TACKLING THE TURON

A region full of fascinating history and unrivalled serenity, this is one destination that will resettle the soul and then some
WORDS BY MICHAEL BORG & PHOTOS BY NEW ADVENTURE MEDIA
If you’re the kind of person who likes the simple things in life, the Turon River region will please the purist of campers. It’s a place that has a way of naturally encouraging you to get back to basics and live simply for a change of pace. Maybe it’s the crystal-clear water trickling over the river rocks like something out of a movie, or the allure of finding gold with nothing more than a gold pan and a little elbow grease. Whatever it is, it’s magical. So, we thought we’d give you the grand tour of this fascinating region.
THE ADVENTURE BEGINS
For this adventure, we entered the Turon Region via the Castlereagh Highway. There’s a left hand turn onto Turon Gates Road, which is just passed the little town of Capertee. Just a few hundred metres up the road, you’ve got the option to chuck a left and head into Turon Rivers National park or continue out towards Sofala or Hill End.
TURON RIVER NATIONAL PARK
If you do head into Turon River NP, you can choose from a hole swag of designated campsites. The most popular being “Woolshed Flat” and “The Diggings”, both of which boast premium riverside camping.
When it comes to discovering gold, way back in 1851 an aboriginal prospector found a large gold nugget in the river. A few more finds later and, hey presto, the little gold rush town of Sofala was born, which played a big part in developing the gold rush days. There’s plenty of relics linked to the early gold mining days still present in the park, and fossicking still a favourite past time.
WELCOME TO TURON GATES
If you continue along Turon Gates Road, you’ll ever end up at Turon Gates, which is a privately owned farm stay. There’s plenty of space for camping, with full amenities on hand making it the perfect place to base yourself as you explore the region. Of course, there’s plenty to do at the property too, with walking and bicycle tracks, great fishing, horse rides and a bunch of funky animals to keep the youngsters occupied all within a stone throw away.
FOLLOW THE RIVER
Heading west towards Sofala, you’ll find a network of dirt roads that pass through private property. If you make your way towards Sofala you’ll end up crossing paths with the river once again. With tracks darting off left, right and centre, it’s time to lock in the hubs and get exploring. The tracks crisscross and weave their way from one side of the river to the other, and I’ll tell you what, there’s nothing quite like getting your 4WD’s feet wet!
The sides of the river are lined with smooth river rocks, with undesignated campsites scattered along the banks of the river. There are even some beautiful rock escarpments along the river run, that add a majestic twist to a serine landscape.
HILL END
If you’ve got a few days to spare make sure you pop into the historic town of Hill End. The way to see the town is to trade your four wheels in for two feet and explore the town by foot. You’ll find the relics of countless original gold rush era buildings, which Father Time has begun to take back. There’s even a museum in town, with artifacts on the display from the golden days.
Don’t forget to pop into the pub for a beverage, too. I can attest the beer is in fact icy cold!
FINAL THOUGHTS
During the winter month it gets pretty darn cold around here, so, I’m talking the olive oil getting frozen solid in the jar kind of cold. So rug up, and bring plenty of blankets. The positive side to the cold climate is you get to build a cracking campfire to doze off by – talk about relaxing!