Clarence, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids ClarenceNew South Wales |
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 Clarence
Location in New South Wales
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| Population | 200 (2016 census) | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 1,112.8 m (3,651 ft) | ||||||||||||||
| Location | |||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | City of Lithgow | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Bathurst | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Calare | ||||||||||||||
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Clarence is a small place in New South Wales, Australia. It is located in the beautiful Blue Mountains. Clarence started as a railway stop on the main railway line that crossed the mountains.
Around 1908, Clarence became very busy. It was the main base for building the Ten Tunnels Deviation, a new section of the railway. At that time, over 5,000 people lived there. Most of them were "navvies," which is a old word for workers who built railways. After the new railway section opened in 1910, most people left, and the town became much smaller.
Clarence: A Railway Town's Story
Clarence began as a small outpost for the Main Western railway line. This was a very important railway route. The first railway station in Clarence opened in 1869.
However, the original railway line had a tricky section called the Zig Zag Railway. This part was very steep. To make the journey smoother, a new section called the Ten Tunnels Deviation was built. When this new section opened in 1910, the old Zig Zag Railway was no longer used. The original Clarence station also closed then.
Who Lives in Clarence?
According to the 2016 Census, there were 200 people living in Clarence. Most people, about 74.6%, were born in Australia. Also, 87.6% of the people living there spoke only English at home.
The Famous Zig Zag Railway
The Lithgow Zig Zag railway section was abandoned for 65 years. But in 1975, a group of railway fans decided to bring it back to life! They formed the Zig Zag Railway enthusiast enterprise.
They laid new, narrower tracks on the old railway path. They even brought in old steam locomotives from Queensland to use on the line. Today, the Zig Zag Railway is one of Australia's most famous tourist railways. The original Clarence station has been fixed up and is now used as the end point for the tourist trains.
There is also a coal mine nearby called Clarence Colliery. It opened in the 1970s, closed for a while, and then reopened. A special railway line connects it to the main railway at Newnes Junction.
