequently suffers bushfire damage during the summer months. It has a rainfall of approximately 800 mm per year. Council Weather website with up to date readings.

[edit] Springwood highlights

Springwood's business centres around Macquarie Road which runs parallel to the Great Western Highway and the railway line. The town comes alive in April for Springwood Foundation Day and in October for Springwood Crazy Day, as well as for the ANZAC Day Parade. The Blue Mountains Vietnam Veterans' Association conducts the largest annual parade and Memorial Service for Vietnam veterans in Australasia, at Springwood, on the third Sunday of August, to coincide with the anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan, 18th August 1966.

Springwood also serves as focal point for several outer suburbs including Linden, Faulconbridge, Winmalee, Yellow Rock, Valley Heights, Sun Valley and Hawkesbury Heights which have fewer shops and amenities

  • Bushwalks
    • Sassafras Gully - a bushwalker's paradise
    • Birdwood Gully - for easy bushwalks
    • Fairy Dell - an easy bushwalk very close to town
    • Deanei Reserve - the original Blue Gum forests of Springwood [1]
    • Else Mitchell Park - great bushland remnant and short bushwalk [2] [3]
    • Martin's Lookout
  • Hotels
  • Churches
  • Schools
  • Miscellaneous
    • Braemar Historic Gallery - open at selected times of the year for exhibitions of contemporary works by local and Sydney artists.
    • Blue Mountains Aquatic Centre
    • Springwood Golf Course
    • Springwood Tennis Courts
    • Manners Park

[edit] References

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This article has been tagged since February 2007.

Coordinates: 33°42′S 150°33′E

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