Destination's Journey

Category: Vehicles

  • Kandos The Town That Built Sydney

    Kandos The Town That Built Sydney

    Kandos The Town That Built Sydney

    Established in the early 1900s for the NSW Cement, Lime and Coal Co Ltd, Kandos produced cement until the plant’s closure in 2011. Taken from the initials of the founding company directors: Campbell, Angus, Noyes, McDonald, Oakden and Stephen. The first letter was later changed to a K rather than a C at the insistence of the Postmaster General. He thought it was too close to Chandos in South Australia.

    Cement produced here was used all over New South Wales, including the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Opera House and the Central to St James underground railway, leading to the town branding itself “The Town That Built Sydney”.

    Located 234 km north-west of Sydney, for a three and a quarter hour trip, or a 64 km, one-hour trip south-east of Mudgee, Kandos is a great place to visit. Not only does the town offer interesting things to do, but nearby is Dunns Swamp in Wollemi National Park.

    On entering town, an old railway wagon proudly displays a load of Kandos Cement, making you aware of the town’s heritage.

    Some interesting sights include the old railway station and nearby hotel, along with some interesting sculptures nearby. We also found an old underground loading unit sitting on the side of a road near the museum, which was an interesting discovery.

    • Kandos Cement Wagon
      Cement Wagon
    • Old Rail Wagons
      Old Rail Wagons
    • Kandos Town Sign
      Kandos Town Sign
    • Kandos Railway Station
      The Railway Station
    • Train Sculpture at a Kandos Railway Station
      Train Sculpture at a the Railway Station
    • Sculpture at a Kandos Railway Station
      Sculpture at the Railway Station
    • St Laurence’s Anglican Church
    • Railway Hotel
      Railway Hotel
    • Underground Loader
      Underground Loader

    Kandos Museum

    Specialising in Kandos and the surrounding towns, the museum has a wonderful collection of historical items. A large section is dedicated to the cement works and their impact on the town.

    Outside displays provide access to several large displays of cement works equipment, including skips from the aerial ropeway that brought limestone from the quarry to the cement works.

    The volunteer staff were exceptional, full of local knowledge and more than happy to answer our questions. They really made the visit even more enjoyable.

    Kandos Museum
    Kandos Museum

    Kandos Cement Works

    Walking inside the museum’s entrance, you are greeting by the immaculate 1930 Nash Ambulance. This vehicle is surrounded by cement works artefacts, detailing the workings of the factory that kept Kandos ticking for nearly 100 years.

    • Kandos Cement Works 1930 Nash Ambulance
      Kandos Cement Works 1930 Nash Ambulance
    • The Mine's Old Safety Sign
      The Old Safety Sign
    • Gauges From the Cement Factory
      Gauges From the Cement Factory
    • The Many Used for an Old Cement Bag
      The Many Used for an Old Cement Bag

    Local History

    The local history of Kandos and surrounding villages makes up a large display in a second room, detailing local life.

    • Local Towns and Villages Sign at the Museum
      Local Towns and Villages Sign at the Museum
    • Gas Powered Fridge
      Gas Powered Fridge
    • Gramophone Collection
      Gramophone Collection
    • Gas Light
      Gas Light
    • Old Telephones and Cinema Sign
      Old Telephones and Cinema Sign
    • Kandos Museum
      Main Museum Display Room
    • Old Farm Tools
      Old Farm Tools

    Outside Displays

    Large pieces of equipment displayed outside the museum include part of the aerial ropeway, steam engines and crushers provide a glimpse of the limestone quarry’s operation.

    • Old Equipment at the Museum
      Old Equipment at the Museum
    • Mill From the Kandos Cement Factory
      Mill From the Cement Factory
    • Overhead Skip
      Aerial Ropeway Skip

    What Did We Think?

    Kandos is a great town to visit, with a lot of history crammed into 100 years, as well as the wonderful Wollemi National Park to visit close by.

    To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

    Our photos are available for purchase on

  • Sawmillers Reserve on Sydney Harbour

    Sawmillers Reserve on Sydney Harbour

    Sawmillers Reserve on Sydney Harbour

    Located in the Sydney suburb of Waverley, Sawmillers Reserve is a beautiful park with an industrial heritage. For 100 years from 1880, the area housed a sawmill, but is now a leafy park on Sydney Harbour. Not only are remnants of the sawmill visible, but a ship wreck sits on the harbour foreshore.

    Getting There

    Public transport is a great option when visiting here, because parking is limited. We used the train, getting off at North Sydney Station before walking ten minutes to the reserve. On the way we stopped at a little coffee shop, before continuing.

    Alternatively, it’s only a 10-minute walk from McMahons Point Ferry Wharf, giving another easy way to get here.

    Ruins at Sawmillers Reserve

    The reserve contains the remains of the sawmill, which have been placed together by artist Jane Gillings. The ruins draw attention to the changing use of the site from industrial, to open public space.

    Remains of the Timber Yard at Sawmillers Reserve
    Remains of the Timber Yard

    Ship Wreck

    The wreck of a Marine Service Board Hopper Barge lies just offshore, making an excellent backdrop to Sydney Harbour. Now slowly rusting away, the barge broke its moorings in the 1960s, before grounding in Berrys Bay off Sawmillers Reserve. This barge was used to carry dredged material out to the spoil dumping grounds off Sydney, but is now a heritage listed wreck.

    Wrecked Barge at Sawmillers Reserve
    Wrecked Barge on the Foreshore

    To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

    Our photos are available for purchase on

  • Hill End Historical Gold Mining Town

    Hill End Historical Gold Mining Town

    Hill End

    A gold rush in the 1870s turned Hill End from a small rural village into one of the largest inland towns in New South Wales. When the boom finished, the town reverted back to a small village, however unlike other boom / bust towns many of the historic buildings remain. Now heritage listed, the town offers an insight into life in the 1870s, because of its preserved buildings and artefacts.

    Located 75km south of Mudgee or 270km north-west of Sydney, Hill End is a great place to relax and enjoy some history. We enjoyed it here because of the many different things to can see and do. Not only are there buildings from the gold rush, but several interesting walks and museums.

    Hill End Heritage Centre

    Located in a 1950s Rural Fire Service shed next to the General Store, the Heritage Centre offers a self-guided tour of displays that detail the history of the town. The centre contains some excellent photos of life during the gold rush, as well as a model showing the town at its largest. Artefacts and a fire engine make this a great first stop to learn about Hill End.

    • Hill End The Old Rural Fire Service Shed Now the Heritage Centre
      The Old Rural Fire Service Shed Now the Heritage Centre
    • Hill End 1942 Ford Blitz Fire Truck
      1942 Ford Blitz Fire Truck
    • Model of the Hill End Town
      Model of the Hill End Town
    • Hill End Gold Smelting Pots
      Gold Smelting Pots
    • Water Bottle
      Water Bottle
    • Hill End Old Photo of a Miner's Cottage
      Old Photo of a Miner’s Cottage
    • Hill End Shops on the Main Street as They Used To Be
      Shops on the Main Street as They Used To Be

    Hill End Historic Buildings

    The heritage listed town contains many buildings dating from the 1870s gold rush period. Unlike other towns from this period, where old buildings were removed, many of Hill End’s buildings remain intact, giving a view back in time.

    We walked through town on the afternoon we arrived and again the next morning, before other people were around. This let us enjoy the area both with and without other people around.

    While wandering around, we found an old rusty car a petrol pumps, adding to the old feel of the town.

    • The Road Into Hill End
      The Road Into Hill End
    • St Paul's Presbyterian Church Hill End
      St Paul’s Presbyterian Church
    • Hosies Store
      Hosies Store
    • Old Building at Hill End
      Old Building at Hill End
    • Beyers Cottage Hill End
      Beyers Cottage Hill End
    • Robert Northey's General Grocer and Produce Store Hill End
      Robert Northey’s General Grocer and Produce Store Hill End
    • Sacred Heart Catholic Church Hill End
      Sacred Heart Catholic Church
    • Great Western Store
      Great Western Store
    • Old Petrol Pumps Hill End
      Old Petrol Pumps
    • Rusty Car Wreck Hill End
      Rusty Car Wreck
    • Hill End War Memorial Machine Gun
      Hill End War Memorial Machine Gun

    History Hill Museum

    Only a ten-minute drive from town, the History Hill Museum contains a huge collection of artefacts from the 1870s gold rush, which include a stamper battery crusher and a replica gold mine.

    The collection includes everyday items used by people providing a great insight into ordinary life in the late nineteenth century. There is also what must be one of the largest collections of weighing scales anywhere. Scales formed an important part of the gold mining industry, ensuring that correct payment was made for gold mined.

    The Chinese contribution to the area is highlighted, illustrating the diversity of people attracted to the area to mine gold.

    Collections of fire arms, locks, porcelain and bottles add to the huge numbers of displays, that go well beyond the normal rocks and mining equipment that mining museums usually have.

    Another great attraction at History Hill is the replica gold mine, which you walk through at your own pace. Being able to walk through a mine, even if a replica gives you a great idea of what mining was like here. The exit is fun, with seven lots of ladders to climb to the surface. Of course, if you don’t want to climb the ladders, you can return to the entrance instead. We really liked this!

    • Not the Entry
      Not the Entry
    • Pad Locks
      Pad Locks
    • Hand Guns
      Hand Guns
    • Collection of Scales
      Collection of Scales
    • Tools in the Blacksmiths Shop
      Tools in the Blacksmiths Shop
    • Gold Weighing Scales
      Gold Weighing Scales
    • Shackles
      Shackles
    • Poison Bottle Collection
      Poison Bottle Collection
    • Bottle Collection
      Bottle Collection
    • China Collection
      China Collection
    • Stamping Crusher
      Stamping Crusher
    • Entry to the Son of Hope Mine
      Entry to the Son of Hope Mine
    • Ladders Leading Out of the Mine
      Ladders Leading Out of the Mine
    • Tunnel Inside the Mine
      Tunnel Inside the Mine
    • Tunnel Inside the Mine
      Tunnel Inside the Mine

    Golden Gully Walking Track

    The eroded banks of Golden Gully are unstable, so take care when walking, rock falls and wall collapses are common. Worked and re-worked by miners workings have become exposed due to erosion, making the landscape seem unreal. Staying to the centre of the gully, away from the walls, we were able to admire the landscape in safety.

    Erosions has formed several interesting arches that reach across the gully, as well as several small tunnels running into the banks. These areas are very unstable, so use caution when looking at them.

    • Golden Gully Walking Track Hill End
      Golden Gully Walking Track Hill End
    • The Arch on the Golden Gully Walking Track
      The Arch on the Golden Gully Walking Track
    • Under the Arch on the Golden Gully Walking Track
      Under the Arch on the Golden Gully Walking Track
    • The Arch on the Return Trip
      The Arch on the Return Trip
    • Small Tunnel
      Small Tunnel
    • Small Tunnel on the Golden Gully Walking Track Hill End
      Small Tunnel on the Golden Gully Walking Track Hill End

    Valentine Mine

    Located a short drive from town, Valentines Mine, the headframe shows where the shaft drops 53 metres into the hill. Next to the shaft is an old stamper battery used to crush the ore removed from the mine.

    Access along a dirt track was incredibly rough, although we only had a two-wheel drive vehicle. Recent rain had damaged the track and had it been any worse, we would not have driven it. However, once graded and repaired, the road will be good to drive on. Alternately, you can park your car and walk up to the mine shaft area.

    • Valentines Mine Shaft
      Valentines Mine Shaft
    • Valentines Mine Stamping Battery
      Stamping Battery at Valentines Mine
    • Valentines Mine Stamping Battery Head
      Valentines Mine Stamping Battery Head

    Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits

    A short drive past the Valentines Mine turn-off, a small car park marks the entrance to the roasting pits. Here, quartz roasting pits were established in 1855 and have become a significant insight into our nation’s beginnings and how the gold rush transformed the country.

    The roasting pits are an interesting snapshot into quartz mining processes, where the ore was processed before crushing.

    • Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits
      Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits
    • Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits
      Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits
    • Ruined Building Near the Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits
      Ruined Building Near the Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits
    • Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits
      Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits
    • Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits
      Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits

    What did We Think?

    Hill End was a great place to visit, not only for the historic buildings, but also for several great walks and interesting museums. We thoroughly enjoyed our time here, and would do it again.

    To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

    Our photos are available for purchase on