The Sad History of Sandy Hollow and the Trains That Were Not Bound for Glory

Abstract

Sandy Hollow is a little village of 250 souls tucked away in the ranges above Newcastle, New South Wales. But not very far above. In fact, Sandy Hollow is set only 140 m about the bustling seaport of Newcastle, but 100 km inland. Eighty kilometres further west along the Goulburn River Valley the land rises to 420 m at Ulan, and then it is all downhill (but for a few reluctant ridges) to the extended plains of the inland agricultural regions. Sandy Hollow lies at the eastern opening of the Cassilis Gap, a 100 km long east-west linear depression that forms the lowest part of the Australian Highlands. It is a 'wind gap', or a natural pass from the ports of the coast to the wealth of the Australian inland, its minerals and agriculture, through the Great Dividing Range. This is the lowest part of the Great Divide along its entire 3500 km length, and therefore the easiest way to bring goods from the interior to the sea. In a sane and rational world, this would be a major transport route – "the" major transport route bringing the wealth of inland Australia to the capital city of Newcastle, to be shipped to our overseas customers.