Picton

Picton is about 80 kilometres south west of Sydney. At about the geographical centre of the Wollondilly region, it is also the main town and administrative centre of the region.

 

First explored by Europeans in 1798, it remained ‘beyond the pale’ – declared a ‘no go’ area by the Governors who sought to restrict settlement closer to the colony at Sydney, until 1821.

 

One of the earliest grants (1822) was made to Major Antill, and it is on part of his land that most of Picton is situated today. In its earliest days the area was known as Stonequarry, then Picton (1841) and was on the new Great South Road from Appin (first town in the Wollondilly) through to Bargo, Mittagong and inland. Apart from the large farms in the area, its inns and stores catered mostly to travelers going further inland.

 

Today Picton has that special charm which attracts people from a vast age. It still retains that peace and tranquility of a country town, yet is close enough to the city that its residents can commute. It allows city people to escape to a better lifestyle – even if only for a short visit. The surrounding countryside, with its farms and villages, spectacular natural attractions and vast wilderness areas, are a haven and a delight to explore.

 

Picton is the ideal getaway for a day trip, a weekend, or longer sojourn away from the city. There are plenty of cafes, restaurants, boutiques and interesting arts and craft shops to browse through.

 

For an overnight stay there are excellent B&B’s and hotels and motels. A first class golf course nearby, club hotels, and woolshed for dining, singing and dancing. The George IV Inn is one of the oldest in Australia and deserves a visit for its own unique little brewery; bistro and entertainment on weekends.

 

Picton has a Visitors’ Centre which can tell you all the places to go and see in the Wollondilly.

Thirlmere

The area now known as Thirlmere was first traversed by Europeans as early as 1798 (Wilson), whose attention was more focused on Thirlmere Lakes (Barrallier, 1802) and finding an alternate route north towards Bathurst.

 

In the earliest days it was part of the general geographic area south of Appin known as ‘Bargo’. Although a few settlers took up grants near the Lakes in the 1830’s, they remained isolated on the fringes of the greater settlement at Picton.

 

Thirlmere, like many towns, was born with the coming of the Great Southern Railway in 1863 to 1867, when a large temporary tent city grew up to house the railway workers. It was valued mostly for the proximity of the lakes (then called Picton Lakes) which were used to provide water for the steam trains, pumped to a siding at nearby Couridjah. The Lakes, however, attracted day trippers on the railway until the advent of the motor car made other destinations more accessible.

 

Only an hour from the city, Thirlmere is an ideal place for a day’s outing, with a number of things to do and see. Better still, stay longer at one of the excellent B&B’s.

Most people like to take in the Railway Museum, which is definitely worth a day’s visit for its own sake for train buffs and kids, allow several hours to wander in and around the historic trains, carriages, and displays; a good book and souvenir shop. A ride on the steam train to Picton or Buxton is a must (weekends and school holidays); try to pick a weekend when the Buxton Rail Craft Markets are open.

 

There is also a regular village market in Thirlmere. Good hotel, bakery, take away food. Picnic area with tables and electric BBQ’s in the centre of town. Stroll round the streets to see some country architecture still standing since the 19^th century.

 

Although bypassed by the main railway line, and later the southern freeway, in the last 20years Thirlmere’s proximity to the city has made it an attractive rural residential area for people who commute to work. Today the steam trains are back – at the NSW Heritage Railway Museum in Thirlmere – and run regularly on the line between Picton and Buxton.

 

Together with the beauty of the Lakes, picnic areas, train rides, and the peacefulness of the countryside. Thirlmere is an attractive day’s outing for families of travelers and city folk seeking to escape from the bustle of modern life.

 

Take a scenic drive in the country from Picton through Thirlmere, Lakesland and Oakdale to Burragorang lookout; return via The Oaks and Camden. Plenty of picnic spots along the way. If you’ve only ever seen steam trains on TV, a visit to the railway Museum is a must. Lots of things to see and do here and you can climb over some of the exhibits. Don’t miss out on the steam train rides and experience the thrill of traveling back into the past.

Tahmoor

Tahmoor was originally traversed by European settlers as early as 1798 – a party led by John Wilson, although it is probable that he had been here before.

 

Tahmoor has a major shopping centre, supermarket and banks. Many shops are open on weekends. Plenty of cafes and take-away food bars. There is a large hotel just south of town, with a bistro and a comfortable budget-priced motel much favored by travelers and those enjoying a stay in this delightful part of the Wollondilly.

 

Tahmoor grew slowly, and in the 1950’s through to 1970’s the country town thrived as a stopover for motorists on the main highway south. When bypassed again in the 1970’s by the new freeway to the east, Tahmoor did not go into decline as did other towns. Instead the opening of a major coal mine just south of the town brought a new industry and prosperity.

 

Tahmoor today has the largest population, and the second largest retail area in the Wollondilly. Access to rapid transport – the railway and the freeway – means that many of its residents can enjoy benefits of living in a large country town, yet work in the western suburbs or the city itself.

 

Tahmoor has well served shops and service industries, has excellent recreation areas, and is a good place for the traveler to rest and refresh on their way to the many sights and attractions of the surrounding area.

Buxton

Buxton is a small village about 30 kilometres south of Picton on the ‘Old Loop Line’ Railway. Named after a town in Derbyshire, England the town owes its existence to the railway.

 

In 1867 the Great Southern Railway was extended from Picton to Mittagong along a steep incline atop the ridge on which Buxton today sits. For the next 50 years this single line was the main track south, until a two track deviation was built through Tahmoor and Bargo in 1919, after which it was known as the loop line. The steepness of the track (up to 1 in 33 between Buxton and Hilltop) meant that extra steam engines were required to haul the trains up from Picton and to slow them on the return journey.

 

The village itself dates from 1883 and had grown sufficiently by 1893 for its own platform on the line. About 4 kilometres north of Buxton, through Couridjah, is a turnoff to the left. A few kilometres of dirt road (suitable for ordinary cars) take you to Thirlmere Lakes, and mile of walking trails through a National Park.

 

Buxton has a small shopping centre and a large population tucked away in country streets and lanes in many modern houses whose occupants commute to work as far away as the city. Dense native Bushland still surrounds the village today, giving it a timeless and even often foreboding appearance. There are plenty of walking trails like the nearby Thirlmere Lakes National Park where you can today enjoy the unspoilt beauty, and extended trails.

Bargo

Bargo is about 100 kilometres south west of Sydney. At the southern end of the Wollondilly region, it is also a main residential town surrounded by farmlands.

 

First explored by Europeans in 1798, who discovered their first Koalas, lyrebirds and wombats here, the area was covered in dense scrub and called by the Europeans the Bargo Brush.

 

Being close to the freeway, Bargo has become an outer dormitory suburb with its residents commuting to the Macarthur Area and the city itself by car or by rail.

 

Including the nearby village of Yanderra, over 4,000 people live here, precisely because they enjoy the quiet country life and clear air the area provides. What it does offer is some of the most spectacular natural countryside outside of Sydney – lookouts, bushwalking, picnic areas, flora and fauna sanctuaries, and quite country roads to explore.

 

All just over an hour from most of Sydney, just minutes off the freeway, and just minutes from many other exciting places to visit in the southern area of the Wollondilly.

So next time you see the ‘Bargo’ turnoff on the freeway take it, and spend a bit of time exploring this beautiful area.

Wilton

When the ‘Cowpastures’, Bargo and acres further inland were opened up for settlement after 1815, a number of small land grants were surveyed in the Wilton area – then known as East Bargo, but only a few taken up.

 

In its earliest days Wilton area was best known for the main roadway which went from Appin, over Broughton Pass then on to Lupton’s Inn (Bargo). Wilton is the only town on the main road from Picton to the freeway north of Wollongong, and between Appin and Picton.

 

To find the shopping centre turn off the freeway towards Wollongong, then left about 3 minutes down the road into the village. Wilton is famous for the Sydney Skydiving Centre and you can often see parachutists coming in to land while you are driving down the freeway. Training courses are available and there is a canteen, kiosk and picnic area at the centre (open 7 days).

 

Wilton is growing again, with a large new residential area on the northern side of the shopping area, home to many who commute to Campbelltown and the city to work.

Apart from its farm ing activities, Wilton is known as a recreational destination, with many visitors to the nearby dams and to the skydiving facility (to the west of the freeway).

The Oaks

The area first came to the notice of Europeans in search of cattle which had escaped from the government herds at Parramatta. These cattle had “gone bush” and thrived in the rich pastures of this area. Visited by Governor Hunter in 1795 (from whom nearby Mt. Hunter gets its name) who appreciated the country as excellent for cultivation, it was however forbidden to European settlers by successive governors up to 1822.

 

The area became known as ‘Cowpastures’, which extended from Nepean River at Camden to Burragorang Valley and south to Bargo.

 

When a post office was opened in 1858 it was named The Oaks rather than Vanderville, and this name was to prevail. Lots were advertised for sale in Sydney and by 1860 there were some 8 houses, 2 blacksmith shops, a wine saloon, school and the hotel in the village.

 

People moved into the area to take up farming and pastoral leases, but the village itself grew slowly. The Oaks was the main village west of Camden, serving also travelers on the road to Burragorang Valley which was also being opened up for agriculture at the time.

 

A drive or walk around the town will reveal a number of interesting buildings from the mid to late 19^th century including some late colonial cottages – now derelict, but ripe for restoration.

 

In 1930, at the onset of the Great Depression, the coalfields of the Burragorang Valley were opened to large scale production. The collieries not only provided work for locals, but led to an influx of miners who contributed to its growth. The millions of tons extracted did not unfortunately attract the railway which might have contributed to greater development of the area, and the fortunes of The Oaks were largely dependant on those of the mines over the next 60 years. (The last, Oakdale Colliery, closed in the 1990’s).

 

Today The Oaks is largely an outer Sydney residential area surrounded by peaceful farms and countryside, now only an hour’s distance from the city by new freeways. A drive through the countryside to discover the heritage of The Oaks and ‘Cowpastures’ is a pleasant way to spend a day.

Oakdale

Oakdale lies some 5 kilometres west of The Oaks on the road which once was the main access to the Burragorang Valley. The early European history of Oakdale is largely that of “Cowpastures” (see “The Oaks” for more information.)

 

When the name Oakdale for the village was gazetted is not known, but presumably it was after the establishment of a post office at the state school, whose teacher was also the postmaster.

 

At the park in the centre of the village there are picnic tables, bbqs, water, toilets and space for the kids to play. There is no hotel, but affiliated members are welcome at the local Club.

 

Oakdale in recent times has been a mining town, and for information about its past it is worth visiting the Heritage Centre nearby The Oaks.

 

There are many scenic roads to explore in the area, and places where you can stop off for a picnic.