Educational Resources
One Hand is Giving
One Hand is Receiving
Looking for Unity of Purpose
Aboriginal Education
During the upcoming Bicentenary Re-enactment - Crossing of the Blue Mountains in May 2013, the Aboriginal Message Stick will be carried across the Blue Mountains
The Message Stick carries the following message
Peace, Meeting with 3 Persons, Animal footsteps, Trust
Aboriginal history is Australian history - it belongs to us all.
A Shared History ... Rationale
"How we crossed this great divide .... together .... hand in hand"
a short story with video
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Teaching / Learning Activities
Teaching Unit on the Crossing - Handouts and Worksheets
National Museum of Australia - Australian History Mysteries - Crossing of the Blue Mountains
Further teaching units
Blaxland, Lawson, Wentworth, Evans and Strzelecki
Who Explored Australia? Set 2 Activities and BLMs
Further teaching units and background historical reading Australia in the 1810s
Summary of the decade
Some interesting resources, music, articles and galleries - Jim Low
Across the Blue Mountains
Powerpoint slide presentation the Crossing of the Blue Mountains
excellent illustrations
NB: This is a very large file 60Mbytes ... 10 minute download time
See Blaxland's Original Journal Project Gutenberg Australia
See Lawson's Original Journal State Library Journals
See Wentworth's Original Journal State Library Journals
Project Gutenberg Australia
General biographical information on the Explorers
a treasure-trove of literature
A good short overview for background reading
Crossing the Blue Mountains: from bush tracks to highways
Education at the National Museum of Australia
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Poetry
Gregory North's Blue Mountains Crossings Bicentenary poem 'How far We've Come' delivered in front of the NSW Governor Prof. Marie Bashir at the official launch of the Blue Mountains Crossing Bicentenary 2013-2015 at Echo Point, Katoomba
Listen to this poem 'How far We've Come'
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Library Resources
Library Resources - Bicentenary Exhibition
The Crossing of the Blue Mountains
The crossing of the Blue Mountains has earned its place in our national history. Without it, it is doubtful that European settlement would have survived. Prior to 1813 many unsuccessful attempts were made to cross the Blue Mountains. However on 11 May 1813, explorers Gregory Blaxland, Lieutenant William Lawson and William Charles Wentworth left Blaxland’s farm at South Creek near St Marys and arrived at Mount Blaxland in the Kanimbla Valley on 31 May 1813.
Penrith, Blue Mountains and Lithgow Libraries have been successful in gaining grant funding from the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities to help celebrate this event by creating a traveling exhibition.
The traveling display/exhibition will provide a visual and informative focal point and backdrop for the celebrations planned at each participating Council Library in the following local government areas - Penrith, Blue Mountains and Lithgow. By tracing the background and visually representing the significance of the event (including the impact on the indigenous population), each local community will gain significant insight into the history of their local areas and the importance of this event in terms of Australia's history by significantly progressing the advancement of European settlement of early colonial New South Wales.
The traveling display exhibition will include images of historical documents, pictorial items and artefacts to tell the story of the first European crossing of the Blue Mountains and its significance to both the indigenous population and the colonial history of NSW. The exhibition will tour as part of local celebrations for the bicentenary (prior to and during May/June 2013) and be set up in participating council libraries (and possibly other locations at a later date).
The exhibition will be launched at Penrith City Library prior to the bicentenary date of 11 May (i.e. the date that explorers Gregory Blaxland, Lieutenant William Lawson and William Charles Wentworth left Blaxland’s farm at South Creek near St Marys) and ending at Lithgow City Library no later than 31 July 2013.
Penrith City Library Resources .. suggested reading
Title | Author/s | Publication details | Collection |
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1813: a tale that grew in the telling | Siobhan Lavelle | Sydney, WrightLight, 2013 | LBOOK |
A HISTORIAN'S APPRENTICESHIP | MANNING CLARK | 1992 | NF |
A journal of a tour of discovery across the Blue Mountains, New South Wales in the year 1813 / by Gregory Blaxland with references and explanatory notes, maps etc. by Frank Walker | Gregory Blaxland; Frank Walker | Sydney, Australian Historical Society, 1913 | LINFDESK |
A short history of the life of Gregory Blaxland | Ron Buttrey | Eastwood, Brush Farm Historical Society, 2006 | NF |
A short history of the life of Gregory Blaxland | Ron Buttrey | Eastwood N.S.W., Brush Farm Historical Society, 2006 | LBOOK |
AUSTRALIAN EXPLORERS: UNLOCKING THE GREAT SOUTH LAND | ROBERT COUPE | 1998 | NF |
Blaxland, Lawson & Wentworth | Jo Jensen; Peta Barrett | Slacks Creek Qld.,Future Horizon Publishing,1997 | NF |
Blaxland, Lawson, Wentworth, Evans and Strzelecki | Sally Bullen | Port Melbourne, Pearson Australia, 2011 | NF |
BLAXLAND-LAWSON-WENTWORTH 1813 | JOANNA ARMOUR RICHARDS | 1979 | LBOOK |
Blue Mountains Crossing Re-enactment 4 April 1951 | ABC (Australian Broadcasting Commission) | Penrith, NSW, Penrith City Library, 2008 | LCDROM |
BUILDERS AND PIONEERS OF AUSTRALIA | ARTHUR JOSE | 1928 | LBOOK |
COASTS AND MOUNTAINS: AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATION FROM 1770 TO 1830 | JOHN BARWICK; JENNIFER BARWICK | 2000 | NF |
CROSSING THE BLUE MOUNTAINS | BARRIE SHEPPARD | 2002 | NF |
CROSSING THE BLUE MOUNTAINS | BARRIE SHEPPARD | 2002 | RGENERAL |
CROSSING THE BLUE MOUNTAINS | JIM LOW | 1990 | NF |
CROSSING THE BLUE MOUNTAINS: JOURNEYS THROUGH TWO CENTURIES | DAVID FOSTER | 1997 | RGENERAL |
Crossing the Blue Mountains: journeys through two centuries from naturalist Charles Darwin to novelist David Foster | David Foster | Potts Point, N.S.W., Duffy & Snellgrove, 1997 | NF |
Explorers / by Robert Hillman | Robert Hillman | Port Melbourne, Echidna Books, 2001 | NF |
EXPLORING AUSTRALIA: THE SOUTH-EAST | MICHAEL DUGAN | 1993 | RGENERAL |
EXPLORING AUSTRALIA: THE SOUTH-EAST | MICHAEL DUGAN | 1993 | NF |
FOURTEEN JOURNEYS OVER THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF NEW SOUTH WALES 1813-1841 | GEORGE MACKANESS | 1965 | LBOOK |
Fourteen journeys over the Blue Mountains of New South Wales 1813-1841 | George Mackaness | Sydney, Horwitz Grahame, 1965 | RGENERAL |
Fourteen journeys over the Blue Mountains of New South Wales 1813-1841 | George Mackaness | Sydney, Horwitz Grahame, 1965 | THISTORY |
George William Evans: The first explorer to cross the Great Dividing Range and reach the Western Plains | A. K. Weatherburn | unpublished manuscript, Nov 1963 | LBOOK |
Ironbark and his branches | Hazel Magann | Lethbridge Park, Hazel Magann, 2009 | NF |
Ironbark and his branches | Hazel Magann; Leone Gendle | Blacktown, Blacktown City Council, 2010 | LBOOK |
MONUMENTS: BLAXLAND CAIRN, GLENBROOK MARKER, JOHN WHITTON MEMORIAL | CHRISTINE MAZENAUER | 1996 | LBOOK |
Old Ironbark : some unpublished correspondence (1817-1824) from and to William Lawson | William Beard; William Lawson | Sydney, Wentworth Press, 1967 | LBOOK |
On suspect terrain: journals of exploration in the Blue Mountains 1795-1820 | Ross Brownscombe | Brighton East, Forever Wild Press, 2004 | RGENERAL |
On suspect terrain: journals of exploration in the Blue Mountains 1795-1820 | Ross Brownscombe | Brighton East, Forever Wild Press, 2004 | LBOOK |
Over the Blue Mountains: 11th May 1813 to 7th May 1815 | Sydney, Australian Visual Education, 1958 | LINFDESK | |
Over the Blue Mountains: 11th May 1813 to 7th May 1815 | Peter Leyden | Lindfield, NSW, Schools Publishing House, 195- | LINFDESK |
Plan of Emu Plains and lines of roads up Lapstone | F. Rusden | 29 July 1831 | MAPL |
Route of G. W. Evans on his journey from the Nepean River and ascent of Blue Mountains, 20th November 1813 | Sydney, NSW, 1813 | MAPL | |
Survey of part of Emu Plains: showing the new and old line of road to the Pilgrim | H. F. White | Sydney, Surveyor General's Office, 20 May 1832 | MAPL |
THE CROSSING OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS | ROLAND HARVEY; ALAN BOARDMAN | 1984 | NF |
The mountain explorers | Nicolas Brasch | Port Melbourne, Heinemann, 2005 | NF |
THEY MADE AUSTRALIA: OUR NATION BUILDERS | SIMONE BRADFIELD | 1999 | NF |
WILLIAM CHARLES WENTWORTH | JANET MERKUR; WILLIAM CHARLES WENTWORTH | 1999 | NF |
William Charles Wentworth: Australia's greatest native son | Andrew Tink | Crows Nest, Allen & Unwin, 2009 | NF |
William Cox: Blue Mountains road builder and pastoralist | Richard Hubert Cox | Kenthurst, Rosenberg Publishing, 2012 | NF |
William Cox: Blue Mountains road builder and pastoralist | Richard Cox | Kenthurst, Rosenberg Publishing, 2012 | LBOOK |
.. further suggested reading
Dewey | itemID | Copies | Lending Status | Summary |
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994.45 EIG | L20007453 | single | Research Room only | The Blue Mountains are the setting for a dominant narrative of early Australian exploration. The achievements of Gregory Blaxland, William Charles Wentworth and William Lawson and their four servants has become legendary over the past 200 years. |
994.0072 HIS | 04057578 | multiple | Lending | |
994.45 JOU | 03090644 | single | Research Room only | |
BIOGRAPHY BLAX | 04390140 | multiple | Lending | This book explores the life of Gregory Blaxland from his birth in Kent, and his decision to come to New South Wales with his brother John, his purchase of Brush Farm, his explorations and his work as an agriculturist and viticulturist. |
BIOGRAPHY BLAX | 04360301 | single | Research Room only | This book explores the life of Gregory Blaxland from his birth in Kent, and his decision to come to New South Wales with his brother John, his purchase of Brush Farm, his explorations and his work as an agriculturist and viticulturist. |
994 AUS | 04267286 | multiple | Lending | |
994.02 BLA | 04326807 | multiple | Lending | |
994.4502 BLA | 04563204 | multiple | Lending | This series provides in-depth information about the exploration of Australia. This title focuses on the explorers who crossed the Blue Mountains and the Great Dividing Range, leading the way to settlement of land to the west of Sydney |
994.4502 BLA | 03090645 | single | Research Room only | |
994.4102 BLU | L20000190 | single | Research Room only | Re-enactment commemorating the first successful crossing of the Blue Mountains by Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth in 1813. Re-enactment and celebrations was part of the Commonwealth Jubilee. Recorded by the ABC in Sydney on 7 June 1951. |
920.094 BUI | 03090892 | single | Research Room only | |
994.02 COA | 04192127 | multiple | Lending | |
994.45 CRO | 04259503 | multiple | Lending | |
994.45 CRO | 04259380 | multiple | In Library Only | |
994.45 CRO | 03083916 | multiple | Lending | |
994.45 CRO | 04134952 | single | In Library Only | |
994.45 CRO | 04134951 | multiple | Lending | The book presents personal accounts of struggle and discovery by explorers, pioneers, scientists, writers and travellers, including Gregory Blaxland, Elizabeth Hawkins, Charles Darwin and David Foster. |
994.02 EXP | 04223591 | multiple | Lending | Brings the stories of some Australian explorers to life with accounts of their lives and expeditions. |
920 EXP | 04036360 | multiple | In Library Only | |
920 EXP | 04020909 | multiple | Lending | |
994.402 MAC | 03090791 | single | Research Room only | |
994.402 MCK | 01495065 | single | In Library Only | |
994.402 MAC | 04107213 | single | In Library Only | The book contains first-hand narratives of members of fourteen parties who recorded their experiences over the track which led to the opening of the great pastoral lands of western New South Wales |
994.45 GEO | p20082169 | single | Research Room only | |
929.2994 IRO | 04519559 | single | Lending | Family history of William Lawson of Prospect, NSW and his descendants. Although Lawson had his heritage in Scotland, he was born in London in 1774. He arrived in NSW in 1800. Lawson married convict Sarah Leadbeater in 1812 at Parramatta. |
BIOGRAPHY LAWS | 04502084 | single | Research Room only | Family history of William Lawson of Prospect, NSW and his descendants. Although Lawson had his heritage in Scotland, he was born in London in 1774. He arrived in NSW in 1800. Lawson married convict Sarah Leadbeater in 1812 at Parramatta. |
725.94 BLA | T20003435 | single | Research Room only | |
BIOGRAPHY LAWS | 01652468 | single | Research Room only | The letters were mostly written to and from Veteran Hall (Lawson's home at Prospect), by Lawson himself, members of his family and his London agent. William Lawson was born at Finchley London on 2 June 1774. |
994.4502 ONS | 04333147 | single | In Library Only | A comprehensive study of early colonial exploration, the journals of all the explorers who first probed the sandstone rampants of the Blue Mountains. Presented complete and unabridged to set the record straight about the true history of European explorati |
994.4502 ONS | 04333143 | single | In Library Only | A comprehensive study of early colonial exploration, the journals of all the explorers who first probed the sandstone ramparts of the Blue Mountains. Sets the record straight about the true history of European exploration in the Blue Mountains. |
994.4102 OVE | L20000003 | single | Research Room only | Graphic (cartoon) description of the crossing of the Blue Mountains by Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth, the surveying by Evans and the building of the road by William Cox and his team of men. |
994.4102 OVE | L20000002 | single | Research Room only | Graphic (cartoon) description of the crossing of the Blue Mountains by Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth, the surveying by Evans and the building of the road by William Cox and his team of men. |
LM029 | L20000032 | single | Research Room only | Map shows line of Cox's Road up Lapstone Hill and the government farm. Map is copy of the original map held by the State Archives of NSW, A2 NLD E. 964. |
LM025 | L20000029 | single | Research Room only | Survey from Blaxland to Emu Plains undertaken by Evans on his return journey from Mt York, 31 December 1813 to 8 January 1814. Also shows Glenbrook swamp recorded by Evans in his field book, 7 January 1841. |
LM027 | L20000038 | single | Research Room only | Major Mitchell's new line of road and the old road up Lapstone Hill (Cox's Road) to the Pilgrim Inn. Original held in State Records NSW, A3 NLD E. 744. |
994.45 BOA | 20001331 | multiple | Lending | A history of the exploration of the Blue Mountains, with delightful illustrations. |
994.02 MOU | 04378600 | multiple | Lending | Focuses on the main expeditions to cross the Blue Mountains, including those by Gregory Blaxland, William Lawson, William Wentworth and George Evans. Paul Strzelecki's expidition along the Great Dividing Range is also recounted. |
920.094 THE | 04198597 | multiple | Lending | |
BIOGRAPHY WENT | 04199168 | single | Lending | |
BIOGRAPHY WENT | 04535104 | single | Lending | William Charles Wentworth led a life of firsts. A man of rat cunning, great intelligence and sharp wit, he wrote the first book by an Australian to be published, was joint editor and proprietor of the colony's first independent newspaper..... |
BIOGRAPHY COX | 04549156 | multiple | Lending | William Cox was a soldier, road builder, and pioneering pastoralist in the colony of New South Wales. He made his name building the road across the Blue Mountains in 1814. In this biography, Richard Cox a descendant gives the details of William Cox's life |
BIOGRAPHY COX | L20007357 | single | Research Room only | William Cox was a soldier, road builder, and pioneering pastoralist in the colony of New South Wales. He made his name building the road across the Blue Mountains in 1814. In this biography, Richard Cox a descendant gives the details of William Cox's life |
Blue Mountains City Library Resources .. suggested reading
.. further suggested reading
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Sharing Resources
If you have discovered other useful resources or have developed your own and would like to share
please email: Education Liaison - Peter McFarland