Visiting Peak Hill Gold Mine In New South Wales

Deep in regional New South Wales, lies the small town of Peak Hill. This is my guide to visiting the Peak Hill Gold Mine; a huge open cut mine worth exploring.

The town of Peak Hill can be found on the Newell highway between Parkes and Dubbo in regional New South Wales. Any traveller in the area is likely to pass through Peak Hill on the A39 road and my wife and I found it a perfect place to stop not only for a break from driving but also to explore the Peak Hill Gold Mine for which this town is famous.

Peak Hill as a town developed in 1889 thanks to the discovery of gold. Two open-cut gold mines were established until 1917 before beginning again between 1996 and 2002. The rich mining history here is now free to explore in the form of self-guided trails offering exceptional views over the open cut mines. I’m afraid you’re unlikely to find any gold laying about!

PEAK HILL GOLD MINE

Now that you’ve stopped at Peak Hill to stretch your legs, its time to have a wander around the open cut gold mine and admire old rusty machinery left behind.

There are a few different walks to complete but the first step before you go anywhere is to take a picture of the map – that way you can’t get lost! There are two main trails; either the Gold Mine Discovery Trail which is 1.3km long or the Peak Hill Bush Trail which is 1.8km long. The latter walk takes you around the perimeter of all five open cuts but the discovery trail will allow you to view all of them.

The main viewing platform of the Proprietary mine is just 100m from the car park if you don’t fancy a full-on walk. There is something about the colour of the rocks and the way the light hits that makes it extremely photogenic. If you have a drone, you can get some great photos here.

We didn’t spend too long here at Peak Hill Gold Mine, perhaps less than an hour, but it’s a great place to stop to take in some incredible views and to ponder just what it must have been like to mine for gold here way back in the late 1800’s. There are toilets, plenty of space to park (and turn with a caravan) though be mindful of mosquitos and the heat if you’re going for a longer walk.

WHERE TO STAY IN PEAK HILL

There are a few good options to stay overnight in Peak Hill once you’ve finished exploring the gold mine all of which are a good price. The Oasis Motel and Country Roads Motor Inn are rated highly or, if you’re on a road trip with a campervan, caravan or motorhome, head to the Peak Hill Caravan Park or Double D Caravan Park.

WHERE NEXT?

Ok, let’s be honest, it’s taken me long enough to find the time to publish guides covering my time in Australia. Now though, the majority of them are linked below, so wherever you’re heading you’re likely to find what you need below!

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