Leura, New South Wales

The original inhabitants of the area were the Dharug and Gundungurra people. Archaeological evidence at Lyrebird Dell in South Leura suggests that Aboriginal occupation of the region may date back more than 12,000 years. == Heritage listings ==

Leura has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: • Blue Mountains National Park: Blue Mountains walking tracks • 37–49 Everglades Avenue: Everglades, Leura ==Population==

At the 2021 census, there were 4,503 people in Leura, a decrease from the previous census. 71.2% of people were born in Australia. The next most common country of birth was England at 6.8%. 85.3% of people spoke English only at home. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 47.8%, Anglican 12.7% and Catholic 14.0%. ==Description==

Leura's elevation of leads to occasional snowfall in winter and a climate that reflects all four seasons distinctly. The village centre lies in the shopping strip on Leura Mall which is divided at that point by a wide grassy median strip planted with flowering cherry trees by Danish-born landscape gardener Paul Sorenson. The historic streetscape has been largely preserved, although there was local concern in 2009 regarding the development of a shopping complex on the site of a former distribution warehouse. Redesigned to better suit the Leura Mall ambience after consultations with the wider community, the new shopping complex was completed in 2010, hosting a Woolworths (now Metro) supermarket and liquor store. The historic post office building continues to operate as a post office but is also home to a real estate agency and two cafes. Leura is home to many formal, English-style, cool-climate gardens, influenced or designed by Paul Sorenson, which provide elegant walks and the opportunity to visit when open to the public in early October each year. In 2016, Leura was named in the list of top 50 most irresistible, exotic, historic and postcard-worthy small towns in Australia. ==Activities==

. Rainforest plants here include the southern sassafras and the black olive berry, both relics from the age of Gondwana.|thumb|left One of the most prominent of Leura's historic homes is Leuralla, the former home of Clive Evatt, an Australian politician, barrister and raconteur. Evatt was the brother of H.V. "Doc" Evatt, a former Chief Justice of New South Wales, Leader of the Australian Labor Party, the third President of the United Nations General Assembly, the first Chairman of the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission, and a Justice of the High Court of Australia. The property was home to the NSW Toy and Railway Museum. which closed in 2022, with the toys subsequently auctioned off. As of April 2024, the Leuralla property is for sale. Another major attraction is the Everglades Gardens, the former home of Belgian-born industrialist Henri van de Velde, now administered by the National Trust. The Everglades includes van de Velde's Moderne-style home and 5 hectares (13 acres) of landscaped gardens designed by Paul Sorensen. The Everglades has an outdoor theatre which often hosts productions such as Cirquinox and the Leura Shakespeare festival. Self-styled as "the Garden Village", the Leura Gardens Festival is held annually in October. The Festival is a registered charity and raises money for the Blue Mountains District ANZAC Memorial Hospital in Katoomba by opening private gardens to the public. Not connected with the garden festival but also held at the same time is the popular Leura Village Fair. Natural attractions include Sublime Point to the south and Gordon Falls park, which offer panoramic views of the Jamison Valley, and Leura Cascades in the southwest. There is a network of tracks, some part of the Prince Henry walk and the recently completed Grand Cliff Top Walk, that lead from Wentworth Falls Railway Station to Echo Point, taking in many attractions along the way, including in the Leura area: the Pool of Siloam, Elysian Lookout, Olympian Lookout, Leura Cascades, Leura Falls, Jamison Lookout, Linda Falls and the Dardanelles Pass, before ascending to Echo Point via the Giant Stairway. The area is popular for bushwalking and photography. ==Gallery==

Image:BlueMountains0011.jpg|View of Mount Solitary from Sublime Point lookout File:Leura cascades stream.JPG| A small waterfall in the Leura Cascades Image:BlueMountains0017.jpg|Leura Falls File:Leuralla.jpeg|Leuralla historic house, Olympian Parade File:(1)Leura_Post_Office.jpg|Old Leura post office File:Gordon Falls, Leura.jpeg|View from Gordon Falls, looking towards the Jamison Valley File:Abbey St, Leura.jpeg|View south down Abbey Street File:Victory gates, Leura.jpeg|Victory gates commemorating war dead, Lone Pine Avenue File:Leura mural.jpeg|Mural on laneway wall, opposite the Wayzgoose cafe, Leura Mall ==Notable residents==

• Aaron Blabey, children's author and AFI-winning actor • Patti Crocker, actress and author of Radio Days. • Matt Drummond, film director and Emmy Award winner • Paul Sorensen, landscape gardener • David Stratton, film critic and television personality • Murray Wilcox, former Federal Court Judge and President of the Australian Conservation Foundation ==References==