When people think of Bathurst they often think of the gold rush and the times when thousands of hopeful gold miners trekked out to the region to find their fortune. 

However payable gold was never found in the land directly around the city but further to the north around the Villages of Sofala and Hill End. During the gold rush period between the 1850s-1870s the towns supported tens of thousands of residents and boasted over 35 pubs between them. Today only one pub remains in each village. 

Set off on this northern itinerary to uncover the past of our old mining heritage, heading north towards Sofala to visit the Royal Hotel Sofala (Est 1851). Here you can do a historic walk of the village to learn about it’s history and see what remains of Australia’s oldest surviving gold mining town. 

Continuing on west you will follow the scenic Hill End Road climbing 320 meters in elevation along the sealed road to Hill End. Here the once expansive gold mining town is home to resident artists and heritage attractions. The Royal Hotel Hill End (Est 1872) lies in the heart of town. With a warm fireplace for chilly days and an open courtyard to soak up the sun on warm day, the Royal Hotel Hill End is a great spot to rest and relax in between gold panning with Jhob and exploring the extensive collection at History Hill Museum and Mine. 

Heading back towards Bathurst Via the Turondale Road you can easily make a detour to one of Bathurst’s most well known historic homes, Abercrombie House an 1870s historic mansion close to the northern entrance of town.