Australia So Much to See

On the north side of the creek (Lewis Ponds Creek on other mapping is called Summer Hill Creek on the Ophir map after the confluence) is the site of the original town and the historic Ophir Cemetery. Walk trail #2 takes in features of this area. Crossing the causeway over the creek (above left), on the south side is the camping and picnic area, and the start of Walk Trail #1, which commences following the creek at the base of Bluff Hill, where a tramway once ran.

Above right is Lewis Ponds Creek flowing downstream. A hand pump provided water to the campsite (at right).

Walk trails have many features signed, but the signs have been neglected. Some are covered in mildew rendering them unreadable.

Heading towards the Ophir Reserve. We stopped to look at distant Mount Canobolas, with the communications towers visible (above right).

A number of cattle came over to see us. Farms were mainly rolling hills.

This road junction (at right) is the turn to Ophir Reserve.

Heading to Orange, we took the Northern Distributor Road, which is the city by-pass. From here, we turned north on the road to Ophir Reserve, thirty kilometres north east of Orange.

Ophir Reserve is the site of Australia's first payable gold field which was first worked in 1851, and although the rich seams did not last long, there has been some mining in the area ever since.

Ophir

To the west of the Causeway, Summer Hill Creek joins Lewis Ponds Creek, where both creeks converge creating this large pool (above left). A small weir on the creek as it nears the junction (above right).

Resources

Signage on site

Wikipedia - Ophir

Aussie Towns - Ophir

Map showing known former mines and sites at Ophir Reserve (at right). Click on photo to see enlargement.

The Wiradjuri people knew the gorge as Drunong Drung which was said to mean 'many snakes'. The first Europeans into the area called it Yorkey's Corner after a shepherd from Yorkshire who grazed his flock along the creeks. Reputedly it was the father of William Tom # who suggested Ophir, which was a reference to a place of an unknown location in the Old Testament, famed for its gold and other riches.

Series of photos below show tunnels in to the hard rock at the base of Bluff Hill, as well as seams and embedded quartz in the rock. These are seen at the start of Walk Trail #1, or can be seen on a flat easy walk for those not taking the more challenging full loop walk.

See more of our tour of Ophir Reserve former gold fields, and learnt where, and the controversy about who, first discovered gold in Australia.

Bluff reef mining area. Activities commenced in the 1880s and a mine still operates on Bluff Hill above the camping and picnic area alongside Lewis Ponds Creek. Close to this site there is a three to four metre wide terrace which was a creekside tramway used to transport ore from the Bluff tunnels for processing at the Bluff stamper which was located near the existing toilet block.

Bluff Adit.

Old mine tunnels into Bluff Hill, Ophir Reserve.