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Hill End Road: Bathurst to Hill End, Central Tablelands, New South Wales
Photo: Maksym Kozlenko · CC BY-SA 4.0

Drives New South Wales, Australia Central West and the Southern Tablelands

Hill End Road: Bathurst to Hill End

Sofala Road, Hill End Road · Bathurst → Hill End

Sweeping48 mi1 hr 20 min5,200 ft climbHigh point ≈ 3,200 ftOne way
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The drive

This drive runs 77 km (48 mi) from Bathurst to Hill End, a gold rush village. It leaves Bathurst on Sofala Road, passes Wattle Flat and Peel, and reaches Sofala, a town built in 1851 after gold was found and described as the oldest surviving gold rush town in Australia.

At Sofala, Hill End Road turns west. It crosses the Turon River on Wallaby Rocks Bridge, a single-lane timber Allan truss bridge from 1897 that is on the NSW State Heritage Register, and winds on through old goldfields country to Hill End, a heritage-listed village managed by National Parks NSW.

The Beyers-Holtermann specimen, a record gold find, was found at Hill End in 1872. After the gold ran out, Russell Drysdale and Donald Friend discovered the town in the late 1940s and it became an artists' colony. The route climbs about 5,200 feet in total, with one tighter stretch.

Along the way

  1. Bathurst (Sofala Road)
  2. Sofala
  3. Hill End (Hill End Road)
Elevation
5,200 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 3,200 ft
BathurstHill End
Curves
Mostly gentle, with one twisty stretch
BathurstHill End
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • Wallaby Rocks Bridge is one lane: give way to oncoming traffic.
  • Hill End Historic Site is always open but may close in poor weather or fire danger.
  • The Bridle Track, which also reaches Hill End, is a separate 4WD road; this drive uses the sealed road.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check Live Traffic NSW.

Questions about this drive

How long does the drive from Bathurst to Hill End take?

Hill End Road from Bathurst to Hill End is 77 km (48 mi) and takes about 1 hr 20 min without stops.

Is the road to Hill End sealed?

Yes. The road from Bathurst through Sofala to Hill End is sealed. The Bridle Track, which also reaches Hill End, is a separate 4WD road.

Is Wallaby Rocks Bridge one lane?

Yes. Wallaby Rocks Bridge on Hill End Road, near Sofala, is a single-lane timber truss bridge built in 1897, so drivers give way to oncoming traffic.

Why do people visit Hill End?

Hill End is a heritage-listed gold rush village with 1870s buildings, run as a National Parks historic site, and a long-standing artists' community.

What you get in the app

Turn by turn, on this roadSpoken directions along the exact route. Carve never reroutes you onto a faster one.
Preview it in 3DFly the whole drive over satellite and terrain before you go.
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Live Group TrackingAPEXEveryone on the route, on the map, by name.
Road conditionsAPEXWet or dry, ice, fog and wind along the road before you go.
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More drives near here

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Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

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Map of Hill End Road: Bathurst to Hill End, from Bathurst to Hill End