Blue Mountains "Ancient" #3

The original road over the Blue Mountains toward the New South Wales interior was built by convict construction gangs in 1815. We are currently celebrating the bicentenary of that first road's completion.

Named after the man who managed the work, Cox's Road  initially followed the Mt York ridge, plunging into the Hartley Valley to the north. It was a steep and often treacherous passage. The previous instalment of this series featured a small inn converted from a settler's homestead. While I estimated its origins as being the 1860s, due to the pressure of gold rush migration, it may possibly have been built as early as (say) 1825 because it was sited along the original Cox's Rd  route.

The Bathurst Rd (as it later became known) changed its route in 1832 following a more gentle and better constructed descent into the valley, directly west from Mt Victoria. This section of the road became known as the Victoria Pass. The current Great Western Highway follows that same route.

In 1839, the Mt Victoria Inn (pictured above, now known as "Rosedale") was constructed along the "new" route and still stands well preserved except that the original roofing materials may well have been timber shingles (shakes). It is interesting to note that colonial architecture was already dominated by surrounding verandahs which proved to be an excellent method of keeping buildings cool during long hot summers. 

Wide Angle Wednesday 01

We had some 46 participants for this inaugural challenge and given that many people may not have understood what I was rabbiting on about, I thought that the response was excellent. Many of you worked very hard and long to get the desired effect and by my reckoning, virtually everyone managed worthwhile "distortion" of one kind or another. My sincerest thanks to all. I was delighted.

Here now (in no particular order) are my Heart Awards:

Nickimags888
Paladian
Trisharooni
isbi
Miffy

I can't leave it at that without mentioning Madchickenwoman, who added just the right note of levity to the event .... lest anybody start to take things too seriously. Next week's theme is "Leading Line".