Glenbrook, New South Wales

Glenbrook is an affluent suburb of the Lower Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 70 kilometres west of Sydney in the local government area of the City of Blue Mountains. At the Census in Australia 2016, Glenbrook had a population of 5,315 people.Glenbrook lies between Lapstone and Blaxland at an elevation of 163 m (535 ft) and is approximately a 50 minute drive from Sydney. It plays host to trendy cafes and boutiques, while offering various tourist attractions, including weekend markets, recreational opportunities and native flora and fauna.The suburb takes its name from Glenbrook Creek, which is on the southern side of the village and must be crossed to enter the Blue Mountains National Park. Glenbrook retains many historical homes and buildings throughout the village, although most homes are occupied and not open to the public.HistoryGlenbrook took its name from Glenbrook Creek but was originally known as Watertank, when a stop opened here on the original "little" zigzag railway line. A pipe-line brought water from Glenbrook Lagoon to a tank beside the line, from which the engines could be refilled. The Lagoon itself had been dammed up to hold more water for the trains. Around 1870, a small loop siding was built for trains to pass each other and the name was changed to Wascoe's Siding, referring to its connection with the railway stopping point of Wascoe (now Blaxland). In 1878, Sir Alfred Stephen, Chief Justice and Privy Councillor, decided to give the station a proper name and called it Brookdale, "because the place was well watered". One year later, amid a general renaming, the station was given the name of the nearby creek, Glenbrook, which Sir John Jamison thought came from Regents Glen. When the village was officially proclaimed, six years later, it took the name of the station.