Overlooking Glenbrook Creek and the Blue Mountains line|thumb

Glenbrook is a township of the Lower Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia. It is located west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Blue Mountains. As of the 2021 Australian census Glenbrook had a population of 5,078 people.

In 1815, William Cox constructed the first road over the Blue Mountains with a gang of convicts and the Glenbrook area became an important stopping point after a storeroom was built near the lagoon. Governor Macquarie also built a military depot near the lagoon to monitor traffic on the newly built road.

The abandoned 1892 Glenbrook Tunnel has been used to store mustard gas during World War II, and grow mushrooms in recent times. The eastern entrance can be still seen from a walking track at Lapstone.

On 28 January 1941, an Avro Anson of No. 1 Air Navigation School, Parkes crashed near Glenbrook during a medical evacuation flight from Parkes to the Sydney Airport. All five crew members were killed.

Bushwalking

Glenbrook hosts many walking tracks that can be trekked, including the popular walk to Red Hands Cave, from Glenbrook Causeway, which is a return walk from Glenbrook's town centre. On the trail to the caves, along the banks of Camp Fire Creek, there are also aboriginal axe grinding grooves on the Sydney Sandstone.

Glenbrook also has walks that are scenic, but not so well known. This includes the untracked walk to Warrimoo via Glenbrook Gorge and Florabella Pass, and the walk to Blaxland via Pippas Pass.

Additionally, Glenbrook hosts many natural pools and swimming holes, that can be accessed by walking tracks from the town centre, by a few kilometres.

These pools are easily accessed by several walking tracks from the town centre.

Glenbrook's Pools include:

  • Blue Pool, on Glenbrook Creek
  • 15-17 Great Western Highway: Knapsack Gully Viaduct, 1865
  • 78 Great Western Highway: Glenbrook railway residence
  • Great Western Highway: 1892 Glenbrook Tunnel
  • Mitchells Pass: Lennox Bridge, Glenbrookthe oldest surviving stone arch bridge in mainland Australia

City of Blue Mountains local government heritage register

Ilford House, Wascoe Street|thumb

Bonnie Doone, Moore Street|thumb

Glenbrook has a number of heritage-listed sites, including (but not limited to) the following items listed on the City of Blue Mountains local government heritage register, as recorded in the New South Wales Heritage Database

  • Blue Mountains National Park: Red Hands Cave
  • Burfitt Parade: Glenbrook railway station
  • Great Western Highway: Glenbrook Deviation (1913)
  • 2 Great Western Highway: Gatekeeper's Cottage No 1
  • 15 Great Western Highway: Glenbrook Deviation (1892)
  • 15-17 Great Western Highway: Lapstone Zig Zag
  • 29 Great Western Highway: Briarcliffe (now RAAF Base Glenbrook)
  • 29 Great Western Highway: Former Lapstone Hotel (now RAAF Base Glenbrook)
  • 41 Great Western Highway: Glenbrook Native Plant Reserve
  • 12 Hare Street: Glenbrook School of Music
  • Off Knapsack Street: Lucasville Station
  • 15-19 Lagoon Drive: Glenbrook Lagoon
  • 37 Lucasville Road: Kalamunda
  • 6 Nepean Gardens Place: Ulinbawn
  • 10 Park Street: Glenbrook Primary School
  • 20-30 Park Street: Glenbrook Park
  • 20 Ross Street: Glenbrook Garden Centre

Population

In the 2021 Census, there were 5,078 people in Glenbrook. 83.9% of people were born in Australia. The next most common country of birth was England at 5.2%. 90.9% of people spoke only English at home. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 41.6%, Catholic 22% and Anglican 15.9%. was formed from a merger between what was St Peter's Netball Club and school-based teams at Lapstone Public School and Glenbrook Public School. St Peter's Netball Club was a founding club of the Blue Mountains Netball Association and was run from the church organisation previously based in the St Peter's Anglican Church building which is now used as a cafe in Glenbrook). Netball is currently the largest participation sport in the Blue Mountains and all matches are played at the Lapstone complex.

Glen Brook also has a swimming centre.

Other sporting clubs in the area include:

  • Glenbrook Swimming Club
  • Glenbrook/Blaxland Cricket Club
  • Blue Mountains Football Club
  • Glenbrook Panthers Bowling Club
  • Glenbrook Little Athletics Club

Parks

  • Mount Sion Park
  • Sir Douglas Smith Park
  • Wascoe Siding Train Park
  • Whitton Park
  • Glenbrook Oval
  • Glenbrook Park (1884), which includes the Glenbrook Stone Suburb Staircase

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File:Glen brooktunnel.JPG|Glenbrook Tunnel (1892)

File:(1)School of Music Hare Street Glenbrook-2.jpg|Former School of Music, Hare Street

File:(1)Glenbrook Public School.jpg|Glenbrook Public School

File:(1)St Andrews Uniting Church Glenbrook.jpg|St Andrew's Uniting Church

File:(1)View from Chalmers Lookout south east Glenbrook.jpg|Chalmers Lookout, Glenbrook

File:Euroka bmnp roo.jpg|Kangaroos at Euroka Camp Area, Blue Mountains National Park Glenbrook Entrance.

File:DSC2683-1 Lennox Bridge Glenbrook.jpg|Lennox Bridge, 1833

File:Blue Mountains suburbs staircase.jpg|Blue Mountains suburbs staircase

File:Rlwy stn glenbrook.jpg|Glenbrook Railway Station

File:Glenbrook Park, Glenbrook 10.jpg|Inside Glenbrook Park

File:Glenbrook Park, Glenbrook 03.jpg|Glenbrook Park entrance

File:Glenbrook Park, Glenbrook 19.jpg|Glenbrook Park Sign

</gallery>

See also

  • List of Blue Mountains articles

References