Yalwal, NSW
4.4 km (2 hrs )
★★★★☆

Yalwal is the site of a former gold mining town, established in the 19th century after gold was discovered in 1852. Most of the town was destroyed in a devastating bushfire in 1939 and what was left was later flooded when the Danjera Dam in 1971. There are still a few remnants visible, notably the cemetery, a 5 head stamper battery, and a myriad of tracks, mine shafts and tunnels. The site was undergoing redevelopment at the time of my visit, with new facilities and camp grounds to be established.

On this visit to Yalwal I took the opportunity to explore the extensive gold mining operations that occurred on the southern side of Danjera Creek in a place called the Hill of Gold. There were several tunnels that I was able to explore, including those at the Golden Crown Mine and Homeward Bound Mine. Most of the site is overgrown, especially now that the area is recovering from the bushfires of 2020 and there were sections where I had to force my way through the undergrowth or crawl under or over fallen trees. Some of the former mine shafts are also unmarked, so extreme care was required! There are also areas marked as dangerous and should not be entered.

It was an interesting glimpse into the efforts that men take to pursue that elusive metal and if it had not been so hot, I would have loved to spend more time exploring this fascinating place.