"The Drip", Goulburn River

The Drip’ refers to the small streams that flow from the rock and cliff formations along this section of the Goulburn River. The River rises at Munghorn Gap, flows through the National Park named after it, and then joins the Hunter River, which flows into the sea at Newcastle.
The river has worn the cliffs down over eons. Except in flood time, it flows gently between them, around sand banks and through rocky patches.
Some of the rain from the surrounding hills seeps through the rocks and emerges again from the cliffs along the river, dripping on to the rocks.
One of the most picturesque of these drips lies about one and a half kilometres off the main road from Gulgong to the coast. To reach the turn-off to the car park, travel east 10 kilometres from the junction of the Mudgee-Cassilis road and the road from Ulan village (see map on page 14). Immediately after crossing the bridge over the Goulburn River, turn right at the wooden ‘The Drip’ sign and drive in to the car park.
The narrow track lies along the northern bank of the river, often fairly flat and smooth, but at times requiring care and some agility; this is particularly the case during the second half of the walk, which is not well suited to young children. The track is slippery after rain.
The walk to ‘The Drip’ and back takes about an hour at normal pace, or twice that long, and more, according to the time spent gazing at the sights along the way: clear water flowing over gravel that seems to hold the promise of gold; ancient trees, rocks and cliffs; wombat burrows; tracks of kangaroos and wallabies; tiny waterfalls; clear rock pools.
Compare this country with the drier forest of the Great Dividing Range on the track to ‘Hands on Rock’.

"Hands on Rock"

These stencils of hands were made by the Wiradjuri people, using a spray of ochre mixed with liquid. The Wiradjuri occupied most of the central west of what is now New South Wales, and were one of the largest of Aboriginal language groups. They probably numbered about 12,000 at the time of white settlement. The site of ‘Hands on Rock’ is at the eastern end of Wiradjuri lands, at the edge of the Great Dividing Range. The people who left these stencils no doubt came here to trade with other tribes, to sing, and to exchange gossip. They left these impressions of their hands as a reminder of their visit - who knows how long ago? This invaluable heritage site is not hard to reach. It is about 12 kilometres east of Ulan and two kilometres on the left hand side past the entrance to ‘The Drip’ (see above, and the map on page 14). To get there, turn left off the Ulan-Casslis Road at the Bobadeen Road sign, turn sharp left again, and drive 500 metres to the car park.

The ’Hands on Rock’ site is 600 metres from the car park. The path has a few roots across it, but is otherwise easy for about 400 metres; then it slopes up steadily to the rock cliffs. There are steps along the way, but some loose stones towards the end of the path require a little care, particularly on the way down.
One of the features of the walk is the relatively unspoilt forest that surrounds the area. It is typical of the vegetation that once covered this part of the ranges.
Pause for a moment and look around. This is little different from the land that was seen by the owners of those stencilled hands.

This is such a priceless area that it must be treated with the greatest care and respect. A viewing platform has been built, and visitors are asked not to leave it or the walking path.

Today's Gulgong

Red Hill - Source of Gulgong Gold.

Red Hill (east of F9 on the Gulgong Walks Map) provided the gold that washed down the many leads (see Gulgong's Golden Past).

Red Hill itself was disappointing. Several attempts to dig deep for reef gold proved costly, and the shafts filled with water at relatively shallow depths. Is gold still there?
See the poppet head, the mining mural and the mine shaft, safely fenced in, to the west of the Red Hill monuments.

Historic Railway Station

The railway arrived in Gulgong in 1909. Gulgong Railway Station is one of the last in New South Wales that remains from that era.
The station can be found on Saleyards Lane. Drive over the railway crossing at the flour mill and take the next turn right.
Gulgong station is built of timber and has been immaculately restored.
The station ’s platform of rammed earth and sleepers is used by passengers on the regular tourist trains that travel between Mudgee and Gulgong.

ANZAC Rotunda

The memorial rotunda in Gulgong’s Anzac Park is the second oldest in Australia.
The memorial was built in 1916, two years before World War 1 ended.
The top of the memorial represents the tin hat worn by the Anzacs. The eight pillars represent the six States and two Territories.
At the top of each of the pillars is a letter. Together, the letters stand for ANZAC and GPA: that is, ANZAC and the Gulgong Progress Association, which was responsible for the building of the memorial.

Flirtation Hill

For a panoramic view of the country that sustains Gulgong, visit Flirtation Hill (now, why would it possibly be called that?).
Flirtation Hill is at the bottom right hand corner of the town map. Drive down Mayne Street, east from the centre of town, and turn right at Wenonah Street.
The view to the east shows the mixture of pastoral land, open forest and vineyards that adds to Gulgong’s vitality. To the west, in the foreground, is Gulgong itself, with its heritage buildings nestling among the trees.

The railway that must go somewhere

There’s the bridge, but where’s the railway?
This is one of two bridges, west of Gulgong, built for the Sandy Hollow Railway. The railway, intended to link the central west to Newcastle, was abandoned during the Great Depression of the 1930s. In the 1980s the section from the Hunter Valley was completed, and now carries coal from the vast Ulan mine.
The remainder of the railway simply waits for a train - even for a railway line - across its cuttings and bridges.
Parts of the railway works can be seen at the northern end of Medley Street, on the way to Barney’s Reef Road, at the side of the main road to Dunedoo, and skirting the road that goes through Beryl village, to the left through Mebul, and back on to the Wellington road a few kilometres on the Gulgong side of Goolma.
And what is that embankment near Goolma? Part of the Sandy Hollow railway. What else?

This statue of Henry Lawson is in the park between Medley and Herbert Streets, at the bottom centre of the town map.