Sofala Post Office NSW

Sofala is on the Turon River near Bathurst on the NSW Central Tablelands. The town came about as a direct result of the gold rush 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.

Initially, gold was found in the area known as Gold Point on the Turon River. When the alluvial gold ran out, mining turned to quartz reef mining. The town was a centre of opposition of the gold licensing system in New South Wales at the time. A considerable proportion of the miners were Chinese.

Attractions today include the gold-rush-era Sofala Royal Hotel and the old gaol. Small-scale gold workings are still active in the town. Sofala has been reported to be the oldest surviving gold-rush town in Australia. There are still gold prospectors who pass the time using metal detectors, gold pans and sluice boxes to recover small quantities of gold dust.