MITCHELL’S PASS HISTORIC PRECINCT CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN VOL 1 Final Revised 9 January 2008 Prepared for: BLUE MOUNTAINS CITY COUNCIL With funding assistance from DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, WATER, HERITAGE AND THE ARTS Prepared by: HUBERT ARCHITECTS In association with IAN JACK HERITAGE CONSULTING PTY LTD. HUGHES TRUEMAN PTY LTD and DOUGLAS PARTNERS PTY LTD Cover Photo: Lennox Bridge & Mitchell’s Pass 1957 Photographer: Allan Searle Reproduced with permission from Springwood Historical Society TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Executive Summary .............................................................................................................................1 1.1 History..............................................................................................................................................1 1.2 Description......................................................................................................................................1 1.3 Significance......................................................................................................................................2 1.4 Management Issues ........................................................................................................................2 1.5 Conservation Policies.....................................................................................................................3 2 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................14 2.1 The Brief........................................................................................................................................14 2.2 Definition of the Study Place and Setting ................................................................................14 2.3 Methodology .................................................................................................................................14 2.4 Natural and Aboriginal Significance..........................................................................................14 2.5 Terms..............................................................................................................................................14 2.6 Author Identification ...................................................................................................................15 2.7 Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................15 2.8 Abbreviations................................................................................................................................15 2.9 Bibliography ..................................................................................................................................15 3 Historical Summary............................................................................................................................18 3.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................18 3.2 The First European Routes across the Blue Mountains, 1813-1827....................................18 3.3 Thomas Mitchell and the new road up Lapstone Hill, 1830- 1834......................................20 3.4 David Lennox and the Planning of Lennox Bridge................................................................23 3.5 The Building of Mitchells Pass, 1823-1833..............................................................................25 3.6 The Building of Lennox Bridge, 1832-1833.............................................................................27 3.7 Road Railings on Mitchells Pass, 1830s to 1850s....................................................................31 3.8 The Western End of Mitchells Pass and Pilgrim Inn.............................................................33 3.9 Lennox Bridge and its Road Approaches, 1840s to 1950s ....................................................36 3.10 Plaquing Lennox Bridge and Mitchell’s Pass, 1933, 1937, 1992......................................40 3.11 Conservation and Rebuilding of the Bridge, 1962 to 1983...............................................41 4 Physical Summary...............................................................................................................................47 4.1 General...........................................................................................................................................47 4.2 Mitchell’s Pass...............................................................................................................................49 4.3 Bridle Trail.....................................................................................................................................49 4.4 Lennox Bridge...............................................................................................................................50 4.5 Small Quarry..................................................................................................................................52 4.6 Retaining Wall and Culvert .........................................................................................................52 4.7 Energy Dissipator.........................................................................................................................53 4.8 Large Quarry .................................................................................................................................53 4.9 Sedimentation Pond.....................................................................................................................54 4.10 Stone Culverts (Culverts 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8).......................................................................54 4.11 Culverts 4 and 5.......................................................................................................................55 4.12 Milestone...................................................................................................................................55 4.13 Drainage....................................................................................................................................55 5 Assessment of Signficance................................................................................................................56 5.1 General...........................................................................................................................................56 5.2 Mitchell’s Pass (including Lennox Bridge, Milestone, 1832 Bridle Trail and the Small Quarry)......................................................................................................................................................57 5.3 Lennox Bridge...............................................................................................................................59 5.4 Milestone........................................................................................................................................61 5.5 1832 Bridle Trail (incorporating the Brookside Creek culvert and retaining wall) ............62 5.6 Small Quarry..................................................................................................................................64 5.7 Brookside Creek Quarry..............................................................................................................65 5.8 Surveyor’s Mark............................................................................................................................66 5.9 Themes...........................................................................................................................................67 5.10 Ranking of Significance of Fabric.........................................................................................68 6 Constraints And Opportunities .......................................................................................................70 6.1 Significance....................................................................................................................................70 6.2 Ownership .....................................................................................................................................70 6.3 Statutory Issues.............................................................................................................................70 6.4 Condition.......................................................................................................................................73 6.5 Maintenance Needs and Costs ...................................................................................................74 6.6 Community Values and Desires.................................................................................................74 6.7 Location & Neighbourhood.......................................................................................................74 6.8 Access.............................................................................................................................................75 7 Conservation Policies ........................................................................................................................76 7.1 General...........................................................................................................................................76 7.2