Otford, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Otford is a northern suburb of Wollongong
in New South Wales
, Australia
located near the Sydney
metropolitan area. It has a railway station
on the CityRail
South Coast Line
.
It is an important stop for bushwalkers accessing the Royal National Park
. Much of it is situated in the Otford Valley, north of Undola Ridge and Stanwell Park
. To the east of the valley is the coastal ridge and small community of Bulgo, also the name of a hill in the area and the former name of Otford. A local attraction is the Otford Valley riding farm. Otford's coastal ridge is home to the Otford Lookout on Lawrence Hargrave Drive
which has similar views south over the Illawarra
as does its southern neighbour Bald Hill.
The town is on the southern tip of the Royal National Park and features many native plants in its bushland like the Dendrobium Lilly. The trees of the bushland are mostly of the dry eucalypt
variety. The railway tunnel between Otford and Stanwell Park was made after annoyances in the old one (still in existence though disused) such as buildup of smoke in the unventilated route and the steep descent. The railway achievements of the area are known as engineering feats, and the views are equally well known. The landscape is mostly hillside, and a creek runs through the valley to join the Hacking River to the north. The highest points of Otford reach over 250 metres above sea level, at Bulgo and Otford Hills. The Bulgo Range of coastal hill headland is the northern extension of the Illawarra escarpment
as it gradually turns into coastal cliffs.
'Map of the Colony of New South Wales' in 1842 and the name was in use for some time after. When the construction of the Illawarra (now officially South Coast Line) line was taking place a village formed in 1885, with four houses. During that year the village grew and the first school was built, as well as a post office. In 1887 a hotel
was present, along with a butchers store, bakers shop, tailor, jeweller and general store. Otford also had a billiard room and skittle alley. After construction of the railway had finished the village went into decline and the school was closed in 1893. Trains on the line stopped at Otford to take in water and a small railway and sawmill centre developed at the entrance to the tunnel. The name was changed to Otford in May 1885. A mill in the Otford valley was established by Thomas James and his three brothers in 1875 in the northern part of the village. James Forster also created a mill in 1899, but to the south. Lilyvale Mushrooms Pty. Ltd began in 1952 in a the small tunnel at Lilyvale
and in 1959 two tunnels were in operation.
Wollongong, New South Wales
Wollongong is a seaside city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. It lies on the narrow coastal strip between the Illawarra Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean, 82 kilometres south of Sydney...
in 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...
, 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...
located near the 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...
metropolitan area. It has a railway station
Otford railway station, New South Wales
-Neighbouring stations:- See also :* Otford, New South Wales...
on 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...
South Coast Line
South Coast railway line, New South Wales
The South Coast Line is in the intercity region of Sydney's CityRail services. It serves the coastal region to the south of the Sydney metropolitan area including the Illawarra region, most notably the regional city of Wollongong, and extended services reach as far as Nowra in Shoalhaven.- Line...
.
It is an important stop for bushwalkers accessing the Royal National Park
Royal National Park
Royal National Park is a national park in New South Wales, Australia, 29 km south of Sydney CBD.Founded by Sir John Robertson, Acting Premier of New South Wales, and formally proclaimed on 26 April 1879, it is the world's second oldest purposed national park, the first usage of the term...
. Much of it is situated in the Otford Valley, north of Undola Ridge and Stanwell Park
Stanwell Park, New South Wales
Stanwell Park is a picturesque coastal village and northern suburb of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. It is the northernmost point of the Illawarra coastal strip and lies south of Sydney's Royal National Park. It is situated in a small valley between Bald Hill to the north, Stanwell Tops...
. To the east of the valley is the coastal ridge and small community of Bulgo, also the name of a hill in the area and the former name of Otford. A local attraction is the Otford Valley riding farm. Otford's coastal ridge is home to the Otford Lookout on Lawrence Hargrave Drive
Lawrence Hargrave Drive
Lawrence Hargrave Drive is a scenic coastal road and popular tourist drive connecting the northernmost suburbs of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia to both Wollongong and Sydney....
which has similar views south over the Illawarra
Illawarra
Illawarra is a region in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is a coastal region situated immediately south of Sydney and north of the Shoalhaven or South Coast region. It encompasses the cities of Wollongong, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven and the town of Kiama. The central region contains Lake...
as does its southern neighbour Bald Hill.
The town is on the southern tip of the Royal National Park and features many native plants in its bushland like the Dendrobium Lilly. The trees of the bushland are mostly of the dry eucalypt
Eucalypt
Eucalypts are woody plants belonging to three closely related genera:Eucalyptus, Corymbia and Angophora.In 1995 new evidence, largely genetic, indicated that some prominent Eucalyptus species were actually more closely related to Angophora than to the other eucalypts; they were split off into the...
variety. The railway tunnel between Otford and Stanwell Park was made after annoyances in the old one (still in existence though disused) such as buildup of smoke in the unventilated route and the steep descent. The railway achievements of the area are known as engineering feats, and the views are equally well known. The landscape is mostly hillside, and a creek runs through the valley to join the Hacking River to the north. The highest points of Otford reach over 250 metres above sea level, at Bulgo and Otford Hills. The Bulgo Range of coastal hill headland is the northern extension of the Illawarra escarpment
Illawarra escarpment
The Illawarra Escarpment is the fold created cliffs and plateau eroded outcrop mountain range west of the Illawarra coastal plain south of Sydney, Australia, enclosing the region known as the Illawarra which stretches from Stanwell Park in the north to Kiama, Gerringong and the Shoalhaven river in...
as it gradually turns into coastal cliffs.
History
Otford was first known as Bulgo. The name Bulgo was first marked on Robert Dixon'sRobert Dixon (explorer)
Robert Dixon was an Australian surveyor and explorer, born in Darlington, England.-Arrival in Tasmania:Dixon arrived in Tasmania in May 1821 with his brother George...
'Map of the Colony of New South Wales' in 1842 and the name was in use for some time after. When the construction of the Illawarra (now officially South Coast Line) line was taking place a village formed in 1885, with four houses. During that year the village grew and the first school was built, as well as a post office. In 1887 a hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
was present, along with a butchers store, bakers shop, tailor, jeweller and general store. Otford also had a billiard room and skittle alley. After construction of the railway had finished the village went into decline and the school was closed in 1893. Trains on the line stopped at Otford to take in water and a small railway and sawmill centre developed at the entrance to the tunnel. The name was changed to Otford in May 1885. A mill in the Otford valley was established by Thomas James and his three brothers in 1875 in the northern part of the village. James Forster also created a mill in 1899, but to the south. Lilyvale Mushrooms Pty. Ltd began in 1952 in a the small tunnel at Lilyvale
Lilyvale, New South Wales
Lilyvale is a locality most of whose area is within the Royal National Park, south of Sydney, Australia. Helensburgh railway station is within the southern populated part of the locality. A Lilyvale railway station was open from 1890 until 1983.-Notes:...
and in 1959 two tunnels were in operation.