Glen Davis, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Glen Davis is a village in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales
, Australia
. The village is located in the local government area of the City of Lithgow
. It is located 250 km north-west of Sydney
and approximately 80 kilometres north of Lithgow. In the 2006 census Glen Davis had a population of 354.
, from which the Capertee River
flows. The valley forms a canyon that is the second largest canyon in the world (only the Grand Canyon
is larger). Glen Davis can be reached by driving on the Lithgow
-Mudgee Road and turning off at Capertee
, 50 km from Lithgow, then heading east along a partially unsealed road that goes through the Capertee Valley.
. The post office for the town opened on 1 March 1939. The township was abandoned in 1952 because shale oil
was not viable in a non-war, non-government supported economic environment. After the closure of the oil shale
mine, the skeleton of a town survived in the form of some properties, a post office and a shop or two that survived intermittently. The creation of the Wollemi National Park
brought a degree of tourism to the area.
, and this became a popular walk known as the Pipeline Pass. Bushwalkers also use Glen Davis as the starting point for camping trips in the national park; there is also a camp site in the town.
Another national park was created later, known as the Gardens of Stone National Park
. This takes in some areas around the Capertee Valley, including the flat-topped mountain -- or butte -- called Pantony's Crown. This mountain was named after an early farmer who opened up the area to sheep farming. The National Trail
, a long-distance walking trail that goes from Melbourne
to Cooktown, also passes through the Capertee Valley.
The Shale Works, Glen Davis, and a property now resumed into the National Park downstream from these sites was the location (Paradise Valley) for the 1980 Australian movie 'The Chain Reaction'. This b grade movie starred Mel Gibson
(uncredited) and Steve Bisley, Cinematography by Russel Boyd, and had George Miller as First Assistant Director. Many locals appeared in the movie as extras.
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...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The village is located in the local government area of the City of Lithgow
City of Lithgow
Lithgow is a Local Government Area in New South Wales, Australia that includes Lithgow and its surrounding area. It is on the Great Western Highway and the Main Western railway line.- Demographics :According to the , there:...
. It is located 250 km north-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...
and approximately 80 kilometres north of Lithgow. In the 2006 census Glen Davis had a population of 354.
Location
Glen Davis is situated in the Capertee ValleyCapertee Valley
The Capertee Valley is a large valley in New South Wales, Australia, north-west of Sydney. It is longer and about wider than the Grand Canyon of Arizona...
, from which the Capertee River
Capertee River
-References:...
flows. The valley forms a canyon that is the second largest canyon in the world (only the Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona. It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park, the 15th national park in the United States...
is larger). Glen Davis can be reached by driving on the Lithgow
Lithgow, New South Wales
Lithgow is a city in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia and is the centre of the local political division City of Lithgow. It is located in a mountain valley named Lithgow's Valley by John Oxley in honour of William Lithgow, the first Auditor-General of New South Wales.Lithgow is...
-Mudgee Road and turning off at Capertee
Capertee, New South Wales
Capertee is a village 45km north of Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia located on an elevated site above the Capertee Valley. In 2006, the town had a population of 72 people. Situated on the Castlereagh Highway between Lithgow and Mudgee, Capertee is surrounded by National Parks and grazing land...
, 50 km from Lithgow, then heading east along a partially unsealed road that goes through the Capertee Valley.
History
From 1938, the town became the centre of an oil shale industryOil shale industry
Oil shale industry is an industry of mining and processing of oil shale—a fine-grained sedimentary rock, containing significant amounts of kerogen , from which liquid hydrocarbons can be manufactured. The industry has developed in Brazil, China, Estonia and to some extent in Germany, Israel and...
. The post office for the town opened on 1 March 1939. The township was abandoned in 1952 because shale oil
Shale oil
Shale oil, known also as kerogen oil or oil-shale oil, is an unconventional oil produced from oil shale by pyrolysis, hydrogenation, or thermal dissolution. These processes convert the organic matter within the rock into synthetic oil and gas...
was not viable in a non-war, non-government supported economic environment. After the closure of the oil shale
Oil shale
Oil shale, an organic-rich fine-grained sedimentary rock, contains significant amounts of kerogen from which liquid hydrocarbons called shale oil can be produced...
mine, the skeleton of a town survived in the form of some properties, a post office and a shop or two that survived intermittently. The creation of the Wollemi National Park
Wollemi National Park
Wollemi National Park is the second largest national park in New South Wales, and contains most of the largest wilderness area, the Wollemi Wilderness...
brought a degree of tourism to the area.
National Parks
The Wollemi national park takes in 492,976 hectares and is the second-largest in New South Wales. It includes some parts of the Capertee Valley, especially downstream of Glen Davis. The National Parks and Wildlife Service marked out a track between Glen Davis and Newnes, in the Wolgan ValleyWolgan Valley
The Wolgan Valley is a largely undeveloped valley located in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is centred on the Wolgan River and is located approximately 150 kilometres west of Sydney.-Description and history:...
, and this became a popular walk known as the Pipeline Pass. Bushwalkers also use Glen Davis as the starting point for camping trips in the national park; there is also a camp site in the town.
Another national park was created later, known as the Gardens of Stone National Park
Gardens of Stone National Park
Gardens of Stone is a national park in the Australian state of New South Wales, 125 km northwest of Sydney. At 15,010 ha, it is part of the Greater Blue Mountains Area World Heritage Site.-See also:* Protected areas of New South Wales...
. This takes in some areas around the Capertee Valley, including the flat-topped mountain -- or butte -- called Pantony's Crown. This mountain was named after an early farmer who opened up the area to sheep farming. The National Trail
The National Trail
The Bicentennial National Trail , formerly known as the National Horse Trail is the longest marked multi-use trail in the world, stretching 5,330 kilometres from Cooktown, through New South Wales to Healesville, 60 km north-east of Melbourne...
, a long-distance walking trail that goes from Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
to Cooktown, also passes through the Capertee Valley.
The Shale Works, Glen Davis, and a property now resumed into the National Park downstream from these sites was the location (Paradise Valley) for the 1980 Australian movie 'The Chain Reaction'. This b grade movie starred Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson
Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in...
(uncredited) and Steve Bisley, Cinematography by Russel Boyd, and had George Miller as First Assistant Director. Many locals appeared in the movie as extras.
See also
- List of Blue Mountains articles
- Newnes
- Wolgan ValleyWolgan ValleyThe Wolgan Valley is a largely undeveloped valley located in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is centred on the Wolgan River and is located approximately 150 kilometres west of Sydney.-Description and history:...
- Wollemi National ParkWollemi National ParkWollemi National Park is the second largest national park in New South Wales, and contains most of the largest wilderness area, the Wollemi Wilderness...
- CaperteeCapertee, New South WalesCapertee is a village 45km north of Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia located on an elevated site above the Capertee Valley. In 2006, the town had a population of 72 people. Situated on the Castlereagh Highway between Lithgow and Mudgee, Capertee is surrounded by National Parks and grazing land...
, New South WalesNew South WalesNew 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...