About Wildwood Cottage

PICT1693 Ophir has gone down in history as the site of the first payable GOLD found in the colony of NSW. Ophir still has gold, despite and courtesy of the two major Gold Rushes that occured in the area. One piece of gold that the modern gold prospector can find on the side of the road at Ophir is Wildwood Cottage.

Recently renovated “Wildwood” Cottage Circa 1871 was originally built to service the thriving Gold Rush in the Ophir area, operating as a Hotel, Post Office, General Store and Butcher Shop, until about 1920. Since then it has been used as a private residence, mainly by the Pitts’ Family.

The property of “Wildwood" runs mainly merino sheep for wool production along with some prime lamb growing, with around 1500 sheep in total. Depending on the time of the year, you may be lucky enough to see some shearing, lambing, crutching etc. You may even be invited to help around the farm with some small jobs.

We also have a horse, goat and yard full of sheep dogs. “Wildwood Cottage” is situated about 250 metres away from the main household, so you will have complete privacy with no disruptions during your stay. Only a short walk (200 metres) from the cottage and you will find the Lower Lewis Ponds Creek, where you can view the amazing Anlezark’s Tunnel, dug in the early 1900’s by Thomas Anlezark to drain the flow of water from a bend in the creek, in an attempt to find the gold others had missed; unfortunately he found very little, but it was still an incredible feat of engineering; especially for a man aged in his 70’s. While at the creek you may try your luck at fishing or weather permitting just have a swim. A short drive down the road (5km) you will find the historic “Ophir Reserve”, the site of Australia’s first payable gold discovery in 1851. The junction of the Lower Lewis Ponds Creek and Summer Hill Creeks is a very picturesque spot, with many campers and day trippers from Orange and surrounds frequenting the area.
A visit to Ophir is not complete without a look through the tunnels carved into the bluff. Make sure you bring a torch with you as it is very dark the further you go into the tunnels. There are many other interesting sites whilst you are at Ophir; including “Spencers Cut” and the “Jewellers Shop”, some very rich mine workings in their day.

Back at Wildwood you may wish to kick back on the outdoor setting, use the free gas BBQ, or just enjoy the peace and quiet and open spaces.

For a small fee Larry can take a maximum of four guests on a tour of the property, and will guarantee that you will see large numbers of Kangaroos in their natural environment. If we are lucky we might even find a wild pig in the pig trap.

For a getaway you can’t wait to get back to, ring and make a booking. We are sure you will enjoy your stay at Wildwood Cottage.

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