Scrapbook of the campaign to save the Blue Gum Forest, Grose Valley NSW, approximately 1931-1932

MLMSS 11407/Box 1X

fonds

1931-1932

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Photographs

9627808

0.30 metres of textual and graphic material (1 outsize box)

The Blue Gum Forest is located in the Grose Valley NSW at the confluence of the Grose
River and Govetts Leap Creek on river flats totally approximately 80 acres (33 hectares) and is within a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area). The forest is comprised primarily of Deane’s Blue Gum (Eucalyptus deanei) which are related to the Sydney Blue Gum. In 1931, a party of bushwalkers (The Mountain Trails Club of NSW) who had previously visited and camped in the Forest, discovered two men (Hungerford and Pierce of Bilpin) who it appeared were planning to remove or at least despoil the Forest by removing all or part of the Forest for other purposes. Hungerford and Pierce had a legal right to manage the Forest as they owned the Crown lease on the northern side of the Grose River.
The consequence of this discovery by the bushwalkers during Easter 1931 was that the
Mountain Trails Club, led by their Honorary Secretary Myles Dunphy, commenced efforts to
forestall the potential destruction of the Forest, which eventually led to the formation of the
Blue Gum Forest Committee which was comprised of a number of interested bodies.
In due course, a meeting was held in the Blue Gum Forest between the Blue Gum Forest
Committee and the lessee, Hungerford. An agreement was struck whereby the Committee
agreed to buy out the lease for 150 pounds, at a later meeting reduced to 130 pounds.
The Blue Gum Forest Committee then proceeded to raise the funds which was extremely
difficult during the Depression years of 1931/32. Amongst other fund-raising activities, approaches were made to businesses and also prominent individuals in order to raise awareness of the Campaign and therefore to ask for financial support. To aid the approach to businesses and individuals, the Blue Gum Scrapbook was prepared in order to aid verbal explanations as to why the Blue Gum Forest should be preserved by buying out the Crown lease held by Hungerford.
Reference:
Chapter 21,pages 245 – 264. ‘Back from the Brink’, Andy McQueen, Second Edition 2007, Publ. by the Author.

One handmade scrapbook with 16 pages containing a hand drawn map by Myles Dunphy, 10 photographs by Alan Rigby and press cuttings from newspapers c. 1931-1932 regarding the environmental campaign to save the Blue Gum Forest, Grose Valley, NSW.

Copyright restrictions may apply: Hand drawn map in copyright until 2055, photographs out of copyright
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales