Explore Adelong: map and experiences
Explore Adelong
ABOVE: Chinese Tribute Gardens, Pitstone Road, Young.
CHINESE TRIBUTE GARDENS AND LAMBING FLAT FOLK MUSEUM
There’s a natural starting point for any journey into Young’s Chinese heritage and the story of the Lambing Flat riots. That is the Lambing Flat Folk Museum located in Campbell St on the south side of town.
The museum is housed in the 1883 Young Public School building. Its artefacts include the nationally significant, original ‘Roll-Up Banner’ that led the rioting miners march in 1861.
The museum is open 7 days 10 – 4, entry $5 ph 02 6382 2248.
From the museum, you can then continue south a short distance to Pitstone Road and the Chinese Tribute Gardens. The gardens were established as a tribute to the Chinese and their violent and inhumane treatment in the Lambing Flat riots, and their role in Young’s history. They are built around the former Chinaman’s Dam. Originally constructed by two German brothers, it was later sold to Chinese miners in the 1870s.
From there a range of touring opportunities exist further to south to explore sites such as Currawong where the Chinese miners took refuge when they were several times expelled from the Lambing Flat field in 1861.
BLACKGUARD GULLY
Following on from the crucial orientation provided by the museum and tribute gardens experience, the next stop on the Lambing Flat story is to visit one of the actual sites of the riots – Blackguard Gully located to the east of the town off Murringo Road.
Once there you will find a historical site containing a dam built in 1861, a reconstructed pug-mill, water races and the remains of the original diggings. The dam, pug mill and water races were owned and built by the Chinese and the diggings were also worked by them.
Blackguard Gully covers an area of 3 hectares and part of it is a Department of Mineral Resources official fossicking area for the Young District.
Several of these gullies are on private property so please approach the property owners for their permission before entering. As always, leave the gates as you find them and don’t forget to clean up before leaving. This way every one can continue to enjoy this historic field.
Interpretation signage on site tells the story of the riots and these are included below for easy reference.
