Blue Mountains Historical Society

19/11/2025

BLUE MOUNTAINS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Tarella Historic Cottage Museum Open Day
Sunday 30 November 2025

The Blue Mountains Historical Society (BMHS) will conduct its last Community Open Day for 2025 at Tarella, its Historic Cottage Museum, on Sunday 30 November 2025 from 10am to 3pm at 99 Blaxland Road, Wentworth Falls.
Visitors are invited to view this fine example of a late 19th century Blue Mountains holiday cottage, furnished with period furniture, some of which is linked to the original owners, the McLaughlin family. The cottage provides an insight into domestic life at that time, including in the original kitchen, where tasty titbits are often cooked on the open fire for visitors on Open Days..
Younger children might also enjoy following our new gnome trail throughout our gardens.
An entrance fee of $5.00 for adults, $2.00 for school age children, covers both entry to the cottage and inspection of the BMHS Research facilities.
Morning and afternoon tea, and, occasionally, soup and buns, will be available in the separate kitchen in the Society’s research building.

24/10/2025

Blue Mountains Historical Society Monthly Meeting and Public Talk.

The Blue Mountains Historical Society (BMHS) will hold its next Monthly Meeting and Public Talk on Saturday 1 November 2025 in its meeting rooms at 99 Blaxland Road, Wentworth Falls, commencing at 10.30am.

All members of the community are invited to hear Keith Painter, a long term member of BMHS, speak about his latest book about the Blue Mountains.

Keith has spent many years in printing, editing and cave-guiding. He has been writing about the Blue Mountains for over 30 years. Now retired, he enjoys bushwalking and historical research, especially the challenge of following a trail of clues until the answer is revealed. “Thirty Blue Mountains Lookouts ~ the views, the people, the stories” is his 16th Blue Mountains publication.

BMHS members are free, while non-members are $5. Morning tea will be available from 10am for a small additional cost.

26/09/2025

A message from our guest speaker Mr Greg North:
I'm looking forward to the presentation at BMHS on October 4th. The book was launched during the Outback Writers Festival at the Waltzing Matilda Centre in Winton, Qld in June and will be available on the day. I'm also re-enacting Banjo's Boer War lecture tour through four states and New Zealand performing my Life & Rhymes of Banjo Paterson show at the same places on the same dates (or close to), 125 years later. See

gregory north

26/09/2025

Our October Public Meeting and Talk - Saturday 4 October 2025.
99 Blaxland Road, Wentworth Falls.

On Saturday 4 October 2025, the Blue Mountains Historical Society (BMHS) will hold its monthly meeting and public talk. Morning tea will be available from 10am for $5. The meeting will commence at 10.30am.
The talk this month will be by Mr GREG NORTH, a long time member of BMHS and poet. He will examine Banjo Paterson’s Boer War experiences as a special war correspondent for the Sydney Morning Herald, as well as outlining his links to Blackheath.
Greg has produced a book to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Paterson’s Boer War lecture tour and it will be available for purchase.
For BMHS members the monthly talks are free of charge.
Visitors entry fee is $5.00.

23/09/2025

Tarella Cottage Museum Open Day
Sunday 28 September 2025, 10am to 3pm.
Blue Mountains Historical Society, 99 Blaxland Road Wentworth Falls.
Visitors are invited to view this fine example of a late 19th century Blue Mountains holiday cottage, furnished with period furniture, some of which is linked to the original owners, the McLaughlin family. The cottage provides an insight into domestic life at that time, including in the original kitchen, where tasty tidbits are often cooked on the open fire for visitors on Open Days.
Younger children might also enjoy following our new gnome trail throughout our gardens.
An entrance fee of $5.00 for adults, $2.00 for school age children, covers both entry to the cottage and inspection of the BMHS Research facilities. Morning and afternoon tea, and, occasionally, soup and buns, will be available in the separate kitchen in the Society’s research building.

29/08/2025

MEETING & PUBLIC TALK – Saturday 6th of September 2025.
At Blue Mountains Historical Society we will conduct our monthly meeting and public talk in our Meeting Room at 99 Blaxland Road, Wentworth Falls, commencing at 10.30am.
On this occasion, Mr Wal Walker will speak about the failure of governments, administrations and the judiciary to prevent or control the dispersal of Aboriginal people and violence against them, which he explores in his book, "The Squatters' Grab".
All members of the community are invited to attend the talk. It is free for BMHS members and $5 for adult non-members. School students are $2.
Morning tea is also available for $5 from 10am.

25/07/2025

Our next Public Meeting and Talk is on Saturday 2 August 2025
commencing at 10.30am in the BMHS Research Centre at 99 Blaxland Road, Wentworth Falls.
JOHN LANSER will tell early stories of the history of JENOLAN CAVES. His illustrated talk will feature a short 1917 silent movie clip about the Caves. John is a long term member of the Blue Mountains Historical Society and has given several very well received talks over recent years focussing on the Catalina Raceway, our local Radio Station and the production of Australia’s first talkie movie,”Showgirl’s Luck”, at the old Lapstone Hotel.
The meeting and talk will begin at 10.30am. However, morning tea will be available from 10am. Visitors are very welcome to attend for a small charge of $5.00. BMHS Members are, of course, free.

07/07/2025

Tarella Cottage Museum at Blue Mountains Historical Society.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100053261450472

A unique 1890 Blue Mountains weatherboard holiday cottage originally owned by John and Ada McLaughlin. Gifted to Blue Mountains Historical Society by their daughter Beryl Mary McLaughlin.

07/07/2025

For inquiries, research, answers to questions, donations or volunteering, the best time to telephone or call into Blue Mountains Historical Society at 101 Blaxland Rd Wentworth Falls is:

Tuesday 10am to 4pm and/or Friday 10am to 4pm.
Visiting BMHS on a Tarella Cottage Museum Open Day is also an opportunity to connect and learn about us. The cottage is open on the last Sunday of each month, excluding December.

Whether you’re drawn to environmental causes, community welfare, education, sport or beyond, there’s a place where your unique skills and interests can

29/06/2025

Meeting and Public Talk by PAUL INNES – Saturday 5 July 2025
at Blue Mountains Historical Society.
At the BMHS Research Centre, 99 Blaxland Road, Wentworth Falls.
Mr Paul Innes, a long term member of BMHS, well known in the Blue Mountains as the Carrington Hotel Historian and the proprietor of Blue Mountains Tours, will speak to the topic “The Remarkable Mary Pitt and her Wentworth Falls Descendants”. Paul's talk will be illustrated by images connected to the Pitt Family here in the Blue Mountains, as well as from the Pitt Family's original home in England, which Paul visited on his most recent overseas trip at the end of 2024.
The meeting will commence at 10.30am. Morning tea will be available from 10am for a gold coin donation. Visitors are very welcome to attend the talk. The entry fee is $5.00 for visitors, free to BMHS members.

01/06/2025

BLUE MOUNTAINS HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
Public Meeting and Talk, Saturday 7 June 2025
Blue Mountains Historical Society (BMHS) will hold its monthly meeting and talk on Saturday 7 June at its meeting rooms at 99 Blaxland Road, Wentworth Falls, commencing at 10.30am. Morning tea will be available from 10am.
Bill Phippen will talk about the life of Kathleen M Butler, who, for many years, worked along side the NSW government engineer, John Bradfield, as his Confidential Secretary. Bradfield is often called the Father of Modern Sydney because of his role in building the Sydney Harbour Bridge, railways and other major works. Butler worked closely with and contributed significantly to his achievements.
Bill Phippen worked throughout his life in the construction industry. He was appointed Archives Manager of the Australian Railway Historical Society in 2010. Bill has written 5 well received books, winning the Colin Crisp Award from Engineers Australia in 2019 for his book, “Hawkesbury River Railway Bridges”.
Attending the talk costs $5 for non-BMHS Members while BMHS are free..

16/05/2025

TARELLA OPEN DAY - Sunday 25 May 2025
Visitors are invited to view this fine example of a late 19th century Blue Mountains holiday cottage and obtain a glimpse of domestic life at that time, including the original kitchen, where often tasty tidbits are cooked on the open fire for visitors to taste.
The house is furnished with appropriate period furniture, most items of which are linked to the era or to the McLaughlin family, who built and occupied the house.
Ada Amanda Moore of Randwick married John McLaughlin much to the distress of her Uncle Charles Moore of Coogee & Randwick! A councillor until 1886, Charles Moore was elected as mayor in 1863. He was also a member of the Botany-Randwick-Coogee Roads Trust. In December 1865 he was elected to the Sydney City Council for Bourke Ward and was mayor 1867-69. (Australian Dictionary of Biography Vol 5) He also had a home in Springwood NSW.
In addition to viewing the McLaughlin's cottage, an exhibition of photographs and information focusing on the story of Aviation in the Blue Mountains remains on show.
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10am to 3pm at 99 Blaxland Road, Wentworth Falls.
An entrance fee of $5.00, $2.00 for school age children, covers both entry to the cottage and the Aviation exhibition.
Morning and afternoon tea will be available in the separate BMHS Research Rooms and the Society’s research facilities will also be available for inspection.