The quaint, old goldmining town of Gulgong is everything one imagines an old pioneering town should be. It is among the best preserved of Australia's old gold towns, having kept alive the atmosphere of those exciting times.

Where Is It?: Gulgong is 294km NW of Sydney, 111km east of Dubbo and 293km west of Newcastle.

Events: Gulgong hosts the Gulgong Folk Festival every January. The Henry Lawson Society Annual Literary Dinner is held every June.

Things To See And Do

About 130 of the town's buildings are registered with the National Trust. Many date back to the 1870s. Mayne Street has the Greatest Wonders of the World, the Fancy Goods Emporium, the Ten Dollar Town Motel (originally the Royal Hotel) and the American Tobacco Warehouse. The latter was one element of the montage on the old Australian $10 note; it is the only surviving building of those depicted on the $10 note. However, as the word 'American' was considered inappropriate for inclusion on the note, the awning in the reproduction reads 'Gulgong - Dispensary - D. Zimmler'.




Red Hill Reserve, Mining Museum and Field Study Centre at Red Hill Reserve marks the site of Tom Saunders' original 1870 stike which sparked the goldrush that was the making of Gulgong. An open-air mining museum has been established on the site which includes an old poppet head and shaft, a stamper, a windlass and other pieces of mining equipment. There is also a relief map of the mining leads around town and a slab hut schoolroom. Plans for the future include a walk-through mine.

Surrounding Area

Goulburn River National Park spans 70000 hectares of mostly sandstone country around 90 kilometres of the Goulburn River. The Park, which is rich in wildlife, is ideal for bush walking, canoeing, swimming, photography and wildlife observation. Eastern Grey Kangaroos, Wombats, Red-Necked Wallabies and Wallaroos, Goanna and Bearded Dragons are commonly seen, while the water shelters the Long-Necked Tortoise, Shrimp, Catfish and Mullet, as well as Platypus.


The Drip (37 km) refers to the small streams that flow from the rock and cliff formations alonga section of the Goulburn River within Goulburn River National Park. The River rises at Munghorn Gap, flows through the National Park named after it. The river has worn the cliffs down over eons. Except in flood time, it flows gently between them, around sand banks and through rocky patches. Some of the rain from the surrounding hills seeps through the rocks and emerges again from the cliffs along the river, dripping on to the rocks.