Valley Heights, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Valley Heights is a small township of the City of Blue Mountains
in New South Wales
, Australia
. It is approximately 77 km (48 mi) from Sydney
and is located east of the township of Springwood
. At the 2006 census
, Valley Heights had a population of 1,337 people.
Valley Heights developed its own piece of the ridgeline that has been the main route west from Sydney since colonial history, and has some strong evidence of a rich pre-colonial inhabitance. At an elevation of 300 to 320 meters (1,150–1,300 ft) above sea level, the climate has been considered very conducive to a huge range of plants. The native ecological communities are fairly typical of other Hawkesbury sandstone with shale transition forests, yet exhibit the local specificness we have come to expect in the Blue Mountains, NSW. Current development is restricted by council reserves and National Park
Valley Heights has a railway station, rail museum and the historic Gatekeepers cottage where the railway guard lived in the steam era.
intercity network.
Valley Heights is the start of the steeply graded, 1 in 33 (3%) section to Katoomba. The gradient approaching Valley Heights from Sydney is 1 in 60 (1.67%). In older times, assistant engines were attached here to uphill trains, which explains the existence of the roundhouse
, now the Valley Heights Locomotive Depot Heritage Museum
.
is the home of the oldest remaining roundhouse in New South Wales, located 500 m from the eastern Springwood town boundary.
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:...
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...
. It is approximately 77 km (48 mi) 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 is located east of the township of Springwood
Springwood, New South Wales
Springwood is a town in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia. Springwood is located 72 kilometres west of Sydney in the local government area of the City of Blue Mountains. At the 2006 census, Springwood had a population of 8,210 people. It is largely Anglo-Celtic.Springwood is near the...
. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Valley Heights had a population of 1,337 people.
Valley Heights developed its own piece of the ridgeline that has been the main route west from Sydney since colonial history, and has some strong evidence of a rich pre-colonial inhabitance. At an elevation of 300 to 320 meters (1,150–1,300 ft) above sea level, the climate has been considered very conducive to a huge range of plants. The native ecological communities are fairly typical of other Hawkesbury sandstone with shale transition forests, yet exhibit the local specificness we have come to expect in the Blue Mountains, NSW. Current development is restricted by council reserves and National Park
Valley Heights has a railway station, rail museum and the historic Gatekeepers cottage where the railway guard lived in the steam era.
Commercial area
Valley Heights' commercial area centres on and north of the Great Western Highway, comprising light industrial and hardware retail services.Churches
- Valley Heights Community Church is part of Springwood Winmalee Anglican Churches and meets at Blue Mountains Grammar Valley Heights campus
Schools
- The Preparatory Campus of the Blue Mountains Grammar SchoolBlue Mountains Grammar SchoolBlue Mountains Grammar School , established in 1918, is an independent school over two campuses, in Wentworth Falls and Valley Heights, New South Wales, Australia. Classes are run from Pre-Kindergarten/Transition to Year 12 . The school is an Anglican, co-educational day school...
was built in Valley Heights in 2003. - Other primary and secondary schools are in nearby SpringwoodSpringwood, New South WalesSpringwood is a town in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia. Springwood is located 72 kilometres west of Sydney in the local government area of the City of Blue Mountains. At the 2006 census, Springwood had a population of 8,210 people. It is largely Anglo-Celtic.Springwood is near the...
and Winmalee
Railway
Valley Heights has a railway station on the Blue Mountains line of the CityRailCityRail
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...
intercity network.
Valley Heights is the start of the steeply graded, 1 in 33 (3%) section to Katoomba. The gradient approaching Valley Heights from Sydney is 1 in 60 (1.67%). In older times, assistant engines were attached here to uphill trains, which explains the existence of the roundhouse
Roundhouse
A roundhouse is a building used by railroads for servicing locomotives. Roundhouses are large, circular or semicircular structures that were traditionally located surrounding or adjacent to turntables...
, now the Valley Heights Locomotive Depot Heritage Museum
Valley Heights Locomotive Depot Heritage Museum
The Valley Heights Locomotive Depot Heritage Museum is a railway museum located in Valley Heights, New South Wales, Australia. It is operated by the Blue Mountains Division of the New South Wales Rail Transport Museum....
.
Tourist attractions
Valley Heights Locomotive Depot Heritage MuseumValley Heights Locomotive Depot Heritage Museum
The Valley Heights Locomotive Depot Heritage Museum is a railway museum located in Valley Heights, New South Wales, Australia. It is operated by the Blue Mountains Division of the New South Wales Rail Transport Museum....
is the home of the oldest remaining roundhouse in New South Wales, located 500 m from the eastern Springwood town boundary.