Mount Britton

Description

Mount Britton is an abandoned gold mining town, situated approximately 35 minutes drive north-east of Nebo. Possibly one of the spookiest, but most interesting camping sites in the region, this is a great place to stop for the weekend and take in the natural surroundings.

Founded in 1880 when a tent city for gold mining sprung up, the township became known as Mount Britton. At the height of the gold mining era in 1883, Mount Britton was a thriving township with a post and telegraph office, lands office, school of the arts, numerous hotels, stores, butcher and baker and a population of 1500. By 1884 the town was declining with the best gold areas already mined and by 1887 most businesses closed and the mining ceased in 1890.

Today Mount Britton still holds evidence of this once prosperous mining town, with many old mining equipment and materials still on site. There is a lookout, a mining display, and several rustic shelters containing high quality period prints and an information board on the history of the area. Mount Britton is part of The Mining Trail drive and brochures can be picked up from Visitor Information Centres in the region.

Nearby Moonlight Dam offers a basic camping area with water and toilets and is a picturesque and tranquil area for bird watching and a picnic.