Improved access for visitors to Ophir Reserve

Access to Ophir Reserve is set to be improved with plans to formalise the access road and upgrade the causeway at Summer Hill Creek.

The moves come after parts of the road through the reserve, which includes the causeway and is used by land holders to get to their properties, were identified as not being a legal road.

Cabonne Council approached LPMA Chief Executive Warwick Watkins for assistance to rectify the situation regarding the road and help upgrade the causeway, which has not been maintained for many years.

Mr Watkins has promised $30,000 towards the cost of the upgrade work on the causeway and LPMA staff have also carried out a survey to formally identify and dedicate the road through the reserve.

The Ophir Reserve Trust Board and Cabonne Council are now working towards finalising quotations for the road and causeway, and the council is to acquire the land required to legalise the road. The upgrade work will include widening the causeway to provide pedestrian access.

The Reserve Trust Board has been working to improve facilities and access at this historic reserve, which is located 25km north east of Orange, for a number of years.

It has great plans to improve the facilities and encourage more people to take advantage of the opportunities the reserve provides for camping, fishing, and bush walking.

Located in a gorge where the Summer Hill and Lewis Ponds Creeks converge, Ophir holds a central position in the history of Australian gold mining and was the site of Australia’s first payable gold field in 1851.

For more information about Ophir Reserve visit www.orange-nsw.com/Ophir.html