Sofala, New South Wales

Sofala is a village located approximately 250km north-west of Sydney, New South Wales, within Bathurst Regional Council. It is located beside the Turon River. Sofala is just off the Bathurst-Ilford Road, with only local traffic through the town itself. At the 2006 census, Sofala had a population of 208 people.

Sofala came about as a direct result of the goldrush which had been spurred on when Edward Hargraves discovered gold at Summerhill Creek on 12 February, 1851. By June of that year, thousands of people had set up mining operations in the valley and both the Royal Hotel and a General Store were built in 1851 to handle the increased demand.

Sofala has been reported to be the oldest surviving gold-rush town in Australia. There are still small-time gold prospectors who pass the time using metal detectors, gold pans, and sluice boxes to recover small quantities of gold dust.

The 1974 Peter Weir film The Cars That Ate Paris was filmed in the town. Village scenes in the 1994 John Duigan film Sirens were also filmed in Sofala.

Access

 * From Bathurst, Sofala is around 50km north along the sealed Bathurst-Ilford Road.
 * From Ilford, it is around 30km south along the sealed Bathurst-Ilford Road.
 * Hill End, it is approximately 38km along an unsealed road.

Attractions

 * Prospecting
 * Walk along the Turon River
 * Cycle
 * Historical Walks and Tours
 * River side camp sites