Katoomba in context

1788

First sighting of the  Blue Mountains in 1788 by Captain Arthur Phillip, later the Governor of NSW.

1813

Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson reach site of Bathurst

1814

Wentworth Falls: A rough slab hut was erected in Oct 1814 by Cox, the road builder. The area was known as The Weatherboard until about 1900.

Mount York reached on 3 Nov 1814

1815

Road completed to Bathurst on 14 Jan 1815

(April) Governor Macquarie and party cross mountains using road newly built by Cox.

Blackheath: named by Governor Macquarie when he camped there on 29 April 1815.

1816

Site of barracks. Governor Macquarie’s first mountain camp. He named it Springwood.

1823

Mount York: New road north of Cox’s original route opened by Lt. W. Lawson.

1830s

Linden: bushrangers in area. Kings Cave and grave of John Donohoe nearby.

1831

Woodford: An inn, The Kings Arms, run by William Buss. Area later known as Buss’s.

Valley Heights: The Valley Inn erected. By 1855 this locality known as The Valley

1832

Mt Victoria: Mitchell’s Victoria Pass replaces previous roads down from Mount York.

1833

Lennox Bridge (near Glenbrook) - oldest bridge on mainland Australia. Built by David Lennox

1842

Bulls Camp for troops to supervise convict labour. Captain Bull in charge from this date

1843

Bulls Camp: Military and convicts moved to new barracks and camp at Blackheath

1849

Mt Victoria: Toll-house dates from 1849 when soldiers & convicts were withdrawn from Great Western Road. Closed 1876. Two other buildings close to the toll-house are of interest—the old railway gate cottage, almost under the road bridge, and the convict lock-up, now an antique dealer’s home.

1860s

Katoomba known as The Crushers, a name derived from a stone-crushing plant situated at one time in Russell Hawke Park.

1867

Bridge over Knapsack Gully built.

Little Zig-Zag built - used until 1892

1868

Mt Victoria: on completion of railway to this point in May 1868, village renamed Mt Victoria. It was previously known as One Tree Hill or Broughton’s Water Hole.

1873

Linden: locality named

1874

Alfred Fairfax  bought Buss’ Inn locality and changed its name to Woodford after his mountain residence and estate.

Glenbrook: Area known as Wascoe’s Siding, railway platform opened in 1874.

1875

Valley Heights: railway station opened as The Valley

1876

Mt Victoria: Toll-house closes.

1877

The Crushers renamed Katoomba, derived from “kadumba” and apparently meaning ‘falling water’ or ‘falling together of many streams’.

1878

Glenbrook: Name changed from Wascoe’s Siding to Brookdale.

1879

Glenbrook: Name changed from Brookdale to Glenbrook.

1870s (late)

Katoomba: “An Englishman, John Britty North, in association with T. S. Mort, commenced coal mining in South Katoomba and until 1895 the village was dependent upon the North mine for its livelihood.”

Balmoral House, the first guesthouse in the Blue Mountains was built.

1880

Medlow Bath: Railway platform opened & called Browns Siding. Later  name changed to Medlow, later still Bath was added to name.

1881

Warimoo: known as Karabar, a railway platform and waiting shed existed in 1881.

1882

Katoomba: Great Western Hotel erected.

1884

Hazelbrook: railway station opened. Possibly named after ‘Hazel Brook House’, a two-storeyed building nearby, later demolished.

1886

Katoomba: Great Western Hotel changed hands, was added to, and renamed the Carrington, after the NSW Governor.

1887

Widow, Mrs Susan Dunn took on management of Balmoral House  and advertised that alterations have been made to the establishment.

1889

Katoomba is incorporated

1890

Valley Heights: name changed from The Valley

1891

Leura: named after railway station opened.

1893

Mrs Dunn retired from Balmoral House and Mrs Martin was hired as the manager

1897

Warimoo: Karabar railway platform closed due to lack of patronage.

1896

Faulconbridge: Sir Henry Parkes buried there. Village named after his mother, Martha Faulconbridge.

1903

Medlow Bath: Property of Edward Hargraves (discovered gold) acquired by Mark Foy. Originally opened as a ‘hydropatheic health treatment centre’ and later converted to a tourist hotel by building additions linking Belgravia Hotel with Hargraves’ old home.

1905

The Cameron sisters purchase Balmoral House, Katoomba

1912

Mt Victoria: Berghofer Pass opened as Victoria Pass too steep for motorised transport.

1915

Cameron sisters advertised accommodation for 45 guests at Balmoral House, Katoomba

1916

Paragon cafe started

1919

Warimoo: this name adopted after Arthur Rickard opened up estates in the area. The word means ‘eagle’.

1920

Mt Victoria: Victoria Pass improved for traffic. Both this and Berghofer Pass in use.

1925

Bullaburra: railway station opened on 16 Feb 1925. Area named by Arthur Rickard who subdivided the locality.

1926

Katoomba: North mine reopened, finally closed during WWII

1934

Mt Victoria: Victoria Pass improved again for traffic. Berghofer Pass closed.
HRH Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester visited Katoomba