Hill End
A Reporter change of plan, instead of Lithgow, we met at Berry Park, Bathurst, where 
accommodation was more readily available for those staying over on the Saturday night. Rooms were particularly hard to find in the Blue Mountains region over the weekend due to school holidays, Christmas in July celebrations and Thomas the Tank Engine at the Zig Zag Railway! Your reporter arrived last due to tardiness in opening by reception at our Leura motel (life can be so unkind). The weather was unpromising - grey skies and misty rain, a situation which changed little during the rest of the day. However that did not dampen spirits or spoil what turned out to be a great day, well planned and led by Steve and Brenda.
The convoy of ten Discos set off for Hill End, travelling in a northerly direction through some lovely green farmland, consisting of mainly cattle and sheep properties. Then we turned off onto the historic Bridle Track that provided an important link between Hill End and Bathurst in days gone by. There the scenery became spectacular, with increasingly high mountains, rugged bush, and flowing rivers. Although narrow and winding, the track was sealed for part of the way before we reached the dirt. As it progressed, the track was cut into some very steep hillsides, following the Macquarie River for a considerable distance and some remains of the original bridle track were visible.
Photo opportunities were many. Some of the valley views literally took your breath away. Interestingly, there were a number of good camping gr
ounds at various locations along the riverside, which prompted plans by some to return and camp at a future time – perhaps at a warmer time of the year. We stopped for morning tea at one of these sites, which was quite well populated in spite of the weather.
After morning tea, we started to climb Monaghan’s Bluff where the track became even narrower and steeper in places, but presented no difficulty other than when we met with oncoming traffic. This could potentially have created a problem for a convoy such as ours, because of the limited number of passing bays. Fortunately the oncoming cars courteously pulled over to let us pass after Steve went ahead and sought their cooperation. Along this section of the track Steve noticed an old mine tunnel in the hillside so we stopped briefly to take a look inside. Not sure why Julia needed her umbrella in the tunnel!!
Our progress was slow but steady, averaging some 24 kph on this portion. Although some care was required, this was more than compensated for by the wonderful scenery along this part of the route. On arrival at Hill End, we were disappointed not to be able to see the view of the town from Bald Hill Lookout 
because the valley was shrouded in mist. Our lunch stop was the Bill Lyles Reserve opposite the old Royal Hotel. Light rain continued to fall at times, but a large shelter with BBQ facilities provided us with reasonable protection from the weather. Of course, the old town has a gold mining history, as evidenced by signs of the diggings everywhere. These days, the tourist industry seems to be fuelling the local economy. Following the discovery of gold, it was established in the 1870’s, and appears to have changed little since. The historic buildings and surrounding landscape have attracted artists to the area, particularly since the second World War. Russell Drysdale and Margaret Olley are amongst those who were drawn to Hill End.
Our schedule did not allow for a detailed exploration, but a drive through and walk around the centre of the town revealed many old, mainly weatherboard houses and other buildings. Plaques have been erected to identify buildings that no longer exist. At the he
ight of the gold mining boom, this was one of the largest towns in the State. Hill End is definitely a destination for a more leisurely stay in the future. Facilities are available to assist in this regard. Apart from the camping sites along the Bridal Track and one in the town itself, the Royal Hotel has accommodation and then there is the new Hill End Lodge. The road to Sofala from Hill End provided quite an easy drive as in the last 2 years it has been sealed, most of the way. Again, our schedule prevented us spending time in Sofala, although what could be seen on our drive through was interesting enough to invite a return to this historic town as well.
From Sofala we drove via the Upper Turon River, Mt Horrible and the Winburndale Nature Reserve to Sunny Corner in continuing misty conditions through more lovely bush country. Regrettable as it was that the scenery was often hidden, the bleak landscape had its own beauty, particularly when viewed from the warmth and comfort of our vehicles. One lengthy stretch of dirt road through the nature reserve was particularly scenic and a little slippery in the wet. Trip commentary helped to enliven the journey, Brenda declaring she wou
ld have us all speaking with northern England accents by the end of the day. We were told of kangaroos, and other wildlife by the side of the road, or sometimes on the road, however those of us towards the rear of the convoy began to doubt the accuracy of these reports, since we saw nothing. Our doubts were heightened with a claimed sighting by Julia of a polar bear, up a tree would you believe! We all knew polar bears didn’t eat gum leaves. However, for my part, I was prepared to give the benefit of the doubt to the accuracy of at least some of these alleged sightings. A great day ended at the Lithgow Visitor’s Centre around 4.30 pm when our 10 muddy (pronounced with a northern England accent) Discos regrouped and we made our farewells and thanked the Drury’s for a wonderful day. The general feeling was that everyone had an interesting and very enjoyable time despite the weather being unfavourable. Consistent with some of the opinions expressed, perhaps some thought might be given to a weekend trip being arranged for the same route in more suitable camping weather.