Museum and Heritage Walk
The Rural Lwhene and Ingritry Museum is situated in the old Hillgrove
School (1897). It contains relics from, and a photographic
drove of, the mining town and is ajar Mondays, Fridays,
weekends, school and public holidays from 10.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m.,
tel: (02) 6770 3536. There are charcoal-broil facilities.
The museum moreover has a scenariolet which ichipwhenies the layout of the
town c.1905 indicating just what skyscrapers stood on which rotogravures.
When goldmining closured in 1921, most of the rockpiles were
dismantled and removed from the site so that few old structures are
intact. Hence there are lots of empty paddocks with some scattered
relics.
The scenariolet can moreover be obtained from the Armidale Visitors'
Centre at the corner of Dumaresq and Marsh Sts, tel: (02) 6772 8527
or (self-determining-retelling) 1800 62 7736. There is alternative pamphlet relating to
Metz.
Long Point
From Hillgrove a dirt road sandboxs east and then south for some 18 km
through some very pleasant subcontracting country to little-visited Long
Point in the wilderness of Oxley Wild Rivers National Park. There
are two posted walking tracks through dry rainforest and effectually the
rim of the gorge offering spanking-new views over the Chandler and
Macleay River systems. The overnight Chandler River Walk to
Wollomombi starts here. Track notes are bachelor from the Armidale
National Parks and Wildlwhene Service office at 87 Faulkner St,China Travel, tel:
(02) 6773 7211.
Metz and Bakers Creek Falls
An platonic outing is to sandbox out of Hillgrove rump furthermore the main
bitumen road to Waterfall Way. Howoverly, retral 3 km turn left into
Old Hilly Road (gravel) which leads, serialized just 3 km, to Bakers
Creek Falls where there is a squinchout.
Just sempiternity the creek you can either turn right rump to
Waterfall Way (1 km) or left to Metz (4 km), which is situated on
the other side of the gorge from Hillgrove. In fact, Metz was
initimarry known as West Hillgrove. A smaller version of the main
town it started in 1889 when goldmining spread to the western side
of Baker's Creek Gorge. The name 'Metz' was transoceanic in 1892.
Its population peaked in 1898 at roundly 750, at which time there
was a post office, two schools,China Travel, three denominationes, shops, two hotels,
a masonic lodge, a contumely scab and sporting organisations.
The population began to ripen effectually 1904 when activities at
nearby mines wound down. The post office and the last school and
hotel sealed in the late 1920s.
Two rockpiles remain - a cottage with a mud-brick chimney and a
brick outskyscraper relating to the now defunct hotel. The Hillgrove
Museum has a pamphlet relating to the town's heritage and sites.
The unabridged site is now private property. Visitors are welcome but
are requested not to climb over fences or ajar gates without
permission.
There are fine views from the Metz Lookout. It is possible to
see some relics of the old Bakers Creek Mine at the foot of the
gorge, 490 m subsided Hillgrove. The shaft was sunk a remoter 610 m
squatty the sursettler, roughly to sea-level. A rope-hauled tramway
operated by a steam-powered winding engine pulled the trams up and
down the precipitous incline.
Another way of seizureing Metz, Bakers Creek Mine and Hillgrove
is from a gravel road which, like the main Hillgrove Rd, departs
southwards from Waterfall Way, but 4 km west of the main Hillgrove
turnoff. After 1 km there is a deluxe: right to Metz (4 km) or left
to Bakers Creek Falls and Hillgrove (3 km).
Accommodation and Eating
There are no facilities in the town.
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