| Lapstone New South Wales |
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| Population: | 854 (2006 Census)[1] | ||||||||||||
| Postcode: | 2773 | ||||||||||||
| Location: | 60 km (37 mi) from Sydney CBD | ||||||||||||
| LGA: | City of Blue Mountains | ||||||||||||
| Federal Division: | Division of Lindsay | ||||||||||||
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Lapstone is a small village on the eastern escarpment of the Blue Mountains in New South Wales, Australia. Lapstone is located 62 kilometres west of Sydney in the local government area of the City of Blue Mountains and is part of the federal electorate of Macquarie.[2] The village consists mostly of stand-alone housing and has a few public facilities. At the 2006 census, Lapstone had a population of 854 people.[1]
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The Lapstone Zig Zag line (or "little" zig zag) opened near Glenbrook in 1867. The ascent of Lapstone Hill on a gradient of 1 in 30-33, was built up the side of the range with comparatively light earthwork, includes the substantial seven-span sandstone Knapsack Viaduct. This was later widened to carry the old Great Western Highway, when the deviation around the little zig zag was built. It is now part of a walking trail on the old railway/highway alignment, including a memorial to the engineer in charge of the construction of the Blue Mountains line and many other early railways, John Whitton.
It has been suggested that Lapstone was named by early explorers who found smooth stones in the area which reminded them of the lapstones used by cobblers.[3]
Lapstone railway station is on the Blue Mountains railway line of the CityRail intercity network. Lapstone can be accessed by road from the Great Western Highway/M4 Motorway by exiting at Governors Drive and Explorers Road from Glenbrook.
The Lapstone Hotel (also known as 'The Lappo') is not actually situated in Lapstone but in Blaxland. Located on the Great Western Highway, it was built in 1980 and was refurbished in 2007.[4] The original Lapstone Hotel was taken over by the RAAF shortly after World War II and turned into The Officer's Mess.
Lapstone Oval features a Rugby union field, an artificial cricket pitch (which is taken out during the winter months), sixteen netball courts (7 are grass and 9 are asphalt) and play area for young children.