Wed, 24th Sept,2014 Sofala to Hill End (sightseeing)

After a leisurely breakfast headed off to visit Hill End – another gold town full of history and hopefully gold. As we headed past other campers on the other side, a lady stopped us asking about the weather as a few other campers had pulled out around her and she was worried she had missed something. We said predicted showers 5-10mm, we had covered the firewood though just in case they get it right. She was from Broke and we said we had been there for a wedding in the Hunter Valley. She asked if we had been to the Broke Markets and then we realised I bought my woollen fingerless gloves from her – small world isn’t it.

Stopped on the way as a poor lizard was in the middle of the road. Steve saw it lift its head but we thought it was hurt. I got a photo but as Steve moved it with a stick it jumped up and ran off into the scrub – was just enjoying the warmth but he needs a safer spot.

Followed the Turon River downstream, passed a lot more nice camp spots along the river near the road. Great one just before the big old bridge crossing the River. We left the river and climbed up and down hills with cleared areas for cattle and sheep. Passed a Merino Stud with all the shorn sheep. In the little gullies the weeping willows grew.

Climbed another steep hill (found out later it is called Cockatoo Hill) which was a terrible road and they are now widening it which was good. The truck wouldn’t be happy pulling the van up here either.

Into Hill End and to the National Parks & Wildlife Service information centre and museum in the old hospital. A lovely tree out the front.

A nasty magpie was diving on everyone as they entered – got us just as we were going under the verandah – didn’t hit, just swoops. Lots of information out the front. Good map of the town, lookouts and the fossicking area at Tambaroora.

Shed full of old modes of transport (Cobb & Co coach) and a steam engine that ran the 10 head stamper.

Love the flooring – cut off stumps.

A big set of bellows used in the blacksmiths shop.

Clothes wringer? (maybe the photos are turned as I took them one way then rotated them when I cropped them)

Gold cradle to shake the gold out of the dirt, was made in England.

A grinding wheel for sharpening tools.

Into the Museum, only $2.20 each. Lots of old photos of the pioneers of the area. There was an amazing family history chart someone had done. They have lots of information for those wanting to trace their family in this area.

For Erica, a chap diving for gold.

If only we could find one this big. It is a replica of Beyers & Holtermann’s specimen found in the Star of Hope Mine at Hawkins Hill on 19^th October, 1872 at the 130ft (40m) level. There was approximately 2750 troy ounces of gold in it and it weighed 630lbs (286kg).

There were a lot of mines here and Hawkins Hill was covered in them. One area was called the Golden Quarter Mile. One mine went down 253m. They did an overlay of the mines again the Sydney Harbour Bridge to give a comparison of the depths. The photo show the difference from then to now.

In 1870 Hill End was virtually a satellite of Tambaroora (mainly alluvial gold). However, by 1872 the gold boom had transferred the former small township into a hive of activity – 28 hotels, 3 banks, 2 newspaper premises, a brewery and shops of all descriptions occupied the entire length of Clarke and Tambaroora Streets. The last remaining hotel “The Royal” still serves the district after a century of continuous licence. The first reef mine claim was granted in 1856 to a solicitor from Bathurst named Sargent (it covered 7 sq miles and is now known as Sargent’s Hill). There were a few more reef mines here in the 1860s but it wasn’t till 1870-72 that the rich gold resources of Hawkins Hill were being exploited. By the end of 1872 Hill End’s population was 8000.

Hargraves was the first official miner to take out an alluvial gold mining lease in 1851, but there were many unlicensed miners panning for gold in the Turon River for about 5 years before that. The policing of licences on the Turon River caused many bloody riots over the years similar to those that occurred at Eureka Stockade. Over the years alluvial mining shifted from the Turon to Tambaroora, later known as Golden Gully. A large proportion of alluvial miners were Chinese. One lady who owned a pub and other buildings back then was also known to give down-on-their-luck miners credit. When she finally retired to Bowral she burnt her finance books so they didn’t have to pay her back. Amazing what some people did for other way back then.

Blacksmiths

The gold section

A list of gold fields in NSW - Hillgrove 1881 – 520,148oz; Canbelego 1896 – 433,116oz; Peak Hill/Tomingley 1883 – 231,599oz; Hill End/Tambaroora 1851 – 689,958oz; Forbes/Parkes 1861 – 610,855oz; Wyalong 1893 – 438,803oz; Adelong 1857 – 350,000oz; Kiandra 1859 – 93,852oz.  We just want a little bit!!!

A lovely old pipe organ – it’s amazing what they brought out here.

A good picture of the whim houses guarding the mines site entrances.

A plaque about the hospital (we are in) which was built in 1873.

A hospital bed and birthing table – looks comfortable. Lots of instruments etc on display.

This panoramic display of photos of the town was by the local photographer (Beaufoy Merlin) who took them in 1872. The film plates were not found til years later (1851) in  garden shed in Sydney. What a wonderful find as it makes the town real again to see all the buildings and how they were laid out in the town. The streets are lined with these photos to show where they were etc. The photos vividly depict the town at a key instant in history when almost overnight it flourished to become the largest inland in NSW.

We drove into Hill End itself and followed the road to Merlin’s Lookout which overlooks Hawkins Hill. Merlin had taken a photo of the hill and the Golden Quarter Mile of mines from that spot in 1872.

  

 Looking down the valley to the Turon River and beyond.

 I zoomed in on an old brick wall and you could still see some supports on the hillside.

Down on the road below I zoomed in one two mine openings or something.

Below that the Hill End Mining Company is still operational though they are in exploration mode at the moment.

We continued back down the road and stopped at an abandoned mine site called the King Reef Mine. No safety signs here – just one when you first drive up the road. Unfortunately the old water tanks were full of current household rubbish – amazing what people do. This opening went down about 15 feet then turned. It took them a week to dig 3-6 feet down, depending on the hardness of the rock.

 View back to the water tanks – there was a creek (Kitty Falls) down below.

Passed the Bald Hill Mine where you can pay to do a guided tour daily ($9.50 each) so might look into that. There is a 45 minute walk to do that takes you from town up the hill pass the mine and old stamp batteries etc. The NP&WS run tours of the town and a ghost tour at night for a fee $15 and $23. There are plaques all around the town so I will take myself on a guided tour!! There are two NP&WS camping areas for $7 per person per night, no power, so we are happy where we are.

Enquired at Northeys Camping Store about fossicking and there is a designated spot at the alluvial gold fields at Tambaroora, back out of town on the road to Mudgee. It is in the Tambaroora Creek and the area is eroded where the creek cuts through the soft soil. Found some other people camped there – nobody mentioned this in town but it is one of those not talked about things. While I got lunch ready Steve chatted with a chap from Goanna Detectors and got the low down on detecting here. He knows George from Miners Den in town and said that when we in any Minelab store down south just mention George’s name as everyone respects George. He told Steve some other places to try in Victoria too. He said the power lines overhead and underground and the electric fence on the neighbouring property play havoc with Steve’s detector. After lunch I left Steve there to find his fortune and I headed back into Hill End to do my history walk.

I stopped opposite the park and started my walk. First was the Royal Hall and Royal Hotel. They sell milk for $3/2L so got 2 as it was $4.50 back in Sofala.  Forgot to stock up on that before we left Blackheath.

Northeys General Grocer and Produce Store and further down Lyles Cottage in Clarke Street.

 You can see the store and cottage in the old photo.

Fashion was an important thing even back then. The ladies followed Queen Victoria’s dull taste in clothes while the men were far and away the town’s flashier dressers.

There were lots of things to do – bowling, shooting, reading and smoking – all in one shop.

It was expensive to have a shop at the northern end of Clarke Street. This tobacconist paid a shilling a foot for rent therefore 8 shillings a week and land sold for upwards of 10 pounds per foot. His shop was the smallest one on Clarke Street. There was a real estate agent in town too.

Coyle’s Clubhouse had 30 rooms and balconies and was used for big events like the Manchester Society Order of Oddfellows Annual Ball. The Oddfellows were (and still are) a benevolent society having secret signs of recognition and ritualistic ceremonies. In the Museum there were all their sashes etc that they wore. (Some of these signs need a good clean.)

Beyers Cottage needs some loving. Louis Beyers planted all the trees lining the road into town from Tambaroora (now Beyers Avenue). He was one of the pioneer miners who made his fortune from Hawkins Hill gold.

A couple of cute kookaburras sitting in the big old tree. Weren’t laughing though. It was so quiet walking along the streets - quite eerie.

At Moses Bull’s Hotel the noise would have been unreal. There was a battery stamper across the road crushing quartz 24 hours a day. You couldn’t be a light sleeper as the mine workers would come off shift in the middle of the night and the coach to Bathurst left at 4am. Then there was the dust to contend with and mud in the winter. The stench of the backyard privies would just top it off. How did those ladies stay all prim and proper?

 The cellar under the hotel.

There was a large earth-walled dam where the sportsground now stands which supplied water for the steam powered Pullen and Rawsthorne’s Stamp Battery. It was a 15 head stamper named “The Little Wonder”. There was another battery (Scandinavian Mine) nearby so when they shut down for repairs, the locals found such unusual silence literally deafening and had difficulty going to sleep.

Some of the places where very ramshackle made out of logs etc (like the newspaper office) while others were out of bricks (like Hosies Store). Mr Newcome built a kiln just south of town and set up a brickworks to provide bricks for homes and chimneys.

They even had a shop that sold oysters. Another butcher shop with his wares on display – yum!!

Faraday Cottage was the first Police Station, April 1872 to February 1874. It then became the Telegraph Office till mid 1880’s. These places are in Timbaroora Street.

Holtermann’s Corner stores (he was the one that found the big big specimen). The four shops on the left housed a dressmaker and milliner; a barber and a part-time palm reader.

The corner shops housed a dispensary, hair cutting shop and a bakery.

Beaufoy Merlin’s photography shop – American and Australian Photographic Company. Thankfully he took lots of photos and families could have a photo taken in front of their homes for a little over a shilling a print. They could send them back to their relatives and friends to impress them with how well they were doing in this new country. (like this one - most were used as postcards)

There were 4 churches – St Paul’s Presbyterian is still standing. The others were knocked down as it was too expensive for the churches to keep maintaining them throughout the years.

This lovely flower (but it is hard) is from the big pine tree in front of the church. The petals crunched as I walked on them.

Geese having a squawk – later when I walked past the gander was screeching and flapping his wings trying to get his own way but the girls weren’t having any of it.

I had a postcard (got it for free for going on the train at Scenic World!!!) so took it into the Post Office to send it back home to my boys. It was very dark and gloomy inside. The Post Office and Police Station/Court House weren’t built till the late 1890’s long after the boom time of the town.

The original Post Office.

The side of the store had metal strips to weatherproof the timber slats.

The school is the original one built in 1872 with an extension in 1893.There were other schools as this one was overcrowded but they were private and cost a lot of money. In 1872 out of the 129 deaths that year, 74 were children.

It is still used but now with modern playgrounds etc.

The guttering is still from the 1870’s.

Looking from top side of Tambaroora Street across the empty allotments where the old buildings used to be. When the gold boom slowed a lot of the people packed up their homes/shops and took it all with them to their next destination.

Rum was brought up by bullock teams and the thirsty drivers would drink some of the rum and top it up with water. Later the hoteliers used hydrometers to test the strength of the grog so the drivers would then put sand in to fill up the kegs

Back to the local grocery store but it is getting a refurb so it is closed. Has the only fuel too.

This lovely tree was dropping its petals all over the truck.

Back in the car to go back to Steve I stopped for a few more photos. This was is called “Craigmoor”.

Then Warry’s Cottage (the road going to Merlin’s lookout is Warry’s Road).

Beyer’s Avenue. Will be lovely when all the trees are in bloom.

A few Alpacas too.

Back out to Tambaroora and there were kangaroos everywhere.

And a few ugly sheep.

Got a close up of mummy and her joey nibbling the grass.

No joy for Steve again but he is determined. It is like having a boat – doesn’t mean you are going to catch fish!!! I will have another big session on the laptop sorting out all these photos since I just finished the Blue Mountain ones but I am enjoying doing the blog as I relive it again as I go.

Will be back another day as there are more lookouts and a drive down to the Turon River along the Bridle Track to prospect there too. It used to go on to Bathurst but on the other side the road collapsed and no one wants to fix it up. Found in one of the other books I have all about the many camps there along the Macquarie River – not sure where the road is closed. The clouds have been building so maybe the weather bureau might be a day late. Down the range again – forgot to check the above sea level height as we seemed to be going down a long way.

At the crossroads it is 580m above sea level. We went on to Wattle Flat to check out where Steve is to meet the Minelab guy on Sunday for the metal detecting course thing at the General Store. There was a sign – last fuel for 40km one way and 70km the other way. Diesel was 178.9c/l. We will wait till we go to Mudgee I think. Wattle Flat is 910m above sea level. It was originally an area of small farms and orchards. Following the discovery of gold in 1850’s, miners flocked to Wattle Flat, Sofala and Hill End. Gold escorts and royal mail coaches and passenger services plied the steep dirt tracks that linked these towns to Bathurst. By 1870’s Wattle Flat had a population of 500 with 5 hotels, 4 general stores, 2 wheelwrights, 2 blacksmiths, a boot maker, butcher and baker. Wattle Flat’s gold rush ended in the early 1900’s. Today the village and surrounding area provide a wealth of history linking the past to the present. Evidence of the many gold mines abounds, while the village streetscape reveals the shops and buildings of an earlier era, including the hotel, Cobb & Co changing station and post office. (Got this off a sign about the Cobb & Co Heritage Trail.)

Clockwise from top left – Wattle Flat main street, 1904 - Coach builder and general blacksmith – Cobb & Co coach stop – Hill End & Tambaroora horse omnibus outside the hotel.

There is a self-guided walking tour pamphlets that I can get from the store so will check that out later.

Checked out the Heritage Lands camping areas – not very nice for $5 a night – creepy knotted twisted low trees and not much area for a caravan. There is a 3 hour return walk through it all but not sure if there is anything of interest to see.

Back down again to Sofala – there is a 4 km steep descent that goes from 870m to 580m which means we will have to go up it with the van – oh joy!!

I had made a beef curry and rice in the Ecopot before we left so while Steve got the fire I rang Andrea for a chat. Then dished up tea - the rice was lovely and fluffy and the curry meat was so tender.  After tea by the fire the stars came in and out as clouds passed over. Chatted with Rebecca and Clive who were in Rockhampton, still on their way back home from the wedding. Megan and Andre had their honeymoon in Austria and France and should be going to Oxford shortly to start their studies. Rebecca said Megan took my cross stitch with her, as it could be rolled up, which was lovely to hear. Had a light shower of rain about 9pm which made it a bit warmer.