Show me a sign to Glenbrook

Are there enough signs coming into Glenbrook village to let visitors know that Glenbrook has “cafés, restaurants, gifts, professional services, boutiques and crafts”?

The Glenbrook Chamber of Commerce doesn’t think so and has asked Blue Mountains City Council to write to the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) for a sign “designed to fit in with the general amenity but clearly readable by passing motorists”.

In the report council staff determined the current five signs were “in accordance with RMS guidelines”.

There are two signs on the west bound entrances to Glenbrook and three west bound signs. As seen in the photos,  none of the signs offer more descriptive information on the Lower Mountains village. Council staff reported that the signage was “consistent with other village entry signage across the Mountains”.

But Deputy Mayor, Councillor Mark Greenhill, moved a motion to ask the RMS to put a sign east of Ross Street and west of Mount Street on the southern side of the Great Western Highway at Glenbrook which states “Turn left for Glenbrook village. Entrance to the Blue Mountains National Park, cafe’s, restaurants, gifts, boutiques and crafts.”

Clr Greenhill said retailers like Cafe Cee had been pushing for the move. 

That same cafe had had an illegal sign on the highway which, once “quite rightly” was taken down, lost a significant amount of trade, he said.

“I think we should have restrictive signage policies in the Mountains but not so restrictive that when businesses tell us there is a need for it, we don’t just default to ‘no’.”

“We’d like a tasteful sign like Leura has down at the bottom of Leura Mall,” he said.

The deputy mayor was seconded by Clr Anton von Schulenburg and backed by all the councillors. 

Councillor Chris Van der Kley added that he, as a former retailer, particularly welcomed the move, suggesting it was something the council could consider for every village in the Mountains.

Glenbrook Chamber of Commerce vice president Joan Peard said “everybody knows Leura but not quiet Glenbrook”.

Mrs Peard said Glenbrook has “suffered . . . people think it’s just a service station and an information centre”.

A spokeswoman for the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) said they “work in partnership with Destination NSW on tourist destination signs”.

“Applications for signs are made to Destination NSW,” she said.

“RMS has already signposted Glenbrook Village and various other sites in the Blue Mountains to help tourists find businesses in the area.”