Wed, 1th Oct, 2014 Sofala (Hill End sightseeing)

The wind is sending through big gusts but it is 14 degrees in the van so all good. It feels a lot colder outside though – windchill!! I got tea prepared in the Ecopot while Steve tied down the awning etc. We are off to Hill End again to do the mine tour and drive down the wider Bridle Track to the Turon River.

Took some photos of the places in Sofala now I have the history info on them.

The Court House was built in 1864 and became the Sofala Hospital in 1934. It is situated above and adjacent to many goldminer’s tunnels.

Café Sofala and Vine Garden dates back to the early days and boasts a varied history. It started out as part of the blacksmith’s shop, later becoming a service station and now a fine licensed restaurant – we didn’t see it open and I could see blowflies in the window!!!

The Royal Hotel established in 1862 is a typical example of the goldfield’s hotels.

This low weatherboard construction is typical of the early cottages on the goldfields. The verandah encroaches onto the present day roadway, illustrating the narrowness of roads a century ago.

Built in 1879 this building housed the Sofala Post Office till 1989. The two storey building is typical of design of public built buildings in the 1870’s, same as the Court House/Hospital.

Steve loves this old shack made out of whatever he gets his hands on. Great weekender!!

Stopped at the old bridge crossing to check out the camp area and get a photo of the bridge.

The mess that some people leave behind disgusts us. Its such a shame as this is why they start closing these places down. Chatted with a Brisbane chap, Sam, who is heading to Tasmania too, on the road fulltime – with wife and two little kids.

Over the bridge – strong and sturdy but only one lane.

Into Hill End and after paying for the mine tour at Northey’s camping shop we walked to the Post Office to post the ‘free’ postcards from the Hill End Museum. The wind is bitingly cold but the little daisies are so lovely.

Stopped at the old General Store as there was a video display inside to view. All the photos that Mr Merlin took, great except for the very straight pews.

 They had a few items to view like the ringer and plough.

Another lovely parrot (a lot like a budgie) and lots of galahs.

Entrance to the Bald Hill Mine (early 1870’s) – later called the ‘Born Loser’. That isn’t Steve’s fat belly – just his hands trying to keep warm!!

After 31/2 years, tunnelling 180m in and digging a 30m ventilation shaft, there was no gold in any of the 3 quartz veins. These were the same veins followed further up the hill by the King Reef Mine, they found heaps of gold.

 Cornish studdle sets were used in the mine entrance to support it from the unstable land above. 

Looking into the mine and back out to the entrance.

He showed us how they used a chisel and hammer to make the holes for the black powder and later dynamite. Two man job and you had to trust the hammer guy as there wasn’t much of a head on the chisel and they were doing it all by candle light!! He had a dolly pot to crush the quartz then they panned the gold out of the powder. The crucible was very light and the gold is melted in this to just over 1000 degrees, poured into a mould then dropped in water. It was instantly able to be picked up as it solidifies quickly and isn’t hot.

One of the quartz veins.

The end vein – the whole wall was quartz – it was freezing compared to the other walls.

The mine goes in another 100m to where they thought they might find diamonds as they believed the hill was an old volcano – but no luck there either.

We then were to climb up 30m straight up via the ventilation shaft. In 1973 when they reopened the mine as a tourist venture, ladders were installed. Wouldn’t have wanted to be the ones putting in the ladders and all the supports!! In the 1870’s they worked their way down by being lowered up and down by a bucket pulled up with a windlass.

It was narrow and straight up – bit eerie but great to do. We needed to climb till we had both feet on the orange rung then step across or back onto a platform to then climb up the next set.

  

  

Walked back down the hill to the mine entrance. The ore trolley still works on the original wooden rails – the young lad had fun pushing it back in.

All the rock was brought out of the mine and just dumped at the entrance making a bigger and bigger pad at the front called the Mullock Heap. Very interesting tour.

Love the brilliant green of the new leaves on this tree. Some wild goats ran past again – if you can catch them you can get $50 each at the abattoir.

Passed some rabbits – he poked tongues at me!!

Headed off to the wider Bridle Track (for carts & sulkies) down to the Turon River.

Very narrow and so steep over the edge. Glad we didn’t meet anyone!!

We are flat – it is so steep.

Looking over the Hawkins Hill Mine area in the valley below.

Lovely areas along the river to camp – a few people panning for gold. The Bridle Track used to go all the way to Bathurst with many camps along the Turon and the Macquarie River but a landslide further down has stopped cars getting through and the councils aren’t going to repair it.

Crossing the causeway from the Turon Crossing Reserve to the Cave Hole Reserve, looking upstream and downstream.

Lots of these rock wall supports along the side of the road.

Stopped for a cuppa by the rapids at the Cave Hole Reserve.

On our way back up we saw a sign that says the first part of the track here goes up Hawkins Hill and would meet the original narrow track that goes up to Kissing Point where we were the other day.

Cactus growing out of the rock.

Back to Sofala again and I got a photo of this quaint shack on a nearly island just off the road, called “Isle of Dreams”. The photo at the General Store in Wattle Flat said this was a chinese settlement, must have been bigger then as it is eroded away now.

Back to camp for easy Ecopot tea and warm campfire. As we enjoyed the warmth of the fire – rotating all the time, the temperature dropped to 5.7 degrees outside but was still 14.7 degrees inside, thank goodness.