Sofala, New South Wales
Sofala Federal division(s) | Calare |
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Sofala is a village in
History
Sofala came about as a direct result of the
Sofala Public School was established in 1878.[5] There was an Anglican church and a Catholic convent.[6] The Convent opened in 1872 and closed in 1909, although it was a church until 1970.[2]
The Gas Hotel was one of the first two hotels licensed, in 1851. The Royal Hotel was established in 1862. There were two other hotels in 1866, the Sofala Inn and the Barley Mow. The Barley Mow had a Cobb & Co booking office.[2]
Now a private residence, the Post and Telegraph Office, built in 1879, operated until 1989.[2]
Attractions today include the gold-rush-era Sofala Royal Hotel
Popular culture
Russell Drysdale's painting Sofala, a depiction of the main street of the town, won the Wynne Prize for 1947.[8]
The 1974 Peter Weir film The Cars That Ate Paris was filmed in the town. Village scenes in the 1994 John Duigan film Sirens were also filmed in Sofala.
A noted business is Finglinna Studios, which supplies stained glass to churches and other public buildings.[9]
Access
- From Sydney, around 30 km from Ilford.
Heritage listings
Sofala has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
- Brucedale, 1361 Sofala Road: Grave of Windradyne[10]
- 216 Main Road, west of Sofala: Bridge over Turon River at Wallaby Rocks[11]
- The Gold Commissioner's Residence, 11 Denison Street Sofala: [12]
Attractions
- Prospecting
- Authentic Gold Rush era establishments
e.g The Sofala Royal Hotel (est.1862)
- Walk along the Turon River
- Cycle
- Historical walks and tours
- Riverside campsites
- Old Gaol museum/cafe/accommodation[13]
- Turon Technology Museum[14]
- Tanwarra Lodge luxury accommodation[15]
See also
References
- ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Sofala (State Suburb)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
- ^ a b c d "The Village of Sofala". Mudgee District Local History. mudgeehistory.com.au. Archived from the original on 22 August 2011. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
- ^ "Sofala". Sydney Morning Herald. 10 December 2008. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
- ^ Hickson, Barbara. "Chinese in Sofala". mudgeehistory.com.au. Archived from the original on 17 August 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
- ^ Sofala Public School.
- ^ Mudgee District History: Churches in Sofala
- ^ Sofala Royal Hotel
- ^ "Sofala". Collection. Art Gallery of New South Wales. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
- ^ Finglinna Studios
- .
- .
- ^ "Historic places join the National Trust Register".
- ^ Old Sofala Gaol
- ^ Turon Technology Museum
- ^ Tanwarra Lodge
Further reading
- Higgins, Matthew Gold & Water: A History of Sofala and the Turon Goldfield (1990), ISBN 9781875385003
External links
Media related to Sofala, New South Wales at Wikimedia Commons