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370:'Map of the Colony of New South Wales' in 1842 and the name was in use for some time after. When the construction of the Illawarra (now officially South Coast Line) line was taking place a village formed in 1885, with four houses. The name was changed to Otford in May 1885. During that year the village grew and the first school was built, as well as a post office. In 1887 a hotel was present, along with a butchers store, bakers shop, tailor, jeweller and general store. Otford also had a billiard room and
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One of the current most important aspects of Otford is its
Bushfire Brigade. All members are village based volunteers who protect the town and district from the severe bushfires that threaten the town. It is an integral aspect of the local community. The local school is the other community focus of
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The current railway tunnel between Otford and
Stanwell Park was made in 1917 after annoyances in the old one such as buildup of smoke in the unventilated route and the steep descent. The railway achievements of the area are known as engineering feats, and the views are equally well known. The
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The landscape is mostly hillside, and the
Hacking River runs through the valley to the north. The highest points around Otford reach over 250 metres above sea level, at Bulgo and Otford Hills. The Bulgo Range of coastal hill headland is the northern extension of the
440:, a volunteer Rural Fire Brigade, Otford Community Hall, tennis court and playground and a cafe. Otford railway station, once had award-winning gardens and picturesque buildings but is now a stark concrete and brick commuter stop. The railway station is used by
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and
Stanwell Tops. To the east of the valley is the coastal ridge and small community of Bulgo, also the name of a hill in the area and the former name of Otford. To the west, on the plateau, is the township of Helensburgh. To the north is the locality of
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alley. After construction of the railway had finished the village went into decline and the school was closed in 1893. Trains on the line stopped at Otford to take in water and a small railway and sawmill centre developed at the entrance to the tunnel.
382:, in the north of the Otford valley was established by Thomas Gergos and his three brothers in 1875. James Forster built a mill to the south in 1899. Lilyvale Mushrooms Pty. Ltd began in 1952 in a small tunnel at
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In the 2021 Census, there were 396 people in Otford. 74.7% of people were born in
Australia and 87.6% of people spoke only English at home. The most common response for religion was No Religion at 51.1%.
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The town is on the southern tip of the Royal
National Park and features many native plants in its bushland like the Dendrobium Lilly. The trees of the bushland are mostly of the dry
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A local attraction is the Otford Farm for horse riding, Govinda Valley and the Otford Pantry cafe. Otford's coastal ridge is home to the Otford
Lookout on
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The village shops and the post office all closed. A café, with limited trading hours, remains on Lady
Wakehurst Drive where it serves the tourist trade.
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Otford is part of the old Parish of Bulgo and was within the area of Bulli Shire
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abandoned, original railway tunnel between Otford and
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variety but the valley slopes support tall open Eucalypt forest and rainforest along the creek and in gullies.
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this small family and community oriented Australian village. The school has been open again for many years.
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Otford has little remaining services but retains a public primary school,
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This article is about the village in NSW. For the village in England, see
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Otford was first known as Bulgo. The name Bulgo was first marked on
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Material was copied from this source, which is available under a
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Otford is situated in the Otford Valley, north of Undola Ridge,
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The Notorious Otford Tunnel and the Stanwell Park Deviation
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Otford has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
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in the Otford Valley located 55 km south of the
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473:Australian Bureau of Statistics
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663:Towns, suburbs and localities
173:30 km (19 mi) from
167:55 km (34 mi) from
1300:Five Islands Nature Reserve
615:Otford Community Web Portal
378:A timber mill at Karingal,
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549:, December 2002 pp449-460
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1118:Shellharbour City Centre
157:172 m (564 ft)
477:"Otford (State Suburb)"
348:Lawrence Hargrave Drive
295:and 30 km north of the
1290:Budderoo National Park
651:Suburbs and localities
481:2021 Census QuickStats
224:Suburbs around Otford:
55:Otford railway station
1357:Suburbs of Wollongong
1173:Upper Kangaroo Valley
410:Otford railway tunnel
1321:Illawarra escarpment
341:Illawarra escarpment
1336:Saddleback Mountain
1295:Royal National Park
1096:Saddleback Mountain
858:Farmborough Heights
603:A history of Otford
533:June 1966 pp122-127
446:Royal National Park
408:Illawarra railway:
326:Royal National Park
242:Royal National Park
208:Federal division(s)
196:State electorate(s)
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1362:City of Wollongong
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305:City of Wollongong
189:City of Wollongong
116:34.217°S 151.000°E
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853:Fairy Meadow
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545:Oakes, John
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1235:Yellow Rock
1198:Willow Vale
1188:Werri Beach
1123:Spring Hill
1101:Scarborough
1086:Rose Valley
1075:Port Kembla
1024:Mount Keira
964:Kiama Downs
951:Kemblawarra
904:Helensburgh
893:Gwynneville
744:Brownsville
671:Albion Park
442:bushwalkers
250:Helensburgh
231:Helensburgh
145:Postcode(s)
137:2021 census
119: /
94:Coordinates
1351:Categories
1316:Bulli Pass
1220:Wongawilli
1209:Wollongong
1138:Tarrawanna
1106:Shell Cove
1019:Minnamurra
979:Koonawarra
935:Keiraville
883:Gerringong
761:Calderwood
655:Wollongong
456:References
416:Population
297:Wollongong
213:Cunningham
175:Wollongong
135:396 (
132:Population
37:Wollongong
1183:Warrawong
1168:Unanderra
1163:Tullimbar
1153:Toolijooa
1064:Oak Flats
1009:Mangerton
930:Kanahooka
878:Foxground
838:Dombarton
821:Curramore
781:Coalcliff
771:Cleveland
729:Blackbutt
704:Balgownie
682:Austinmer
589:CC-BY 4.0
356:Bald Hill
352:Illawarra
201:Heathcote
154:Elevation
1215:Wombarra
1158:Towradgi
1148:Tongarra
1143:Thirroul
994:Lilyvale
920:Jamberoo
873:Flinders
863:Fernhill
811:Cringila
806:Corrimal
796:Cordeaux
791:Coniston
786:Coledale
724:Berkeley
719:Bellambi
698:Balarang
692:Avondale
572:. H01219
425:Services
384:Lilyvale
380:Lilyvale
333:Eucalypt
324:and the
322:Lilyvale
311:Location
236:Lilyvale
162:Location
107:151°00′E
1225:Woonona
1203:Windang
1178:Warilla
1081:Primbee
925:Jerrara
915:Huntley
910:Horsley
868:Figtree
843:Dunmore
776:Clifton
592:licence
486:30 July
433:on the
372:skittle
362:History
299:CBD in
289:village
104:34°13′S
39:,
1280:other
1230:Yallah
1069:Otford
888:Gerroa
576:18 May
293:Sydney
285:Otford
254:Otford
184:LGA(s)
169:Sydney
81:Otford
32:Otford
18:Otford
958:Kiama
827:Dapto
816:Croom
750:Bulli
734:Bombo
287:is a
687:Avon
578:2018
488:2024
149:2508
1278:and
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.