Curio

State Library of New South Wales
Birds-eye view of pass from Kings Tableland to Cox’s River

Birds-eye view of pass from Kings Tableland to Cox’s River

1912
MLMSS 4457 / MLK 3281
Manuscript diary

The conservationist and architect Myles Dunphy OBE (1891-1985) was a passionate advocate for New South Wales’ nature reserves, and particularly for the Blue Mountains. His love of nature started at a young age after spending much time with his family exploring the bushlands near their home in the southern suburbs of Sydney.

In 1914 Dunphy and his friend Bert Gallop found the Mountain Trails Club which marked the beginning of his lifelong commitment in connecting urban residents with the natural world. Through his association with the Club, Dunphy was able to create a series of maps for newly developed trails within the greater Blue Mountains area. *

‘Birds-eye view of pass from Kings Tableland to Cox’s River’ is an illustration of Dunphy’s route from Wentworth Falls to Cox’s River from his travel journal dated 1912. In the classic style of Dunphy’s cartographic work, this map provides topographical information, and names the peaks, valleys and rivers reflecting the difficulty of the walk. *

Footnotes

* Australian dictionary of biography http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/dunphy-myles-joseph-12446

A good tonic

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the 'ozone-laden' mountain air was promoted as a health tonic for all kinds of ailments such as tuberculosis, asthma, bronchitis, malaria, stress, anaemia, heart troubles and more. Sydneysiders were encouraged to think they would enjoy a healthier appetite, more restful sleep and a longer life by holidaying in the Blue Mountains. 
As a result of this promotion, the private residence of businessman Sir George Eccles ‘Kelso’ King (1853-1943) located in the picturesque setting of Wentworth Falls on the Kings Tableland, was purchased by Dr Malcolm Sinclair and transformed into an open air Sanatorium in 1903. The hospital opened under the new name Queen Victoria Sanatorium and specialised in the treatment of tuberculosis patients until 1911 when it became a state-funded hospital.