Springwood, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Springwood New South Wales
Braemar (1892)
Springwood Location in New South Wales
Population	8,423 (2021 census)
Established	circa 1815
Postcode(s)	2777
Elevation	371 m (1,217 ft)
Location	72 km (45 mi) west of Sydney CBD 30 km (19 mi) east of Katoomba
LGA(s)	City of Blue Mountains
State electorate(s)	Blue Mountains
Federal Division(s)	Macquarie
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 22.4 °C 72 °F 11.9 °C 53 °F 1,086.3 mm 42.8 in
Localities around Springwood: Faulconbridge Winmalee Yellow Rock Faulconbridge Springwood Valley Heights Yellow Rock

Springwood is a town in the beautiful Blue Mountains area of New South Wales, Australia. It is about 72 kilometres west of Sydney city centre. Springwood is part of the City of Blue Mountains local council area. In 2021, about 8,423 people lived there.

The town is close to the amazing Blue Mountains National Park. This park is part of the Greater Blue Mountains Area, which is a World Heritage Site. Springwood is 371 metres above sea level. Like other towns nearby, it sits on a narrow ridge between two deep valleys. Winmalee is to the north. The Springwood railway station is on the Blue Mountains railway line, between Valley Heights and Faulconbridge.

History of Springwood

The Springwood area was first home to the Oryang-Ora Aboriginal people. They were part of the larger Darug Aboriginal tribe. These people lived here about 40,000 years ago. You can still find many rock carvings and art sites in the area. When Europeans first arrived, the leader of the Oryang-Ora clan was Oryang Jack. A French artist named Pellier even drew a picture of him.

The name "Oryang-Ora" also referred to the ridge that separated the Darug tribes to the north from the Gundungurra tribes to the south in the Blue Mountains.

In 1815, Governor Lachlan Macquarie and his wife visited the area. Macquarie called it a "spring" because of the natural water springs there. Later, the place was named Springwood. The "Spring" came from the water, and "wood" came from the local Mountain Blue Gums, which are a type of eucalyptus tree. As the town grew, the main street was named Macquarie Road, after Governor Macquarie.

Railway and Important Buildings

The first railway line through the Blue Mountains was built in 1867. Springwood station opened in 1868. This first station was later replaced in 1884. The new station was built in a fancy Victorian Gothic style. It was designed by John Whitton, who was the Chief Engineer of NSW Railways. A small house for a railway worker was also built nearby. Springwood Station is the second-oldest station still standing in the Blue Mountains. It is considered a special historical site in New South Wales.

In 1892, a large house called Braemar was built by James Hunter Lawson. It was on a big property along Macquarie Road. Braemar was first a family home. Over the years, it became a place for people to recover from illness, a boarding house, and a guesthouse. In 1974, the Blue Mountains City Council bought it. It was fixed up and reopened in 1988. Today, Braemar is a community gallery and centre run by volunteers. The local library is in a new building right behind Braemar.

Churches in Springwood

Christ Church Anglican Church was built on the Great Western Highway between 1888 and 1889. It had additions in the 1960s and 1980s. The famous architect Sir John Sulman designed it. He had a holiday home in nearby Lawson. This church is the oldest Anglican church building in the Blue Mountains. It is also a heritage-listed site. The house built as the vicarage (for the church minister) is also heritage-listed.

The Presbyterian Church building is made of sandstone and has a Gothic style. It was built in 1895 on Macquarie Road. The Catholic community in Springwood got its own church, St Thomas Aquinas Church, in 1892. This church has since moved to the St Columba's grounds in Winmalee.

Historical Places to See

Springwood has several places that are important for their history. These are called heritage-listed sites:

• Blue Mountains National Park: This includes many Blue Mountains walking tracks.
• 345-347 Great Western Highway: This is the Christ Church Anglican Church, Springwood.
• 39 Hawkesbury Road: This is the Buckland Convalescent Home.
• Main Western railway: This includes the Springwood railway station.

Bushfires of 2013

In October 2013, parts of Springwood were affected by bushfires. The fires also badly hit the nearby town of Winmalee and the village of Yellow Rock. In these areas, 193 homes were completely destroyed, and 109 homes were damaged.

Shopping and Getting Around

Springwood Station (1884)

Springwood's main shopping area is along Macquarie Road. This road runs next to the Great Western Highway and the railway line. The Springwood & District Chamber of Commerce helps local shops, businesses, and groups.

• Springwood railway station is on the Blue Mountains Line. This line is part of the NSW TrainLink network for trains between cities.
• Blue Mountains Transit offers daily bus services through Springwood. You can catch buses from Penrith and Winmalee. There are also bus routes from Springwood to places like Burns Road, Springwood Hospital, Hazelbrook, Katoomba, and Yellow Rock.

Schools in Springwood

Springwood has several schools for students.

• High Schools: Springwood High School, Winmalee High School, and St. Columba's High School. There are also private and selective high schools in other nearby suburbs.
• Primary Schools: Ellison Public School, Faulconbridge Public School, Winmalee Public School, Springwood Public School, and St Thomas Aquinas Primary School.

Places of Worship

Christ Church Anglican Church (1888-89), tower 1982

Springwood has many different churches and places of worship:

• Anglican Churches Springwood (includes Christ Church Anglican Church built in 1888, and the Factory built in 2004)
• Springwood Baptist Church
• Springwood Presbyterian Church (meeting at Frazer Presbyterian Church, built in 1895)
• Springwood Salvation Army
• Springwood Uniting Church
• St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church
• Lutheran Springwood
• Strong Nation Churches (Blue Mountains)

Springwood's Climate

Springwood has a humid subtropical climate. This means it generally has mild winters and warm summers. This is partly because of something called the "foehn effect." Even though Springwood is 371 metres high, its winter nights are warmer than places like Penrith and Richmond. These towns are lower down on the Cumberland Plain. This happens because cool air from the mountains sinks into the lower areas at night, making them colder. Springwood also gets more rain each year than these nearby towns.

However, Springwood can have bushfires during spring and summer. This is because it is surrounded by many Eucalyptus trees, which are common in the Blue Mountains.

Fun Events and Parks

Springwood has some fun events and great places to relax outdoors.

Celebrations and Events

The town's yearly party is called the Springwood Spring Festival. It happens on the first Saturday in September.

Springwood also has an important Anzac Day Parade. This parade remembers soldiers who served for Australia and New Zealand.

The Blue Mountains Vietnam Veterans' Association holds a very large yearly parade and memorial service in Springwood. It's for Vietnam veterans from Australia and Asia. This event happens on the third Sunday of August. It is held to remember the anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan.

Parks and Recreation Areas

Community Arts Centre

Springwood has many parks and bushwalking trails that lead into wild natural areas.

• Fairy Dell is just south of the town. It has tracks that go into the Blue Mountains World Heritage area.
• The Deanei Reserve is another bushland area east of town. It is home to the special and rare Blue Mountains Shalecap Forest. You can also find bushwalking trails here.
• Buttenshaw Park is a fun place with a tree garden (arboretum), play areas, and the Springwood Pool.

Further south from Springwood is the Sassafrass Gully Track. This is a loop track that follows Sassafrass Creek and Glenbrook Creek to the Perch Ponds. After that, the track follows Magdala Creek back to Springwood.

Summerhayes Park is a public park in Winmalee. It is used for sports and fun activities. It has tennis and netball courts, a new skate park, and fields for football (soccer). It is the home of Springwood United Football Club and Springwood Netball Club. Summerhayes Park also has many different native plants and animals. It is a bushwalking area with trails, viewpoints, and old Aboriginal sites.

The Braemar Gallery opened in 1988. It is a community art gallery. Each month, it shows different art exhibitions by local and regional artists. Braemar House, where the gallery is located, is a beautiful and historic building.

Population of Springwood

Springwood's GP Superclinic

Springwood is the biggest town in the lower Blue Mountains. In 2016, the census showed that 8,475 people lived in Springwood. About 79.7% of them were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were England (6.9%) and New Zealand (1.5%). Most people (91.5%) spoke only English at home. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population in Springwood was 147 people, which is 1.7% of the total population. When asked about religion, the most common answers were No Religion (32.2%), Catholic (20.9%), and Anglican (18.7%).

Famous People from Springwood

Many interesting people have lived in or are from Springwood. Some of them include:

• Adam Giles, a former leader of the Northern Territory (2013–2016)
• Gerry Harvey, a successful business person
• Andrew Hinson, a rugby league player
• Julia Jacklin, a singer and songwriter
• Thomas Kenneally, a famous author
• Laurie Nichols, a well-known person in rugby league
• Amanda Spratt, a professional cyclist
• Graham Toulmin AM, who helps provide dental care to people in need
• Wendy Toulmin AM, who also helps provide dental care to people in need