Echo Point (lookout)

Katoomba
New South Wales

Katoomba commercial area

Katoomba

Location in New South Wales

Coordinates

33°42′45″S 150°18′43″E / 33.71250°S 150.31194°ECoordinates: 33°42′45″S 150°18′43″E / 33.71250°S 150.31194°E

Population

8,016 (2011 census)

Established

1879

Postcode(s)

2780

Elevation

1,017 m (3,337 ft)

Location

110 km (68 mi) W of Sydney CBD
39 km (24 mi) SE of Lithgow

LGA(s)

City of Blue Mountains

Mean max temp	Mean min temp	Annual rainfall
16.8 °C ^{62 °F}	8.0 °C ^{46 °F}	1,407.3 mm ^{55.4 in}

Localities around Katoomba:
Medlow Bath	Medlow Bath	Blue Mountains National Park
Megalong Valley	Katoomba	Leura
Narrow Neck Plateau	Jamison Valley	Jamison Valley

Katoomba (postcode: 2780) is the chief town of the City of Blue Mountains in New South Wales, Australia and the administrative headquarters of Blue Mountains City Council. Katoomba is situated on the Great Western Highway 110 km (68 mi) west of Sydney and 39 km (24 mi) south-east of Lithgow. Katoomba railway station is on the Main Western line.

Katoomba is a base for bush and nature walks in the surrounding Blue Mountains. At the 2011 census, Katoomba had a population of 8,016 people.

Kedumba or Katta-toon-bah is an Aboriginal term for "shining falling water" or "water tumbling over hill" and takes its name from a waterfall that drops into the Jamison Valley below the Harrys Amphitheatre escarpment. Previously, the site was known as William's Chimney and Collett's Swamp. In 1874 the locality was named The Crushers after the name of the railway station that served a nearby quarry. The name Katoomba was adopted in 1877 and the town achieved municipality status in 1889.

Katoomba and nearby Medlow Bath were first developed as tourist destinations towards the end of the 19th century when a series of hotels were built and then repeatedly extended.

Coal and shale mining was also carried out in the Jamison Valley for many years, but when the seams were completely exhausted by the early 20th century, Katoomba was an established resort town. By the 1960s, Katoomba had somewhat declined, and several of its guest houses were converted for other purposes including convalescent hospitals. Some succumbed to arson. Housing was inexpensive, allowing many young families to establish themselves, many of whom still live there.

In the 1980s, the guest houses and hotels again became fashionable and many were restored to their former glory. Housing in the Katoomba region has become more expensive, but in general housing prices in the district are still markedly lower than those in the Sydney Metropolitan area. Tourism to the area has increased significantly since 2010.

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Wikipedia