Hill End, NSW
1.4 km (0.5 hrs )
★★★★☆

Hill End owes its existence to the gold rush of the 1850s, and at its peak in the early 1870s it had a population of over 8,000. The worlds largest specimen of native gold ever discovered was unearthed here in 1872, yielding some 3,000 troy oz. of gold. Hill End boasted 28 hotels, 5 banks and 8 churches, some of which can be seen today on this walk around the historic centre of the town. These buildings have been preserved as a historic site, and many feature signs that provide information about their history. The town is especially beautiful to visit in autumn, when the leaves of the deciduous trees turn golden.

On this short walk I visited some of the key historic buildings, including Northey's Apartment, St Paul's Presbyterian Church (1872), the Great Western Store, Sacred Heart Catholic Church (1875), St Andrew's Anglican Church (1870) and the last of 28 Hill End pubs, the Royal Hotel (1872).