Bell (

postcode A postal code (also known locally in various English-speaking countries throughout the world as a postcode, post code, PIN or ZIP Code) is a series of letters or digits or both, sometimes including spaces or punctuation, included in a postal a ...

: 2786) is a small rural and residential

village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...

in the Blue Mountains region of

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. It is the north-westernmost village in the

City of Blue Mountains The City of Blue Mountains is a local government area of New South Wales, Australia, governed by the Blue Mountains City Council. The city is located in the Blue Mountains range west of Sydney. The Mayor of Blue Mountains City Council is coun ...

, located approximately west of

Sydney central business district The Sydney central business district (CBD) is the historical and main Central business district, commercial centre of Sydney. The CBD is Sydney's city centre, or Sydney City, and the two terms are used interchangeably. Colloquially, the CBD or c ...

by road or by rail, approximately east of Lithgow and north of Mount Victoria. It is a locality on the junction of the

Bells Line of Road Bells Line of Road is a major road located in New South Wales, Australia, providing an alternative crossing of the Blue Mountains to the Great Western Highway. The eastern terminus of the road is in , 51 km northwest of Sydney, where the road ...

, Chifley Road and the Darling Causeway, with an elevation of approximately .

Description and history

Bell is named after

Archibald Bell, Jr. Archibald Bell (15 April 1804 – 9 August 1883) was an English-born Australian explorer and politician. Life and family Archibald Bell was born on 15 April 1804 in county Hertfordshire, England, the son of Archibald Bell and Maria (''née'' ...

, who was the first colonial man to map the route over the Blue Mountains via

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

. This crossing had been partly explored by colonial explorer George Caley, who went as far as

Mount Banks Mount Banks, a mountain within the Explorers Range of the Blue Mountains Range that is a spur off the Great Dividing Range, is located within the Blue Mountains National Park, approximately west of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. Mou ...

in 1804, but Bell was the first colonial explorer to go the whole way from the Richmond area to the Bell area thanks to Indigenous guides,

Darug The Dharug or Darug people, formerly known as the Broken Bay tribe, are an Aboriginal Australian people, who share strong ties of kinship and, in pre-colonial times, lived as skilled hunters in family groups or clans, scattered throughout much ...

men Emery and Cogy, who were already quite familiar with the route. The

was later established along this route. Bell is on the

Main Western railway line The Main Western Railway is a major railway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs through the Blue Mountains, Central West, North West Slopes and the Far West regions. It is with operational & under construction & repairs. Description o ...

. The railway station was built in 1875 to service the village of Mount Wilson, some from Bell. Bell railway station was originally named Mount Wilson railway station. Bell railway station is above sea level. The area has a small number of properties with an average size of approximately , and in surrounding areas are various walking tracks, (some in the national park and some on private property) which give views of the Hartley Valley, Wollangambe Wilderness and surrounding areas. Bell is entirely surrounded by native bush, most of which is part of the

Blue Mountains National Park The Blue Mountains National Park is a protected national park that is located in the Blue Mountains region of New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The national park is situated approximately west of Sydney, and the park boundary is quite ...

. This section of the park is dominated by the

Wollangambe River The Wollangambe River, an Australian perennial river that is part of the HawkesburyNepean catchment within the Sydney Basin, is located in the Greater Blue Mountains Area of New South Wales. Course and features The Wollangambe River rises abou ...

, which begins north of Bell and flows to the

Colo River The Colo River, a perennial stream that is part of the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment, is located in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia. Course The Colo River rises on the Great Dividing Range, northeast of Newnes, formed by the ...

. The area is rugged, stony country with few tracks. A walking trail from Bell gives access to the Wollangambe River and is used as a starting point by experienced bushwalkers venturing into the Wollangambe Wilderness. Bell enjoys a cool mountain climate, with snow falls occurring most years. Bell's average winter (July) minimum temperature is with an average maximum of . In summer, Bell enjoys considerably cooler temperatures than the nearby Sydney basin, with an average maximum of in January. Hot westerly winds can cause the temperature to occasionally rise to the range of . As Bell's Line of Road is the only alternative route to the

Great Western Highway Great Western Highway (also known as Broadway from to , Parramatta Road from Chippendale to , and Church Street through Parramatta) is a state highway in New South Wales, Australia. From east to west, the highway links Sydney with Bathurst, ...

over the Blue Mountains, Bell is the site of an RTA Heavy Vehicle Checking Station.

References

External links

Blue Mountains City Council Community Profile
{{authority control Towns in New South Wales Suburbs of the City of Blue Mountains City of Lithgow