Guyra Tourism & Commerce Association Inc.

Guyra...top of the range

Fossicking drives
around Guyra

Guyra has some interesting fossicking locations which are less well known than those of the Glen Innes and Inverell areas. There are several locations where public access is possible to fossick for sapphires, and at Stannifer for jelly bean crystals.

Seek permission from the landowner before venturing onto private property. Small signs at Mt Mitchell, Moredun creek, Stannifer and the Junction will indicate that you have arrived at a public fossicking area. Licenses are not required but you'll need a bucket, a spade and a sieve.

Drive 1: (full day)

Take the Ebor Road from Guyra and then the Wards Mistake Road turnoff approximately 4kms from Guyra. Take the Oban and Kookabookra turn after approximately 12km.

Public fossicking for sapphires, topaz, garnets and maybe even gold is possible where the road crosses Sarah River—watch for the fossicking sign. There is little evidence of it now, but in its heyday there were many rich deposits of gold and gemstones in this region and most of the names in this area refer to former gold mining settlements (Kookabookra, Bear Hill and Oban).

Return to Guyra through picturesque farm land on the Tubbamurra road. Approximately 7km along the Tubbamurra Road take Bagot's Road for 5kms and stop off at Little Llangothlin Lagoon reserve. Some parts of the above roads are gravel.

Little Llangothlin Lagoon Nature Reserve—bird watching, picnic tables (no toilets) and National Parks interpretive sign. A large variety of water birds can be observed as well as other birds of the tablelands including egrets, cormorants, black billed shovellers, hawks, robins, superb fairy wrens, kookaburras, galahs, white cockatoos etc. The walk around the lagoon is mown and is approximately 4 kms.

Return to the Tubbamurra Road and then 3km to the New England Highway. It's then 14km to Guyra.

Drive 2: (full day)

Guyra to Moredun Creek to Tingha to Stannifer to Tingha to Guyra:

Take the Inverell road for 35kms. Moredun creek crosses the Inverell road and provides an opportunity for sapphire fossicking. Watch for fossicking sign.

Continue on to Tingha (37kms). Tingha a tin mining town where several large tin mines operated until recent times. Note the reclamation area on the left as you enter Tingha. In the late part of the late 1800s and early 1900s many individual miners (including thousands of Chinese) came to try their luck and Tingha boasted a population of many thousands.

Some of the history can be found at the Wing Hing Long Store in Tingha's main street. This store retains many of the features of stores of yesteryear and is well worth a visit. Other mining history and samples of the tin crystals found in the area are on display at Smith's Museum at Green Valley Farm.

All the streets in Tingha are named after gems and there is evidence of the town's mining heritage everywhere including the unique style of many of the dwellings.

Tingha's previous swimming pool was formed by mining excavations. Find it near the caravan park which provides a delightful stopover point.

From Tingha turn right to Stannifer (5 kms). Easy fossicking for jelly bean crystals can be found along the creek where it crosses the road. Just a few houses remain here as evidence of an earlier thriving township.

Return through Tingha and take the road to Green Valley Farm which is home to Smiths museum, a zoo, gardens and a fun park. This unique destination provides something for everyone no matter what the age. A kiosk for refreshments and toilet facilities are available. Its definitely worth the trip and deserves a day of its own.

Continue along the Junction road to Guyra. A further fossicking opportunity for sapphires can be found 8 kms on at 'The Junction' of Moredun and Ollera creeks either side of the low level crossing. Parts of this road are gravel.

Return to Guyra along the Junction and Tenterden roads, past the historic Tenterden and Ollera churches and the Ollera cemetery.

Historical and
scenic drives

Drive 3: (half day)

Drive 8kms south of Guyra on the New England Highway to the Black Mountain Nursery specialising in cool climate plants.

Malpas Dam - take the turn-off to the left about 1km south from the Nursery. It's clearly signposted just before the Black Mountain Roadhouse (which will be on your right). The dam is Armidale's water supply and is approx. 10km in a generally easterly direction along a dirt road. It's used for sailing, fishing and picnicking (no motor boats).

Thunderbolt's Cave- just past the Black Mountain Roadhouse and take the turn-off to the left just before going down "The Pinch". This cave was one of the hiding spots used by the bushranger Thunderbolt. The cave is large enough for a horse and man to stand inside and has a natural chimney that the adventurous can climb through. There are picnic facilities but no toilets.

Return to the Black Mountain Road House for refreshments and toilet facilities.

Turn left to Black Mountain village and railway station (5kms). You'll drive through delightful farming country which is some of the oldest settled land on the tablelands (you'll see why this area is referred to as the New England). The residents of Black Mountain maintain the railway station as a community facility and the historic Baptist church is used regularly for services.

Return to Guyra on the Black Mountain to Guyra road, 8kms.

Guyra Railway Station

This is now used as the
museum for the Guyra
Antique Machinery Group

To arrange a visit,
contact Ron Lockyer
on 02 6779 1621

Drive 4 (Half day)

Take the New England Highway north to Ben Lomond. Turn left just north of Llangothlin approximately 8 kms onto Ben Lomond Road and travel 13kms. Ben Lomond boasts the highest railway station on the Australian rail system and the attractive surroundings of the village is a tribute to this active little village community.

There are many historic buildings to visit in Ben Lomond:
- the Railway Station built in 1887;
- the Presbyterian Church, built 1908;
- the Catholic Church, built 1928;
- the Anglican Church, built 1926;
- Ben Lomond War Memorial Hall, initially built as the School of Arts in 1908.

The Ben Lomond/Wandsworth Roads take you past purpose built trout fishing dams and grazing properties. There are several opportunities for trout fishing in the streams around this area and there are a number of accommodation places which cater for fishers, including Dunmore Trout Waters and Uncle Billy's Retreat. The road joins the Guyra to Inverell road at Wandsworth.
Turn left.

At Wandsworth evidence of the history of this former town can be seen in the grand residence on the corner. Head east towards Guyra. Along the way you will pass Midlands Aquaculture which breeds trout for the restaurant trade in Brisbane and the New England.

Continue on towards Guyra. Turn right at the Ollera signpost to see Ollera Cemetry just a few hundred metres on. This cemetery was established in the 1830s as part of Ollera station, the first property settled in the Guyra region. Graves date back to the mid 1800s and there is a grave of a soldier who fought at Waterloo. Across the road you will see the delightful little Ollera church which is located on private property. Services and weddings are still held there and the grand old elm trees add to the picturesque scene.

Return to the Guyra-Inverell road and travel 17kms to Guyra.

Bird watching drives

Drive 5 (half to one day)
Little Llangothlin Lagoon
Nature Reserve

Take the New England Highway north from Guyra for 14kms. Turn right onto Tubbamurra Road and travel 3 kms. Turn left into Bagot's Road and travel for 5kms to Little Llangothlin Lagoon reserve. Some parts of the above roads are gravel.

Little Llangothlin Lagoon Nature Reserve is listed as a RAMSA site, which means it is an internationally recognised significant wetland site. Facilities include picnic tables (no toilets) and a National Parks interpretive sign.

A large variety of water birds can be observed as well as other birds of the tablelands including egrets, cormorants, black billed shovellers, hawks, robins, superb fairy wrens, kookaburras, galahs, white cockatoos etc. The Japanese snipe migrates to this district and has been noted at the lagoon. The easy grade walk around the lagoon is mown and is approximately 4 kms.

Return to the Tubbamurra Road and then 3km to the New England Highway. It's then 14km to Guyra.

Take the Inverell Road for four blocks and turn left onto Baldersleigh Road. Travel 26kms to the private Milani Wildlife Reserve (last 6kms are gravel). Bookings are essential: phone 02 6775 5735.

Much of this fine wool producing property is a conservation area covering several thousand acres of native bush and creek land. The variety of birds is wide and many vulnerable species such as yellow robins, finches, doves and honey eaters are found here. To date approximately 120 birds have been officially recorded.

Visitors may take one of the self-guided walking trails or a guided walk including refreshments. Information brochures and maps are provided. Bush camping is available for caravanners and mobile homes.