By Flickr user Beppie K
Writing a blog on Blackheath (London), I spend a lot of time googling around, looking for photos, videos, and stories containing the keyword “Blackheath”. Whenever I search using Flickr, I always find loads of amazing images from Blackheath, New South Wales, Australia, so I just thought I’d share a couple with you.
Any Blackheathens been to Blackheath Australia? I’m sure they’d find the delights of Blackheath and Greenwich Park to be equally exotic… Perhaps an exchange party should be arranged…
By Flickr user “Powerhouse Museum“
Please click on the photos to go to the photographer’s pages on Flickr.
UPDATE: There’s another Blackheath near Guildford, in Surrey (UK) as pointed out on this post about spiders. Plus I think there’s one in the Midlands too.




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The other Blackheath is in the Blue Mountains which can be seen by taking a day trip out of Sydney (although apparently this doesn’t do them justice). As the photos suggest they were once thought of as presenting an insurmountable barrier to exploration and a number of expeditions faltered before a way through was finally found.
Readers will probably know there are lots of places in Australia with familiar names. Indeed, you can take a ferry from Circular Key which goes to the rather upmarket North Sydney suburb of Greenwich and on to Woolwich, its even glitzier neighbour (as you may expect it it goes to show that things are upside down South of the Equator).
I grew up in Bexleyheath Kent. There one of those in Sydney too. I lost my virginity in a train siding at the back of Blackheath Station as it happens. My then boyfriend once “posted” my handbag in a mailbox in Lee Green, and my parents were not amused. He(Dave) was a fabulous dancer though. We used to go to an all-niter club above Burtons in Lewisham which showcased a lot of black music (talking sixties here). When I was at Art College my tutor Mr. Beghan lived right up on the heath. He was a conceptual painter.
Hey and now I live in Blackheath NSW. If you think of the Blue Mountains as a huge lizard in the landscape, Blackheath sits high on the crest of its shoulders. Its a narrow “village” that drops away steeply each side. Sydney-siders come up here to experience log-fires in the winter, biting winds, and la vida local lived at a thoughtful pace with space. It is bungalow central. Only a handful of two storey houses. It has the BEST fresh air and decent food grown local and sustainable. There are millions of acres of wilderness in the region. Awesome trees and parrots galore. Russel Brand said it is like being hit with a rainbow. The train station is important to the place and commercial trains rumble and clank all night as they stop at the level crossing. I met Viggo Mortesson there one day!
So you’ve visited both Blackheaths? I love the description of “being hit with a rainbow”.
The more I think about it, these two Blackheath’s are polar opposites environmentally but there are cultural similarities. Above average numbers of writers, designers, craftspeople, artisans and artists are attracted to live in both places.
I remember driving through Blackheath (Australia), got a snap of their train station: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chris_huh/2183846797/in/set-72157603676244786/
That’s really cool! Can I put it on the site please?
Sure go ahead
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I used to live in Blackheath (London) and then moved to Sydney just over 3 years ago- I’ve been to Blackheath (NSW) for a few weekends away and my hubby and I are looking to buy up there next year- home from home!!
Blackheath(NSW) to Lithgow (2stops) is the BEST railway journey. Rumbles through the most stunning views of canyons, 13 tunnels, the most ‘Rupert Bear’ station everr and Lithgow is like a redneck pioneer town when you get there. It has the most awesome library though. I sooo envy you. I am now back home in The Lizard for a bit.