Since the advent of railway lines and trams Australians have been able to easily pursue travel, a much loved leisure activity that continues today. Advertising and the production of memorabilia such as photographs and postcards promoted travel and improvements in working conditions from the beginning of the twentieth century led to more leisure time for many Australians, creating an ever increasing tourist market.

At the beginning of the twentieth century a concerted effort was made by the New South Wales government to promote tourism to the State. A department was set up and campaigns and strategies were implemented to promote travel in NSW. One popular destination was the Blue Mountains whose attractions: 'were first promoted as a tourist destination by the New South Wales Railway Commissioners in 1879.' (1.) In 1876 a railway station opened at The Crushers, today called Katoomba, for industry use, however it was soon used for tourists (2.). The Blue Mountains became a popular holiday destination with its spectacular scenery. It could be easily reached by Sydney residents for short trips, it remains a popular weekend getaway today.

This photograph was collected as a memento from a Western Australian woman who travelled to Sydney in the late 1920s and stayed for 3 to 4 years. It highlights the success of advertising campaigns to get tourists to New South Wales to places such as the Blue Mountains. This type of pre-made photograph is rarely produced today due to the popularity of cameras for the domestic market and digital technology. However, keeping photographs as memorabilia for a holiday is a tradition that continues today.

(1.) Sydney Quarterly Magazine, June 1886 in Butler, R, Spearritt, P and Monash University National Centre for Australian Studies, 'Trading Places: Australian Travel posters 1909-1990', Australia: Monash University Gallery, 1991, p. 5.
(2.) Spearritt, Peter and Tourism New South Wales, 'State of Play: 100 Years of Tourism in New South Wales 1905-2005.', NSW: Tourism New South Wales, 2005, p.14.

Made by [N.S.W. Government Print].

The maker is not written on the photograph, however it is the same style as the collection of 8 hand tinted photographs of sites in the Blue Mountains that belonged to Mary Anne Collins. Therefore it could be concluded that it was made by NSW Government Printer.

This photograph was owned by Mary Anne Collins (nee) Joyce who was the donor's mother. She travelled from Perth to Sydney in the late 1920s, staying for 3 to 4 years. Mary had relatives in Sydney, the O'Sullivan family (her mother's relatives) and the Joyce family. One of her relatives had a house in the Blue Mountains. During her travels she collected memorabilia and made many friends.

Mary Anne Collins died in 1990 at the age of 91. The donor received this collection of objects after her mother's death.

Photograph, Panorama of the Three Sisters, paper, possibly made by NSW Government Printer, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1926-1935

A hand tinted panorama photograph of the 'Three Sisters and Jamieson Valley from Echo Point, Katoomba'. The photograph is a silver gelatin print with a white border around the photograph and its location labelled on it. There are people in the photograph. This object opens up like a card with the photograph on the inside, the outside is blank.

Made: 1926 - 1935

2007/77/4

1926 - 1935

207 mm

0.5 mm