Hill End NSW Easter 2012

Easter 2012 saw us pack up the Trol and our new pod trailer for the run up to Hill End.

Good Friday to Hill End
Easy run up the Olympic Way as far as Blayney then turned up the Guyong Rd.
On the way in to Bathurst came across the magnificent Abercrombie House. Abercrombie House was built by James Stewart (c 1870s). The 52 room historic Tudor Gothic mansion was originally the home of the Stewart family - Bathurst pioneers. It is now the home of the Morgan family who bought the property in 1969 and have spent the time since on a program of restoration and redecoration.

Back roads across to Eglinton then north on to Duramana Road, a picturesque drive in the afternoon sun. This road hits the Hill End Road where you turn west into the village. With Mother-in-Law with us, camping was not an option so we had booked into the Hill End Lodge, a collection of smallish cabins on the outskirts of town. We had a simple but tasty meal in the dining room at The Lodge in a very rustic building called The Shed.

Easter Saturday in Hill End
In the morning rode our bikes down the hill into a very busy Hill End. The village was jumping with Easter visitors - street stalls, sausage sizzles and heaps of people. Funny though how we were just drawn into the Bar of the 1872 Royal Hotel...
Lunch in the park and a relaxing afternoon strolling around the village. In its heyday in the 1870s, Hill End had a population of 10,000 and boasted a kilometre of colourful shopfronts, including 28 pubs, an opium den and an oyster bar.

Easter Sunday we headed out across the black top for Mudgee, also very busy over the Easter weekend. Went to Mass in the beautiful Church. Plenty to see here - old buildings, parks and plenty of good coffee. Late cooked brekky at the cafe too....
Paid a visit to the Honey Haven which looks sadly in need of some TLC. Played mini golf with the kids and the whole set-up was very sad and tired. Anyway, at least the honey was nice!

Monday to Sofala
in the car and out to the very pretty village of Sofala. Coffees and sausage rolls in the old Post Office, a walk along the river and a stop in the park where the old footbridge over the river has been restored. Spent most of the day wandering around the village and along the Turon. Sadly, the Pub wasn't open till later in the afternoon so we enjoyed lunch in the park opposite. On the way back to Hill End we called in to visit Warren and Sue Hill, a couple we had met in Sofala who run a B&B just out of Sofala called Tanwarra Lodge. Can recommend it. And the pizzas!!
Just on dark we marked another future campspot on the River at 33° 4.498'S 149° 38.992'E. Plenty of open space, shade, a rugged rock face to admire in the afternoon sun and deep swimming holes for summer....

Tuesday in Hill End
Visit to the NPWS Office inside the old hospital. Very interesting displays and heaps of old photographs.
We set off on our bikes for the short ride to the museum on History Hill.
This is a fascinating museum run by the very knowledgeable (if slightly eccentric) Malcolm Drinkwater. We spent hours here reading all the interesting little signs that Malcolm has created explaining all facets of life in goldfields, not just in Hill End. Well worth a visit! He even has dug a replica mineshaft and drive and the kids loved that!
Visited the lookouts for views over the old mine sites and a quick side trip up to Bald Hill. We went on a tour of the Bald Hill Mine too. Very informative and worthwhile.
Bald Hill Mine tour
The Bridle Track is closed at Monaghan's Bluff due to a landslide but we were still able to follow it south as far as the river. It's a narrow, windy drive down the hill but beautiful views, wonderful stonemasonry on the culverts and a picturesque river at the bottom of the hill.
We spent most of the afternoon down there then back up the hill as I had an appointment with a rump steak at the Royal Hotel...

Wednesday Hill End to Orange
We had got very comfortable in our little room at the Lodge but time to pack up and head out of town.We had planned to get across to Orange on the Dixon's Long Point Road but were warned off it by locals as the river crossing had been very deep after recent rains.
That saw us back on the Turondale Road. through Duramana and Eglinton. On the way we stopped at a delightful camp spot saved for future trips. Ref 33° 3.617'S 149° 37.275'E The kids spent ages here skipping rocks and we all marvelled at the damage the recent floods had done.

At Duramana we passed the southern end of the Bridle Track. You can get access to the Bridle Track from here as far as the landslide at Monaghan's Bluff. According to the fire brigade bloke I spoke to in Hill End, you can actually still get to Hill End. You need to take the Freemantle Rd at Eglinton and then use Root Hog Fire Trail, although this requires a river crossing. Apparently you come out on the Bridle Track just north of the landslide.
From Bathurst we followed our tracks back to Orange where we stayed with family.

Thursday Orange to home via Cowra
On the road early and south to Cowra and we visited the Cowra war cemetery. Our War Graves Commission certainly does a great job looking after these memorials across the country and Cowra is no exception. There are memorials to the soldiers killed during the Cowra Breakout as well as a large area dedicated to the Japanese who lost their lives.
Out at the site of the breakout itself we had a walk around and read the very informative displays. There is a replica of a guard tower and some terrific audio tracks that play mysteriously out of hidden speakers when you walk past.
Doug T (NT)'s Cowra History Lesson
We had lunch at the cafe at the Japanese gardens, then spent the afternoon there. They are beautiful!
Up the hill to the lookout for a fine view over Cowra.
Also popped into the Visitors' Centre where there is more info on the Breakout including a great little holographic presentation that goes for about 5 minutes but is really well done. The kids loved it!
Back home via Young.

Highlights?
Bald Hill Mine Tour
History Hill Museum
Bushwalks on the Turon
Bike rides in Hill End with the kids
The Bridle Track