Think of a place where history whispers on the breeze. That place is Glenbrook. Glenbrook is a township nestled in the Lower Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia. It is about 63 kilometres west of Sydney’s central business district.
Glenbrook offers trendy cafes and boutiques. It also has tourist attractions. Weekend markets and recreational opportunities abound in Glenbrook. Native flora and fauna add to the town’s charm.
Glenbrook got its name from Glenbrook Creek. The creek is on the village’s southern side. You must cross it to enter the Blue Mountains National Park.
Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson reached the Glenbrook area in 1813. They described Lagoon as a large lagoon of good water. It was full of very coarse rushes.
William Cox built the first road over the Blue Mountains in 1815. The Glenbrook area became an important stopping point. A storeroom was built near the lagoon. Governor Macquarie built a military depot near the lagoon. It monitored traffic on the newly built road.
The steepness of Cox’s road up Lapstone Hill caused problems. A new road and stone bridge opened in 1833. Thomas Livingstone Mitchell planned and built the Western Road. David Lennox, a Scottish stonemason, designed Lennox Bridge. Completed in 1833, it is the oldest surviving stone bridge on the Australian mainland.
Glenbrook became a town in the 1870s. This resulted from the arrival of the railway. A zigzag railway was built up Lapstone Hill in 1867. A siding was built at Glenbrook. It was called Wascoe’s Siding. Water from Glenbrook Lagoon supplied the trains. The siding became a passenger station in 1877. Sir Alfred Stephen named it Brookdale in 1878. Later, in 1879, it officially became Glenbrook. The name came from the nearby creek and gorge.
The Lapstone Zig Zag opened in 1867. It ascended Lapstone Hill on a gradient of 1 in 30–33. The substantial seven-span sandstone Knapsack Viaduct was part of it. This was widened later for the Great Western Highway. It is now a walking trail.
The first railway deviation bypassed the Lapstone Zig Zag in 1892. A tunnel was built through the hill to the Old Glenbrook station. The 1892 Glenbrook Tunnel had problems. Water seeped from the nearby creek. The steep gradient made the climb hard.
The second railway line deviation up Lapstone Hill was completed in 1913. The old 1892 Glenbrook Tunnel was closed. As a result, the Old Glenbrook station moved to its current location.
The abandoned 1892 Glenbrook Tunnel stored mustard gas during World War II. It was also used to grow mushrooms.
Glenbrook is home to many walking tracks. One popular walk leads to Red Hands Cave. Aboriginal axe grinding grooves are along Camp Fire Creek.
Glenbrook also boasts scenic and less known walks. These include the walk to Warrimoo via Glenbrook Gorge and Florabella Pass. Also, there is the walk to Blaxland via Pippas Pass.
Glenbrook has many natural pools and swimming holes. These can be accessed by walking tracks from the town centre.
Glenbrook’s pools are popular for swimming. Blue Pool is on Glenbrook Creek. Jellybean Pool is another popular swimming hole. Duck Pool is upstream from Blue Pool.
Glenbrook has several heritage-listed sites. These include Lennox Bridge. It is the oldest surviving stone arch bridge in mainland Australia.
Glenbrook hosted the Australian Gnome Convention from 2005. It is organised by the Rotary Club of Lower Blue Mountains. It is held on Australia Day each year.
Glenbrook. It is a place where history, nature, and community converge. I hope you enjoyed the trip.