The six NSW Gold Trails

The Gold Trails are six recommended self-drive routes that string together the former gold towns, mining relics and bushranger sites of central and southern New South Wales. They were designed to follow the old coach roads and escort routes rather than the fastest highway, so they take you through villages that the gold rush made and the railways later bypassed.

How to choose a trail

Each trail has a distinct character. Use this table to match a route to the time you have and the stories you want to follow.

Distances are for the main route without optional detours and are rounded; allow far more time than the driving alone suggests.

Linking trails into a longer road trip

The trails share junction towns, which makes it easy to build a loop.

• Four days, Central West loop: Escort Rock Gold Trail from Bathurst to Forbes, then the Ben Hall Gang trail in reverse from Forbes to Yass, and back to Bathurst via the Abercrombie trail from Goulburn.
• Five days, south and west: Southern Gold Trail from Yass to Kiandra, back to Gundagai, then the South-Western trail to West Wyalong and the Newell trail north to Forbes and Parkes.
• A long weekend from Sydney: drive to Bathurst, spend a day at Hill End and Sofala, then follow the Escort Rock trail as far as Eugowra before returning via Orange.

South-Western Gold Trail

The South-Western Gold Trail heads from Gundagai across the South West Slopes and into the wheatbelt: Gundagai, Jugiong, Yass (optional), Binalong, Harden, Young (optional), Wallendbeen, Cootamundra (optional), Temora, Barmedman, Wyalong and West Wyalong, with an optional extension to Mirrool.

Its first half overlaps the bushranger country of the Ben Hall Gang trail. Beyond Cootamundra the landscape opens into broad paddocks and the story shifts from 1860s alluvial rushes to later reef mining. Temora’s goldfield dates from the late 1870s and 1880s, and Wyalong and West Wyalong grew from reef gold found in the 1890s — the twin towns’ unusual layout reflects the rival settlements that formed around the diggings. Expect long straight roads, big skies and very few tourists. Fuel up in the larger towns, and allow a full day if you want to stop at the local museums.

Newell Gold Trail

The Newell Gold Trail connects the western goldfields along and near the Newell Highway: West Wyalong, Barmedman (optional), Lake Cowal (optional), Forbes, Parkes, Peak Hill and Tomingley (optional).

Forbes was the hub of the Lachlan goldfield after gold was found there in 1861, and is where Ben Hall is buried. Parkes began as a gold settlement before becoming a rail and farming centre — today it is better known for the CSIRO radio telescope north of town. Peak Hill offers a walking track around the rim of a former open-cut gold mine with views into the pit. Lake Cowal, east of West Wyalong, is the site of a large modern gold mine, a reminder that gold is still mined in the region today.

Practical tips for every trail

Start early. Museums and visitor centres in small towns often keep short hours, and some open only on certain days of the week. Ring ahead if a particular site is the reason for your trip.

Pick a base, not a bed every night. Most trails can be driven in a day, so staying two nights in one town and doing a loop is often more relaxing than moving on daily.

Look beyond the main street. Many gold-era relics — Chinese gardens, cemeteries, water races, mullock heaps — sit on the edges of towns. Local visitor centres usually have heritage walk maps.

Check the season. The Southern trail’s final leg to Kiandra crosses alpine country on the Snowy Mountains Highway. Snow and ice can affect it in the cooler months, and summer bushfire risk can close parks — check Live Traffic NSW and NSW National Parks alerts on the day.

Fossick responsibly. Several trails pass public fossicking spots. Use hand tools only and follow our NSW fossicking rules.