Springwood, New South Wales

Infobox Australian Place | type = town
name = Springwood
state = nsw


caption =
lga = City of Blue Mountains
county =
postcode = 2777
pop = 8,019 (2001 census)
est = circa 1815
elevation= 371
maxtemp = 22
mintemp = 9
rainfall = 1175
stategov =
fedgov = Macquarie
near-nw = Faulconbridge
near-n = Faulconbridge
near-ne = Winmalee
near-w = Faulconbridge
near-e = Valley Heights
near-sw =
near-s =
near-se = Valley Heights
distance1 = 72
dir1 = west
location1 = Sydney

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.

Springwood is in the heart of the Blue Mountains National Park and the Greater Blue Mountains Area World Heritage Site. It is 371 metres above sea level and, like most of the towns in the vicinity, is located on a narrow ridge between two gorges. Winmalee is to the north. Springwood railway station sits between Valley Heights and Faulconbridge on the Blue Mountains railway line.

History

In 1815 Governor Lachlan Macquarie and his wife stopped by what Macquarie called a "spring"- The place was later named "Springwood" - 'Spring' (named after the springs in the area), and 'wood' from the local Mountain Blue Gums ("Eucalyptus deanei") of the area [ ['http://www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/download.cfm?f=626D0CA4-AE40-9F6C-B71C7CC9FE366C21', 'Blue Mountains City Council website: Origin of Blue Mountains Town Names'] ] . The main street is named Macquarie Road, after Governor Macquarie.

Springwood features the oldest railway station building in the Blue Mountains, built in 1884 [ ['http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/07_subnav_01_2.cfm?itemid=5012219', 'NSW Heritage Office database: Springwood Railway Station Group'] ] .

Springwood Historical Society publish a history of the town [ [http://www.bluemts.com.au/HistoricalSociety/history.htm 'Springwood Historical Society--Brief History of Springwood'] ] .

Commercial Area and Transport

Springwood's commercial area centres around Macquarie Road which runs parallel to the Great Western Highway and the railway line. Springwood railway station is on the Blue Mountains Line of the CityRail intercity network.

Education

The town is serviced by two high schools, Springwood High School and St. Columba's High School (Catholic). Springwood in also serviced by four primary schools: Ellison Public School, Faulconbridge Public School, Springwood Public School and St Thomas Aquinas Primary School (Catholic).

Churches

* Springwood Anglican Church meeting at Christ Church and the Factory [http://swac.org.au/ Springwood Winmalee Anglican Churches]
* Springwood Baptist [http://www.springwoodbaptist.org.au/ Springwood Baptist Church]
* Springwood Presbyterian meeting at Frazer Presbyterian Church
* Springwood Salvation Army [http://www.salvos.com/springwood/ Springwood Salvation Army]
* Springwood Uniting Church [http://springwood.unitingchurch.org.au/ Springwood Uniting Church]
* St Thomas Aquinas Church (Springwood) Catholic
* Lutheran Springwood [http://www.lca.org.au/search/church/cong.cfm?orgcode=springwood Lutheran Church of Our Saviour - Springwood]
* Springwood Family Church [http://www.acctv.com.au/church_view.asp?intid=3080 Springwood Family Church]

Climate

Springwood generally has mild winters and mild summers, but can suffer bushfire damage during the summer months. It has a rainfall of approximately 1175 mm per year. [ ['http://www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/download.cfm?f=AD17F483-AE40-9F6C-B6B4B9F46C78E0E8"Blue Mountains City Council: Weddings in the City of the Blue Mountains"] ] . The mean annual maximum temperature is 22°C with the mean maximum in January approximately 28°C and 18°C in July. The mean minimum temperature is 9°C (Bureau of Meteorology). [ ['http://www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/download.cfm?f=FDBD571F-423B-CE58-A04F17759E3978B0 ', 'Blue Mountains City Council: Jackson Park Draft Plan of Management (2005) -- 4km west of Springwood'] ]

Celebrations and Events

The town's annual celebration, Springwood Foundation Day, occurs each April. Springwood is also the site of a notable ANZAC Day Parade. The Blue Mountains Vietnam Veterans' Association conducts the largest annual parade and Memorial Service for Vietnam veterans in Australasia [ ['http://bmvets.com.au/about_bmvets/index.html', 'Blue Mountains Vietnam Veterans website'] ] at Springwood, on the third Sunday of August, to coincide with the anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan.

Tourist Attractions

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.

Springwood Model Railway Exhibition [http://www.springwoodtrainshow.com] is held each year at St Thomas Aquinas Primary School.

Population

According to the 2006 Census, there were 8210 people living in Springwood including 3857 males (47.00%) and 4353 females (53.00%). The majority (79.7%) were born in Australia. The indigenous populance of Springwood is 72 or .9% of the total population. [Census 2001 AUS|id=SSC13216|name=Springwood (State Suburb)|accessdate=2007-06-30|quick=on]

References