Perhaps as many as 80 million years ago, Australia separated from the landmass Gondwana. As it proceeded on its slow but steady march northwards, significant volcanic activity and uplifting took place, creating the Great Dividing Range. Running along the east coast of Australia, the range has been gradually chiselled and shaped by water and wind erosion. This has revealed patches of the original sandstone and carved deep valleys and gorges into the land. Of these, Wolgan Valley is considered one of the most beautiful and accessible of all.
The Valley's settlement history can be traced through just two families, both of whom were intrinsically linked to the area; the Walkers and the Webbs. First came James Walker, who established a cattle outstation in the Valley to service his main estate called 'Wallerawang', although the original 1,000 acres containing today's Homestead were initially granted to Walker's older brother, William. The sizeable Homestead was built in 1832 from materials found almost entirely on site using the traditional slab hut method of construction.
Six years later Charles Darwin arrived in New South Wales, and on the 18th of January, he stayed the night as a guest at the Wallerawang Homestead. The following day he wrote in his notebook a detailed description of Wolgan Valley. The scale of the terrain appears to have made a huge impression on him, and he was prompted to theorise broadly (and accurately) on its formation.
In 1929 the Webb family arrived at the Homestead to graze their cattle and sheep, initially signing a three-year lease, which was later extended. Finally, in 1935, the land grant was transferred to Elva Blanche Webb, Russell William Wilton Webb and Brian Neville Webb, where it remained in the family until 2006.
Australia is home to the oldest living culture in the world. Long before the pyramids were built or paintings were drawn in the caves at Lascaux, the First Australians were hunting and collecting in a nomadic fashion. Evidence of their existence dates back some 12,000 years, and the Valley continues to yield ancient artefacts and stone tools.
Today, the territory is shared by four Aboriginal Nations; although it is thought that the Wiradjuri are most likely to have been predominant through the ages. The name Wolgan Valley is derived from the Aboriginal word, 'wolga', used for the vine commonly known as Old Man's Beard, found throughout the region.
Colonisation followed the arrival of the First Fleet in Sydney in 1778 and led to the development of the Lithgow region by early settlers. The mountains were generally thought impassable until a claim made in 1813 by a trio named Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth was recognised as the first official crossing. The party named Mount Blaxland before going on to open up the lands for pastoral development.
In 1814, Governor Lachlan Macquarie of Sydney commissioned the first road into the area, which led to Bathurst and spawned the village of Newnes. Gradually, other routes were opened to facilitate the mining of coal and shale in the Blue Mountains; but the advent of petroleum and its by-products foreshadowed the eventual demise of this industry.
It was Robert Hoddle, Assistant Surveyor General, who is credited with being the first European to have discovered Wolgan Valley. In 1823, Hoddle led a failed attempt to plot another road into the area and on seeing the terrain described it thus:
"From this latter hill (we) had no difficulty to obstruct us, until we came to a deep and perpendicular ravine, running east and west. The appearance of the Rock was singular and romantick (sic) and had the appearance of a Castle and Town in ruins."
