NSWMining
Gulgong
A gold rush preserved in streets and photographs.
1870Gold rush begins
WHAT STARTED IT
Payable gold found at Red Hill in April 1870 triggered a rapid rush. Miners and shopkeepers built a settlement in a hurry to serve the new diggings.
WHAT SUSTAINED IT
The Holtermann photographic collection captured the goldfield’s streets, businesses and residents. When easy gold diminished, Gulgong continued as a centre for the surrounding rural district.
TURNING POINTS
1870Gold at Red Hill starts the rush.
1872Photographers record the booming town.
1989Gulgong began hosting its recurring international ceramics festival, extending the gold town’s cultural economy.
WHAT IT DOES NOW
A small regional town with museums, a surviving historic streetscape and connections to Henry Lawson. Farming and heritage visitors help sustain it.