Hockeys The Old Chemist, Millthorpe reivew: Good for what ails you

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This was published 13 years ago

Hockeys The Old Chemist, Millthorpe reivew: Good for what ails you

Sticking to the script ... the old dispensary suits Millthorpe's new mood.

Sticking to the script ... the old dispensary suits Millthorpe's new mood.

A stay at a former pharmacy in a historic village is just the tonic for David Sygall.

JOHN SLOANE, for 50 years the postman and postmaster at Millthorpe in the central west, tells the story of his great-great-grandfather, Samuel Sloane, an Irish convict banished to Australia in 1825. Samuel Sloane's first job after earning his freedom was as a shepherd outside nearby Stuart Town. But, in 1850, when John Lister discovered gold at sites near Bathurst and began the great rush that was to transform the region and the nation, Sloane sought his fortune with shovel and sieve.

Now, 160 years later, gold is again sparking Millthorpe to life. Standing at Lister's grave in the town's cemetery, it's worth pondering what happened in between.

"It was a vibrant place right up to the 1960s," Sloane recalls from behind the counter at the post office, a few doors from our beautifully restored lodgings, Hockeys, which served as the village pharmacy, a bric-a-brac shop and a doctor's surgery in previous incarnations.

"Trains were coming through, taking spuds and peas to Sydney. There was a flour mill, a butcher's, the old Bank of NSW, a stand-alone newsagent, three busy pubs ... But by the '60s and '70s, it all started closing and people were leaving."

The heritage facades of Millthorpe remain (even the street gutters are made from original cobblestones). It is, however, modernity that's reviving the town. New technology has uncovered fresh gold reserves nearby and the Cadia Mine is ushering in a new wave of residents, money and tourism.

"If you don't grow, you die," 72-year-old Sloane says.

Hockeys is the perfect metaphor for Millthorpe. Owners Belinda and Stephen Satterthwaite, who were originally from Broken Hill, spent years adding modern comforts to the little freestanding house while ingeniously maintaining the historic integrity that makes this accommodation unique. White walls allow rustic furniture to shine, topped off with curiosities, found objects and trinkets, such as a set of old scales placed next to the flat-screen TV-DVD player. An old-style dispensary cabinet filled with tins and bottles of glycerine, Nyal Figsen ("The Gentle Laxative"), Goanna Australian Bush Remedy and old English cigarettes is placed near a microwave, kettle and toaster.

Stephen, who works at the mine, has added further atmosphere-appropriate pieces, such as a window frame filled with bullet hole-ridden pieces of aluminium, which hangs in the bedroom.

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The theme is historical but nothing of comfort is surrendered. The bathroom floor is heated, so getting out of the huge spa is easy on the feet. The bathrobes are thick and the reverse-cycle airconditioning in the living room warms the house quickly, despite the high ceilings.

The garden at Hockeys is cute: as well as a barbecue, there are sculptures and ornaments scattered about. This is not a five-star self-contained property but it is charming and filled with character - just like the town.

Upon arrival, we are welcomed with a bottle of delicious locally made Angullong cabernet merlot and a cheese platter. There is boutique muesli, juice, tea, ground coffee, gingerbread men, lots of fruit, chocolates, nuts, local jams, yoghurt and a breakfast hamper.

The town, nestled between Bathurst and Orange, features the renowned Tonic restaurant, galleries, a lolly shop and the region's best museum, which exhibits an extraordinary history that had a golden beginning and is glittering once again.

The writer was a guest of Hockeys and Tourism NSW.

Millthorpe

Trip notes

Where

Hockeys The Old Chemist, 28 Park Street, Millthorpe. (02) 6366 3643, hockeysaccommodation.com.au.

Getting there

It's about three hours' drive west of Sydney. Take the M4 and Great Western Highway past Bathurst and look for the Millthorpe turn-off, or take Bells Line of Road to Lithgow via Bilpin and Mount Tomah.

How much From $240 a night; minimum two-night stay.

Style statement Gentrified rustic and historically respectful. You could be in a pioneer's house.

Perfect for Couples.

Shame about The lack of a fireplace.

Kudos A lavender theme throughout — beautiful on the nose and eyes.

Take the kids? No.

Don't forget Vegemite, herbal tea and warm clothes.

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