Bilpin, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Bilpin is a small town on the historic Bells Line of Road
in the City of Hawkesbury
local government area in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney
, New South Wales
. In 2006, the town had a population of 843 people.
Bilpin is known as "Land of the Mountain Apple". Fruit orchards and beautiful gardens thrive in the fertile soil and the road is lined with small fruit stalls, especially during summer. Bilpin apples and Bilpin apple juice are well-known around Australia. There was a mention of Bilpin Apple Juice in the ABC TV
mini-series, "Changi". Bilpin is now known as a tourist destination, with roadside stalls and orchards where visitors can pick their own fruit. It is close to Mount Tomah Botanic Garden
. World's Largest Fruit Bowl is located in Bilpin, it is a road side attraction.
, was brought up in Bilpin and wrote several books set in the region, including Longtime Passing (1971), for which she won the Children's Book of the Year award. In her book, she suggests that Bell was assisted by the local Aboriginal people (the Dharuk tribe) to find the way across the mountains. It has been suggested also that the traditional corroborree ground existed on the land behind Bilpin Oval.
The Bilpin Arkadian Players are a local theatre group which perform several shows each year and the Bilpin playgroup and mobile preschool operate within the hall. Several community groups such as the Gardening Club and Quilting Club and Farmers' Association also meet regularly. Bilpin has a small school nearby which was opened in 1927.
The 2001 census found that 677 people live in Bilpin.
Bilpin Coaches picks up local children and drops them off at Bilpin school each morning and afternoon and runs additional services for other local schools. Hawkesbury Community Transport also offers a bus service weekly for people to get to Richmond to do their shopping.
Bell's Line of Road
The Bells Line of Road is a major road in New South Wales and runs from North Richmond on the North-Western outskirts of Sydney to Bell in the Blue Mountains, where it becomes Chifley Road....
in the City of Hawkesbury
City of Hawkesbury
The City of Hawkesbury is a Local Government Area of New South Wales, Australia, part of which is at the fringe of the Sydney metropolitan area, about 50 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district...
local government area in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. In 2006, the town had a population of 843 people.
Bilpin is known as "Land of the Mountain Apple". Fruit orchards and beautiful gardens thrive in the fertile soil and the road is lined with small fruit stalls, especially during summer. Bilpin apples and Bilpin apple juice are well-known around Australia. There was a mention of Bilpin Apple Juice in the ABC TV
ABC Television
ABC Television is a service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation launched in 1956. As a public broadcasting broadcaster, the ABC provides four non-commercial channels within Australia, and a partially advertising-funded satellite channel overseas....
mini-series, "Changi". Bilpin is now known as a tourist destination, with roadside stalls and orchards where visitors can pick their own fruit. It is close to Mount Tomah Botanic Garden
Mount Tomah Botanic Garden
Mount Tomah Botanic Garden is a 28 hectare public garden approximately 100 km west of Sydney in the Blue Mountains, established in 1972. There is an additional 128 hectares of land dedicated to conservation. The garden is 1000 m above sea level, and it specializes in cool-climate plants that would...
. World's Largest Fruit Bowl is located in Bilpin, it is a road side attraction.
History
The town was originally named after Archibald Bell, Jr., - Bilpin = "Bell's Pin", (pin as in pinnacle) an adventurous man who crossed the Blue Mountains at the age of nineteen in 1823. The famous children's author, Hesba BrinsmeadHesba Fay Brinsmead
Hesba Fay Brinsmead was an Australian author of children's books and an environmentalist.-Upbringing:...
, was brought up in Bilpin and wrote several books set in the region, including Longtime Passing (1971), for which she won the Children's Book of the Year award. In her book, she suggests that Bell was assisted by the local Aboriginal people (the Dharuk tribe) to find the way across the mountains. It has been suggested also that the traditional corroborree ground existed on the land behind Bilpin Oval.
Activities
Bilpin Community Hall is the centre of Bilpin life. It hosts a Farmer's Market on every Saturday morning between ten and twelve, as well as the annual Spring Flower show; the Mount Wilson to Bilpin Bush Run in August (which aids the Bilpin Bush Fire Brigade); and an annual quilt exhibition.The Bilpin Arkadian Players are a local theatre group which perform several shows each year and the Bilpin playgroup and mobile preschool operate within the hall. Several community groups such as the Gardening Club and Quilting Club and Farmers' Association also meet regularly. Bilpin has a small school nearby which was opened in 1927.
The 2001 census found that 677 people live in Bilpin.
Bilpin Coaches picks up local children and drops them off at Bilpin school each morning and afternoon and runs additional services for other local schools. Hawkesbury Community Transport also offers a bus service weekly for people to get to Richmond to do their shopping.
External links
- Bilpin School
- Hesba Brismead
- Mt Wilson to Bilpin Bush Run - held each August