Braidwood  New South Wales

A National Trust-classified town between Canberra and Bateman’s Bay, Braidwood was first settled in 1822 by farmers whose destiny changed dramatically in 185l, however, with the discovery of gold.

The local fields continued to produce until the 1930s and the wealth that gold injected into the town is reflected in some grand old homes. The past is also preserved in old miners’ cottages, stone churches and country pubs.

The self-preserved colonial fabric has attracted many movie directors and Braidwood has been the backdrop to such films as Robbery Under Arms, Forty Thousand Horsemen, Ned Kelly, and the Dad and Dave classic, On Our Selection.

The trout running in pristine streams and rivers present a serious challenge to anglers. The Braidwood district was one of the first chosen in NSW for the release of trout and the fish continue to thrive in the network of regional mountain streams and rivers.

You can take comfortable half-day driving tours to old, outlying gold towns such as Araluen, Major's Creek and Jembaicumbene. Similarly historic and quaint towns including Mongarlowe and Nerriga are with an half hour or so of Braidwood.