This was published 9 years ago
Sofala, New South Wales: Travel guide and things to do
Country town of Sofala nestled among rolling hills and countryside, Central NSWCredit: Hamilton Lund
Of all the old gold mining towns in New South Wales Sofala is one of the most interesting and unusual. While hardly comparable with Hill End, which is 35 km further on and much more carefully preserved, Sofala is a village with an authentic old world charm. In essence its nothing more than two streets which have no formal construction and no curbing and guttering and yet which can legitimately claim to be 'Australia's oldest surviving gold town'.
Sofala is located 245 km north west of Sydney and 45 km north of Bathurst in the Turon River valley. It came into existence as a direct result of the goldrush which had been precipitated when Edward Hargraves discovered gold at Summerhill Creek on 12 February, 1851. By June that year a tent city spread across the valley and both the Royal Hotel and a General Store were built in 1851. By 25 June more than 200 ounces of gold taken from the Turon Valley had been sold in Bathurst.
The rush was extraordinary. When the local landowner realised he would never move the miners off his land he became a butcher and started selling mutton.
In November, 1851 a travelling journalist could report: 'For the most part, Sofala presents to the spectator a strange jumble of tents of every possible shape: canvas, calico, slab and bark huts, bough gunyahs and nondescripts. Among the medley, two circuses are conspicuous. Stores of every possible description and containing varieties of merchandise are everywhere, embellished with placards announcing the best gold prices available. Shoe makers and blacksmith establishments boasting a large number of visitors.'
The goldfield was short-lived with the population peaking at 10,000 in September and dropping to 5,000 by Christmas. It was a ramshackle temporary town with dozens of pubs and, at its height, an estimated 500 illegal sly grog shops.
In 1852 there was a brief altercation between miners and police over mining licenses but it did not amount to outright rebellion. The miners caved in and the license fees (30 shillings per month) were retained.
By 1853 visitors were describing the town as little more than 'wood huts or as they term them shingle, weatherboard, houses and tents. There were many tents scattered along the river.'
The fortune of the town was all too brief. By May 1854 there were less than 500 diggers on the field and by 1855, with new gold discoveries occurring at Wattle Flat, Sofala was in decline.
By 1856 there were only 325 males and 203 females living in bark huts and working the goldfields in Sofala. Even though the town was beginning to reduce in importance the goldrush had established a substantial infrastructure.
In 1866 a traveller described the town as 'There was a post and money order office, a telegraph office, a hospital, court of petty sessions, district court, police camp, gold commissioner's camp, three churches (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Wesleyan), two denominational and five private schools, two hotels (the Sofala Inn and the Barley Mow), a number of public houses and several extensive stores. There was a booking office at the Barley Mow for Cobb & Co., where coaches could be caught for Bathurst, Orange, Lambing Flat and Forbes. There are branches of the Savings Bank and Australia Mutual Provident Society in the township.'
By the 1871 census the total population of the town was 644 of whom 81 were Chinese. While mining was still central to the success of the town it is true that the miners were covering a greater area and finding smaller deposits.
Between 1899 and 1914 dredges were brought to the valley. Their success was limited. At one point (it only lasted for two years) the Sofala Gold Dredging Co. treated 18,000 cubic yards of wash which yielded 84 ounces of gold.
The history of the town in the twentieth century is one of constant decline as the gold either runs out or becomes increasingly hard to extract. In 1948 all gold mining in the district finished. It had lasted for 92 years.
Things to see
1. Historical Walking Tour
There is a single sheet guide to the village which is available from the Sofala Souvenir Shop in the main street.
The Old General Store
With its interesting lacework and its weatherboard construction the General Store in Denison Street is one of the town's most notable buildings. It was built in the 1860s to meet the needs of the local miners.
Royal Hotel
Over the road from the General Store is the Royal Hotel which was established in 1862. The first Royal Hotel in Sofala opened on 7 October 1851.
Post Office
Now a private residence the Post Office was built in 1879 and continued operating until 1989. It is a gracious two-storey building which has been turned into an interesting home.
Gas Hotel
This hotel dates from late 1851 and, because the foundations are timber stumps which have sunk over time, the building looks as though it was knocked together by a very drunk carpenter.
Court House
This building has changed function three times. It was built in 1874 as a court house. By 1934 it had become the local hospital and in the early 1960s it became the Community Health Centre.
Hylands Hotel
Built on the site of the Globe Hotel (one of the town's original pubs) it still has the original shingles and cellar. It is now a private residence.
2. Driving Tours
The Sofala Souvenir Shop has a 'self-drive' tour which covers a number of interesting destinations around Sofala.
Upper Turon
This drive includes the Church of England cemetery (with graves dating from 1851), the old Sofala school (1881), the original hospital (1860s), the original diggings, the privately-owned Western Goldfields Museum, the Chinese settlement, Ration Hill and Pennyweight Creek. The instructions are clear and there is a good map.
Lower Turon
On the same sheet are clear instructions for those interested in exploring the Lower Turon. This drive includes Spring Creek, the remains of the 'Queenslander Battery', a picnic spot where you can still pan for gold and the unusual Wallaby Rocks - a good place for swimming. Again the map and the instructions are easy to follow.
Wattle Flat
Wattle Flat is located 8 km south of Sofala on the Bathurst Road. The main attraction (apart from the old stone church on the main road) is the 'Buurree Walking Trail' which is a leisurely 3 hour stroll. The trail is an interesting combination of fauna (there are many kangaroos in the area) and flora as well as ruins and remnants of the goldrush era. There is a very useful pamphlet available from the Sofala Souvenir Shop.
Turon Technology Museum
About 12 km north-east of Sofala , along the main road, is the Turon Technology Museum which focuses of power technologies from the period 1850-1950. This is a professionally organised, and properly documented, display spread over six buildings in grounds which cover over an acre. There are all manner of steam turbines, hot-bulb engines, internal combustion engines, diesel engines etc.
The museum is open every weekend and all public holidays. The highlight is probably the firing up of the steam engines which occurs on the first weekend of each month and every public holiday. A guided tour is included in the admission fee which, when the GST kicks in (July 1 2000) will increase to $8 per head with under 12s included free of charge. There are picnic areas, a kiosk serving hot food and toilets. Groups are welcome. Ring (02) 6358 8434 when the museum is open or (02) 4758 7800 at other times.
Tourist Information
Souvenir Shop
Denison St
Sofala NSW 2795
Telephone: (02) 6337 7075
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