James Whalan explored the areas around Jenolan Caves and the Blue Mountains and discovered the rock formation known as Grand Arch pursuing the bushranger McKeown.

There was also an airfield nearby with the runway still in existence as the main road access to Whalan Reserve.

The old Mt Druitt motor racing track used to run along this runway and parts of Luxford Road and Kuringai Ave prior to the NSW Housing Commission developing the area in the mid-1960s.

In 2000, it briefly reopened as Chifley College Senior campus before closing permanently two years later.

[3][4] In 2015, the NSW state government allotted $20 Million towards the construction of a new Aboriginal Centre for Excellence.