Curio

State Library of New South Wales
Trips to Sydney, Blue Mountains & all resorts

Trips to Sydney, Blue Mountains & all resorts

1910
POSTERS/NEW SOUTH WALES/20
Poster

This beautiful poster was produced by the New South Wales Government Tourist Bureau in 1910. It was aimed at residents of Victoria, encouraging them to make use of the new transport opportunities the railway created for tourists.

As it states boldly at the top of the poster, for just £10.10, the visitor could enjoy an eight day tour to Sydney and the Blue Mountains. The ‘first-class’ trip included rail transport from Melbourne to Sydney, accommodation in Sydney and the Mountains and tours of Sydney Harbour, the Illawarra, Hawkesbury and Mountains. For an extra charge, the tourist could spend three days in the Jenolan Caves.

The poster features the famous soft, muted colours of the Blue Mountains. In just one scene, the artist has incorporated the dramatic rocky scenery of the mountains, and a sweeping view of the plains below, including a small group of tourists enjoying the outlook.

In 1904 the first car travelled down the Victoria Pass however it required horse-drawn assistance to return up the same road.

The Blue Mountains railway line opened in 1868. The track originally ascended and descended in a zigzag formation on each side of the mountains. Today, these are bypassed by tunnels, and The Western Zigzag line is now a tourist attraction.

The towns of Katoomba and Medlow Bath were both developed specifically as resort towns. The Carrington at Katoomba and the Hydro Majestic formerly known as the Belgravia at Medlow Bath were the two most luxurious hotels in the Mountains in the early 20th century.

In 1882, the first hotel in Katoomba The Great Western Hotel opened its doors to the public. In 1886 it was sold, renovated and renamed The Carrington.