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Wednesday 6 January 2016

DOWNLOADING THE BLUE MOUNTAINS AND JENOLAN CAVES MOTOR GUIDE (1934)


This is a little book of 66 pages charged with the “spirit of the age” – the Great Depression was slowly lifting, private car ownership was growing apace and the tourist areas close to Sydney were all chasing the pounds, shillings and pence.
Katoomba was in the forefront of the chase. It was an era of house parties in the many guest houses (with more and more people arriving in motor cars) and the opening of some of the Blue Mountain’s greatest attractions, including the Scenic Railway, The Prince Henry Cliff Walk, floodlighting at Leura and Katoomba, the Giant Stairway and the Projecting Platform at Echo Point.
The NRMA (National Roads and Motorists Association) is still the most influential motoring organisation in Australia. It operated a camping ground at Katoomba Falls (still there today, but controlled by the Blue Mountains City Council). It produced a series of strip maps of highway routes for its members, some of which are contained in this booklet). These were still around when I was a boy and I learned a lot from them. I wonder how many children study maps today like I did then!
There are also maps produced by the firm of HEC Robinson Ltd which are full of interesting details. Another pleasure of mine when I was at University was to visit their shop in lower George St Sydney, not far from Circular Quay.

You will find my video which illustrates what’s to be found in the book here.
You can download it from Trove here. Select the download link at the bottom of this page.

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