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Blue Trail Village Scenes No 9

Everything money can’t buy – Newnes

The village that uses this slogan on its entry sign is one of the least populated settlements in the Greater Blue Mountains. The surrounding sections of the Wollemi National Park suffered greatly in the Gospers Mountain fire of 2019/2020 but the vegetation closest to the old shale mining ruins was saved along with the present-day buildings. Now many of the trees along the road from Lidsdale feature sleeves of epicormic growth and, on a misty March morning, the shrubs near the Wolgan River glisten with the webs of thousands of orb spiders.

Epicormic sleeves in a forest below pagoda-like formations
– Wolgan Gap, on the approach to Newnes

The only surviving building from the early 20th century shale days is the Newnes Hotel which was moved in the 1980s to stop the river undermining it, losing its liquor licence in the process. Now Lithgow Environment Group stalwart, Thomas Ebersoll, is modifying the hotel to include live-in staff quarters for management of the cabins and camping ground, so rapidly are they regaining their popularity.

A permanent pub with no beer – the Newnes Hotel

Thomas is renowned for finding time for special projects. Although, kangaroos, wallabies and numerous bird species have returned to this part of the national park since the big fire, wombats are slow to come back. A striking wooden sculpture by Thomas is adorned with a message for a prodigal wombat, containing this wording:

Why I built this seat
A giant wombat reclined here,
long time ago.
His name was Bob.
As he sat & contemplated
the world he thought:
“Wouldn’t it be nice to have
a proper seat here”
He might be back one day.…

Wagons from the 1910 Newnes shale railway in the background while, in the foreground, another relic provides scale for Thomas Ebersoll’s wombat seat.

© Don Morison

[photos © Christine Davies]

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Blue Trail Village Scenes No 8

A Sustainable Town Embraces Its Heritage – Portland

In Portland, the cement works closed in 1991 and the last lime quarry was decommissioned in 1998. The town now has about 2,000 residents. It is a potential destination for a trip across the mountains and is being promoted as a worthwhile stop on a tourist trail from Lithgow to Mudgee.

Restored poster advertisements and traditional country town street buildings (Wolgan Street, Portland)

Numerous historic buildings, the presence of a town common on natural woodland, the hilliness of its site and the interspersing of native and exotic flora add to Portland’s attractiveness. The most striking features are near the town centre. These include the tall cement silos now adorned with large murals of men and women who used to work there.

Contemplating the images of workers who made Portland a famous cement town.

Gradually, the dominant industrial sites are being cleaned up and recycled into modern uses and open space. These recall the old Portland but are compatible with the sustainability of the new. Not far from the tall silos, a commercial nursery is taking shape.

Vegetation surrounds an inundated quarry.

The water-filled disused quarries are conspicuous and impressive visual features. There is discussion about how to create more public access.

A pair of brick kilns adorn the outskirts of Portland’s large disused quarry.

The preserved buildings and murals of the business district evoke the mid 20th century. Everywhere, there is an unhurried atmosphere and the aura of industrial pioneering remains, even where tree changers have occupied the old cottages.

© Don Morison

[photos © Christine Davies]