ABCDinc and Zig Zag Railway join forces to attract large crowds to Clarence

Local community group ABCDinc (Association of Bell, Clarence and Dargan) recently joined forces with the Zig Zag Railway to host a combined community event which attracted over 2,000 people from across the Blue Mountains, Sydney and beyond.

Saturday 21 October marked the offical reopening of the Zig Zag Railway after it was forcibly closed in 2019 when catastrophic bushfires tore through the area and caused significant damage to the railway and surrounding buildings. 

The Zig Zag Railway plays a special role in the history of NSW as it opened in 1869 when, at the time, it was regarded as one of the greatest civil engineering works undertaken in Australia. By enabling rail transport across the Blue Mountains, the railway opened up entirely new trade routes between Sydney and Western NSW which makes its establishment an important milestone in the economic development of the State. 

To mark the reopening of the railway, local dignitaries such as Blue Mountains MP, Trish Doyle and Lithgow Mayor, Maree Statham attended the event while the Lithgow Highland Pipe Band and hulla hoop artist Suzy Spindle performed for an enthusiastic crowd.

Behind the Railway, ABCDinc set up the Lyrebird Spring Markets which also attracted large crowds and hosted a diverse array of local stallholders showcasing products like locally made wine and beer, arts and crafts, clothing and speciality foods.

For more information on the activities of ABCDinc go to: https://abcdinc.org.au. 

To see more images from the day go to: https://resilientvillages.au/gallery.