Orange and Ophir

The rain has stopped and the locals say they have 50+mm of much needed rain. Backpacking pumpkin pickers staying in the caravan park have been rained out. Not that impressed with them tho after they put their muddy boots in the dryer. Might give them our spare newspapers to stuff in instead. We seem to always have a few about as Greg likes to read them and do the puzzles. The park is basic with a friendly manager that doesn't appear that busy....he could have a lot on his list of jobs if he looked about.... but we've got a great spot with a double concrete base so no wet feet for us.

We went across to Orange. I think a month ago the city would look amazing  in its autumn colours as the streets are lined with deciduous tree. They are now naked and look architectural and skeletal. It's a big city. We walked in the Botanical gardens. Blame Rifter for that. Without him we would have found a warm coffee shop but as it was too cold to be outside a brisk walk was the go. He's our personal health trainer!!

Beautiful winter trees

An orchard of heritage apple trees

Greg making the sundial

 

Orange

All those years teaching I had been telling the kids about the discovery of gold at Ophir. Today we visited the site. The discovery was full of intrigue. After several smaller gold finds which were hushed up by the government fearing a rush like California Edward Hargraves was looking for the glittering prize and enlisted the help of a couple of farmers who actually found the first payable gold. But it was Hargraves who staked the claim and is noted as discovering the first gold in Australia at Ophir.  Despite later protests against the claim by the farmers. 

The creek was flooded

A muddy gravel road, quite hilly with some steep inclines led down to a creek crossing with rocks full of quartz. The holy grail of gold mining in Australia. Little remains apart (no structures) from evidence of alluvial,reef and deep mining. Gorgeous river oaks and box trees line the swiftly flowing creek which we crossed on a causeway. 

Scene of the gold theft

 Bushrangers hid behind this rock and ambushed the gold coach

Of course with gold comes bushrangers so we went to the scene of Australia's biggest gold theft at escort rock just out of Eugowra. In June 1862 a gold escort from Forbes was carrying a large amount of gold, cash and mail. Frank Gardiners gang including Ben Hall hid behind the boulders, held up the coach and got away with 2719 oz of gold and £3700 in cash. A multi million dollar haul in today's dollars. Eventually all the bushrangers were captured and some of the loot recovered but too this day the rest has never been accounted for. Might be hiding in the hills ??

Banjo Patterson also grew up in this area