Mittagong History Entertainment and Tourism
The history of the entertainment and tourism industries in Mittagong.
Amusements
Mittagong had to depend on local talent to provide amusement. Occasionally a travelling showman or singer visited Mittagong and entertained the residents. Travelling picture shows exhibited films in the local School of Arts Hall after the turn of the century. The Victor Picture Company along with the King Picture Show visited Mittagong on a weekly basis during 1912 and charged patrons 1/- per head for entry. A cinema was built by HE Stevenson to hold 800 people, which was opened by Sir George Fuller on the 25th of January 1928.
NRMA Camping Ground
The Mittagong Land Company went into liquidation in 1928 and the NRMA bought 500 acres from them. The land was next to a sports and camping ground owned by Council. The area became a camping ground, which was the first of its kind in Australia; it was opened in April 1939. The Council bought this area in 1947 with the object of preserving the natural fauna and setting.
Lady Mary Fitzroy Spring
Mittagong's underground water contains iron in solution. In the Mittagong Range the syenite rock contains an appreciable amount of iron and as rain percolates the rock mass it goes into solution as bicarbonate of iron. When the water flows out at the earth's surface, the bicarbonate is oxidized and the iron accumulates as the oxide. During the course of time this process produced the mineral used by the Fitzroy Iron Company. In the 1840's a spring was located at the iron mine, which contained iron in solution. In 1849 Sir Charles Fitz Roy visited Mittagong when his attention was drawn to this mineral spring. The Colonial Secretary who was with the party said that if a sample was sent to Sydney it would have to be tested. A chemist by the name of JS Norrie certified that it contained 2 grains of iron peroxide per pint as well as minute quantities of the chlorides of sodium and magnesium. The spring is known for its health giving qualities and was named after the Governor's wife.
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Tulip Time
25 September 2008
to 08 October 2008