Mount Victoria, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Mount Victoria is a small township in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales
, Australia
. It is the westernmost village in the City of Blue Mountains
, located approximately 120 kilometres via road from Sydney
and 1043 metres above sea-level. The settlement has a population of 828 people as of the 2006 Census.
, the site of a camp on the original Blaxland
, Wentworth
and Lawson 1813 crossing of the Blue Mountains. The area was originally marked as One Tree Hill on an early map dating from 1834 by the Surveyor General, Sir Thomas Mitchell.
After the road across the Blue Mountains was constructed a toll bar was opened approximately 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) east from the present township in 1849 and the area was also known as Broughton's Waterhole Toll Bar. Coaches were charged at the toll according to how well sprung they were, ones without springs were not charged as it was believed they would help crush the road surface.
After the railway station, marking the termination of the Main Western railway line
, was opened in 1869 the town also became known as Mount Victoria. The town's name was officially changed after the first Post Office was built in 1876.
By the late 19th century, the town had become a prosperous settlement and many private schools were founded in the area, which become somewhat of a hill station
retreat for wealthy Sydney families.
The town is the starting point for many bushwalks and features several lookouts over the Kanimbla Valley including the lookout from Mount Piddington
.
The station along with Lithgow is the terminus for the Blue Mountains line as part of the CityRail
network. The town is located at the junction of the Great Western Highway
and the Darling Causeway to Bell
. The Roads and Traffic Authority
is at present researching a major upgrade to the Great Western Highway with the view to bypass the township and the steep Victoria Pass down to Little Hartley
to the west.
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...
. It is the westernmost village in the City of Blue Mountains
City of Blue Mountains
The City of Blue Mountains is a local government area of New South Wales, Australia, governed by the Blue Mountains City Council. The city is located in the Blue Mountains range west of Sydney.-Demographics:...
, located approximately 120 kilometres via road from 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 1043 metres above sea-level. The settlement has a population of 828 people as of the 2006 Census.
History
Mount Victoria is located on an escarpment plateau extension of Mount YorkMount York
Mount York is a 1061 metre high mountain in the western Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia, located approximately 150 kilometres west of Sydney. It is in fact a projection of the Blue Mountains plateau, creating a promontory of the western escarpment with a minor rise at its...
, the site of a camp on the original Blaxland
Gregory Blaxland
Gregory Blaxland was a pioneer farmer and explorer in Australia.- Early life :Gregory Blaxland was born 17 June 1778 at Fordwich, Kent, England, the fourth son of John Blaxland, mayor from 1767 to 1774, whose family had owned estates nearby for generations, and Mary, daughter of Captain Parker,...
, Wentworth
William Wentworth
William Charles Wentworth was an Australian poet, explorer, journalist and politician, and one of the leading figures of early colonial New South Wales...
and Lawson 1813 crossing of the Blue Mountains. The area was originally marked as One Tree Hill on an early map dating from 1834 by the Surveyor General, Sir Thomas Mitchell.
After the road across the Blue Mountains was constructed a toll bar was opened approximately 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) east from the present township in 1849 and the area was also known as Broughton's Waterhole Toll Bar. Coaches were charged at the toll according to how well sprung they were, ones without springs were not charged as it was believed they would help crush the road surface.
After the railway station, marking the termination of the Main Western railway line
Main Western railway line, New South Wales
The Main Western Railway is a major railway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs through the Blue Mountains, Central West, North West Slopes and the Far West regions.- Description of route :...
, was opened in 1869 the town also became known as Mount Victoria. The town's name was officially changed after the first Post Office was built in 1876.
By the late 19th century, the town had become a prosperous settlement and many private schools were founded in the area, which become somewhat of a hill station
Hill station
A hill station is a town located at a higher elevation than the nearby plain or valley. The term was used mostly in colonial Asia , but also in Africa , for towns founded by European colonial rulers as refuges from the summer heat, up where temperatures are cooler...
retreat for wealthy Sydney families.
Present day
Today, Mount Victoria is a small township with a large number of historic buildings and a few attractions including the Post Office, a Hall which is used as a cinema, the Imperial Hotel, the Toll Keepers Cottage and a museum at the railway station.The town is the starting point for many bushwalks and features several lookouts over the Kanimbla Valley including the lookout from Mount Piddington
Mount Piddington
Mount Piddington, or Wirindi, is a mountain in the Blue Mountains village of Mount Victoria in New South Wales. It has a lookout, restrooms and a picnic area at its summit, surrounded by a loop road, Mount Piddington Road, which runs from the summit to Mount Victoria village...
.
The station along with Lithgow is the terminus for the Blue Mountains line as part of the CityRail
CityRail
CityRail is an operating brand of RailCorp, a corporation owned by the state government of New South Wales, Australia. It is responsible for providing commuter rail services, and some coach services, in and around Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, the three largest cities of New South Wales. It is...
network. The town is located at the junction of the Great Western Highway
Great Western Highway
The Great Western Highway is a highway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs 210 km from Sydney to Bathurst.Starting as Broadway at the intersection of City Road near the fringe of the Sydney CBD, and becoming Parramatta Road to Parramatta itself, the Great Western Highway heads due west from...
and the Darling Causeway to Bell
Bell, New South Wales
Bell is a small rural/residential village in the Blue Mountains with an elevation of approximately 1100 metres above sea level. Bell is approximately 125 km west of Sydney, Australia by road or 137 km by rail, some 20 km east of Lithgow and 10 km north of Mount Victoria. It is a...
. The Roads and Traffic Authority
Roads and Traffic Authority
The Roads and Traffic Authority is a former New South Wales government agency that was responsible for major road infrastructure, licensing of drivers, and registration of motor vehicles. The RTA directly managed State roads and provided funding to local councils for regional and local roads...
is at present researching a major upgrade to the Great Western Highway with the view to bypass the township and the steep Victoria Pass down to Little Hartley
Little Hartley, New South Wales
Little Hartley is a village in the Blue Mountains area of New South Wales, Australia. It is located approximately 150 kilometres west of Sydney and 20 kilometres south-east of Lithgow, on the Great Western Highway...
to the west.