Springwood, New South Wales

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. At the 2006 census, Springwood had a population of 8,210 people. It is largely Anglo-Celtic.

Springwood is near 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
The Springwood area was first occupied by the Oryang-Ora aboriginal clan belonging to the wider Darug aboriginal tribe of the wider Sydney region. Their existence in the area dates back to approx 40,000 years of settlement with many rock carvings & art sites in the area. At the time of settlement the Chief or the clan was Oryang Jack who was drawn by French Artist Pellier (Ref Mitchell Library) Oryang-Ora was also the reference to the area that marked the dividing ridge line between the Darug tribes of the north and the Gundungurra Tibes to the south in the Blue Mountains area. In 1815, Governor Lachlan Macquarie and his wife stopped by what Macquarie called a spring. The place was later named Springwood: "Spring" from the springs in the area, and "wood" from the local Mountain Blue Gums (Eucalyptus deanei) of the area. . As a town developed, the main street was named Macquarie Road, after Governor Macquarie.

The first railway line was put through the Blue Mountains in 1867, and the Springwood station was built in 1868. This station was replaced by a more substantial building in the Victorian Gothic style, constructed in 1884 under the direction of John Whitton, Chief Engineer of NSW Railways; a porter's cottage was constructed just west of the station. Springwood Station is the second-oldest surviving station in the Blue Mountains. It is listed on the Register of the National Estate as well as having a New South Wales heritage listing. .

In 1892, James Hunter Lawson built Braemar, a large, single-storey house situated on a sixty-acre property on Macquarie Road. Braemar started as a family residence but later became a convalescent home, a boarding house, a private home again and a guesthouse. It was acquired by the Blue Mountains City Council in 1974, restored as a Bicentennial project and reopened in 1988. It serves as a community gallery and centre, staffed by volunteers. The local library is housed in a new building behind Braemar.

Christ Church Anglican Church was built on the Great Western Highway from 1888-89. It was designed by the architect Sir John Sulman, who had a holiday residence at Lawson. Designed in the Victorian Academic Gothic style, the church is the centre of Anglicanism in the lower Blue Mountains and is heritage-listed.

The Presbyterian Church, a sandstone Gothic building located on Macquarie Road, was built in 1895. The Catholic community was originally part of the Penrith parish, but were given their own building in 1892: St Thomas Aquinas Church. The church has since relocated to St Columbas grounds,Winmalee.

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. Blue Mountains Bus Company also makes daily trips through Springwood from Penrith & Katoomba, and also various bus routes depart Springwood for Burns Road, Springwood Hospital, Hazelbrook and Winmalee.

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

Churches

 * Springwood Anglican Church meeting at Christ Church (1888-89)
 * Springwood Baptist
 * Springwood Presbyterian meeting at Frazer Presbyterian Church (1895)
 * Springwood Salvation Army
 * Springwood Uniting Church
 * St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church
 * Lutheran Springwood
 * 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. . 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).

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 at Springwood, on the third Sunday of August, to coincide with the anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan.

Parks and recreation
Springwood has some beautiful Parklands with interesting bushwalks often leading into beautiful wilderness areas. Fairy Dell is located immediately south of the township and has some beautiful tracks leading into the Blue Mountains World Heritage area.The Deanei Reserve is another notable bushland area located east of the township and hosts the threatened & endangered Blue Mountains Shalecap Forest.There are also beautiful bushland walks in this bushland Reserve. Buttenshaw Park is also an important recreational area which hosts arboretum, play structures & the Springwood Pool. Summerhayes Park is a public reserve located in Winmalee, which is used for sport and recreational activities. Its facilities include tennis and netball courts, a newly built skate park and fields for Football (soccer) both local (NDSFA) and Representative (FNSW) all year round. It is the home of Springwood United Football Club (formally Springwood Soccer & Sports Club) [8] and Springwood Netball Club. Summerhayes Park has a rich diversity of native flora and fauna and contains many threatened/endangered species and ecological communities. It is also a great bushwalking area with many interesting tracks, vistas and aboriginal archeological sites.

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 is held each year at St Thomas Aquinas Primary School.

Population
Springwood is the largest town in the Blue Mountains. 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.