Day trip - Leura - Christmas in

THE NAME, "LEURA"

A curious feature of Leura is the fact that the origin of the name is far from certain.

A theory that still has currency is that LEURA is a corruption of LURLINE, the name of a daughter of an early land developer, the same Lurline honoured in "Lurline Street". Another is that LEURA is LAURA misspelled. However, there is no documentary evidence of any daughter of a pioneer or early developer with either of these names.

Recent studies by Bathurst cartologist, Brian Fox, reported in his booklet The Origin of "Leura", suggest a very different explanation, reflecting the business activity of one Frederick Clissold, "Gentleman, of Ashfield". Clissold (after whom Clissold Street is named) was a prominent alderman in Ashfield who, with a partner, owned a wool-washing business on Cooks River in Canterbury. He also had a fellmongering business in Newtown (the fells or skins in question were sheep skins). Two sheep grazing properties in Queensland with which Clissold had extensive business dealings were "Leura" and "Lurline".

Clissold was also a land speculator. In 1881 he bought a large parcel of land in Leura from the original grantee and set out to subdivide it. The name "Leura" appears for the first time in his subdivision plans, applied to "Leura Falls".

The top part of Leura Falls is now called Bridal Veil Falls. It can be viewed from Flying Fox Lookout off Cliff Drive.

So, did Frederick Clissold simply remember his Queensland interests when choosing names for parts of his Blue Mountains subdivision? It seems psychologically likely. And this theory, unlike others, is not only plausible but well-documented. This would take the source of the name back to the Leichhardt District of Queensland in about 1840.

15 July 2006

For a jolly good time and a 3 course Christmas menu we will travel to the Leura Gardens Resort. We commence with drinks at the bar in the Olive Tree Restaurant, followed by a sumptuous 3 course traditional Christmas Lunch with all the trimmings.

Directions

LEURA GARDENS RESORT

FITZROY STREET, LEURA