Glenbrook, New South Wales

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Glenbrook
New South Wales

Glenbrook Railway Station, Glenbrook
Population: 5,138 (2006)
Postcode: 2773
Coordinates: 33°45′59″S 150°37′10″E / 33.7663°S 150.6194°E / -33.7663; 150.6194Coordinates: 33°45′59″S 150°37′10″E / 33.7663°S 150.6194°E / -33.7663; 150.6194
Location: 70 km (43 mi) west of Sydney
LGA: City of Blue Mountains
Federal Division: Macquarie
Localities around Glenbrook:
Blaxland Blaxland
Glenbrook
Lapstone

Glenbrook is a suburb of the Lower Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 70 kilometres west of Sydney in the local government area of the City of Blue Mountains.

Glenbrook lies between Lapstone and Blaxland at an elevation of 163m (535ft) and is approximately an hour's drive from Sydney. It is home to a large number of tourist attractions, recreational opportunities and native flora and fauna.

The suburb takes its name from Glenbrook Creek, which is on the southern side of the village and must be crossed to enter the Blue Mountains National Park. Glenbrook retains many historical homes and buildings throughout the village, although most homes are occupied and not open to the public.

Contents

[edit] History

Glenbrook took its name from Glenbrook Creek but was originally known as Watertank, when a stop opened here on the original "little" zigzag railway line. A pipe-line brought water from Glenbrook Lagoon to a tank beside the line, from which the engines could be refilled. The Lagoon itself had been dammed up to hold more water for the trains. Around 1870, a small loop siding was built for trains to pass each other and the name was changed to Wascoe's Siding, referring to its connection with the railway stopping point of Wascoe (now Blaxland). In 1878, Sir Alfred Stephen, Chief Justice and Privy Councillor, decided to give the station a proper name and called it Brookdale, "because the place was well watered". One year later, amid a general re-naming, the station was given the name of the nearby creek, Glenbrook, which Sir John Jamison thought came from Regents Glen. When the village was officially proclaimed, six years later, it took the name of the station.

Bowerbird across the track from the the railway station platform

The little zigzag opened near Glenbrook in 1867, a part of the ascent of Lapstone Hill on a gradient of 1 in 30-33, which was built up the side of the range with comparatively light earthwork, although it includes the substantial seven-span sandstone Knapsack Viaduct. The abandoned Glenbrook tunnel was used to store mustard gas during World War II. [1][2][3][4] This was later widened to carry the old Great Western Highway, when the deviation around the little Zig Zag was built, but it is now part of a walking trail on the old railway/highway alignment, including a memorial to the engineer in charge of the construction of the Blue Mountains line and many other early railways, John Whitton.

The suburd is the location of the Lennox Bridge which was designed by Scotish stone mason David Lennox. The bridge is the oldest on the Australian mainland, having been built in 1833.

In recent years, the town has become associated with a railway accident that occurred there in 1999, known as the Glenbrook train disaster.

Since 2005 however, the suburb has become well known as the home of The Australian Gnome Convention organised by the local Rotary Club and held on Australia Day each year where owners of garden gnomes display their garden decorations and compete for various awards to raise funds for charities. [5]

[edit] Transport

Glenbrook railway station is a regional railway station on the Blue Mountains railway line of the CityRail intercity network. Also, the Great Western Highway passes through the town.

Blue Pool, Glenbrook Creek

[edit] Landmarks

  • RAAF Base Glenbrook is the home of Headquarters Air Command. The Officer's Mess at RAAF Glenbrook is actually the old Lapstone Hotel. Built in the 1930s, it has been restored and the interior re-modelled, albeit only slightly due to its historical status. The outside remains unaltered.
  • The town also has two fire brigade stations, one which falls under the jurisdiction of the volunteer Rural Fire Service as well as a 'retained' New South Wales Fire Brigades station (station 301).
  • Many traditional Australian buildings, such as the Station Master's Cottage
  • Lennox Bridge (AD 1833) - the oldest bridge in mainland Australia
  • Historic Glenbrook Public School (1892)
  • The old Zig Zag railway and an entrance
  • The New Lapstone Hotel was named after the Original Lapstone Hotel which became the RAAF base
  • The Glenbrook Lagoon
  • Glenbrook Oval, Glenbrook Park, Whitton Park, Knapsack Oval, Mt Sion Park
  • Glenbrook Native Plant Reserve
  • Entrance to the Blue Mountains National Park
Kangaroos feeding at Euroka Clearing

[edit] Recreation


[edit] Gang Activity

Glenbrook is also the home and birthplace of the notorious "GSG" gang [www.gsg.net]. GSG, in particular, aimed to maintain the peace on the streets of Glenbrook while promoting respect to others. However, After a recent defeat by a rival gang, the "St Johns Boys", GSG have become less prominent with many members going into hiding.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links and references

  1. ^ Deadly chemicals hidden in war cache - Sydney Morning Herald
  2. ^ Author lifts lid on chemical wartime history - Blue Mountains Gazette
  3. ^ Glenbrook's secret history - Blue Mountains Gazette
  4. ^ Chemical Warfare in Australia
  5. ^ Australian Gnome Convention - Official Website
  6. ^ Glenbrook Cinema - Official Website
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