Always open
Distance from Bathurst 34kms north of Bathurst
Preferred route Gilmour Street to Sofala Road via Peel.
Originally a farming area, Wattle Flat became a thriving gold town in 1855, when gold was discovered in the area. The population soared during this time to some 40,000 miners. The town was centred around 5 hotels, 2 stores, 2 schools, a Church of England and a Catholic church.
Today Wattle Flat is a beautiful country village with many examples of its past evident in the remains of abandoned mines and diggings, miners’ cottages and substantial stone buildings that are still standing. The native woodland provides a backdrop for the flat grazing lands of the region as well as a home for many native animals.
What to do & see
Explore the streets of the village with the brochure ‘A Stroll through Wattle Flat’ (available at the Bathurst Visitor Information Centre) providing historical background of the many buildings scattered around.
For the nature lover the nearby Northern section of the Heritage Lands contain the only evidence of the ‘Argyle Apple’ (eucalyptus cinera) in the Central West and Bushwalkers will love the ‘Buurree’ Walking Trail that meanders through this part of the Heritage Lands.
A relatively easy 3 hour walk takes you to the hill top for spectacular views of Wattle Flat and Sofala. There is a registered fire trail which allows vehicle access. The Southern section of the Heritage Lands contain more walking tracks, mining relics and along the main road you can visit the “Solitary Mine site” which is actively being beautified and re-created with a replica “whip” placed over a shaft reputedly close to 180m deep. It now has a steel grate in place for safety.You can also wonder around the remains of the surface workings via a wheelchair accessible path.