Emmaville (including Torrington and Deepwater)
Small service centre in the Tablelands
Emmaville is located 39 km north of Glen Innes, 662 km north-north-east of Sydney and 271 km south-west of Brisbane on the northern tablelands of NSW. At 872 m above sea-level it has a population of some 300 people and functions as a service centre to a farming, grazing and mining area where fossicking is very popular. Trout fishing is also popular in the local rivers.

The first properties in the area around Emmaville were Wellington Vale, Rangers Valley and Strathbogie, all established in 1839. The latter was taken up by Scotsman Hugh Gordon who came from a wealthy and cultured Aberdeenshire family. The vast tin field was discovered on his station in 1872 by a piano tuner named Thomas Carline. His discovery earned him a fortune and soon the area was alive with tin mining. At its peak it is estimated that 2500 miners were working locally.

Emmaville developed to service the miners. At one time it supported five inns and several grog shanties. The town was initially known as Vegetable Creek, owing to the Chinese market gardens that emerged after mining commenced. It was officially changed in 1882 to honour the governor's wife.

St John's Ambulance Brigade was launched here and it is also claimed that the first medical benefits fund was started in Emmaville.

Things to see:  

Tourist Information
The Emmaville General Store is effectively the town's information centre, tel: (02) 6734 7342.

Fossicking
Fossicking is very popular in the area and locals will advise you on the best areas, or you can consult the magazine 'The Fossicker's Way' or the Glen Innes Information Centre, tel: (02) 6732 2397. However, most of the sites are on private property and prior permission is definitely necessary. This problem can be side-stepped if you arrange to go with the fossicking guide associated with the Glen Innes Information Centre who has all necessary authorisation. The area is known for its topaz, quartz, crystal, emeralds and other minerals.

Crafts
The Spindles and Spools Craft Gallery on Rose Valley Rd sells woodcrafts and patchwork quilting and is open from 10-4.30 from Friday to Monday, tel: (02) 6734 1302.

Blue Moon Crafts, also on Rose Valley Rd, sells American Indian beading and assorted handmade crafts and is open Thursday to Tuesday, tel: (02) 6734 7328.

The Britain Tin Mine Site
In Emmaville itself, on the left as you head off towards Tent Hill, you can see where half of the hillside has been taken away at the old Britain tin-mine site. It is situated alongside Vegetable Creek, named after the market gardens set up by the Chinese in the early mining days. The creek has virtually dried up but can still spring back to life after heavy rains.

Tent Hill
6 km east of Emmaville is Tent Hill where there is a turnoff to the left which heads north to Torrington. On this corner is Crane's Pinch where the Chinese used manual labour to extract tin from the surface soil. A smelter relating to the Ottery Mine was established here in the late 19th century.

Ottery Arsenic Mine
2 km along the Torrington Rd, to the left, is the old Ottery tin and arsenic minesite which has been developed for visitors with information boards pertaining to the site's remnants and the mining process. The mine was opened when a huge tin lode was found in 1882. It closed in 1906 but reopened in 1920 when arsenous oxide was produced. It operated intermittently until 1967. Further information on the mines, the mining process, and the men's working conditions can be obtained in a book called The Creek, available from the Glen Innes Information Centre and from the two stores at Emmaville.

To get to the site head east from Emmaville, then take the left 5 km out of town which heads north through Tent Hill towards Torrington. The minesite is 3 km along this latter road.

Torrington
Torrington, 25 km to the north-east, appeared with the discovery of enormous tin deposits in 1881. It developed into a community of around 1000, based around the mines which employed 500 men in the 1920s. Wolfram and bismuth were also mined. After World War II the government ended its tin subsidy and the industry shut down.

Today the locality retains the largest deposit of massive topaz (silexite) in the world and is still of interest to the mining industry and to fossickers. There are about 100 residents, a hotel, a caravan park and Hilda Bracewell's Rock Shop which operates in the holidays. The Cornish Buddle and Five-Head Stamper Battery are a couple of the local relics which remain from the old mining days, some of which can be seen at the caravan park.

Mystery Rockface is located nearby in Torrington State Recreation Area, 30 000 ha of previously unallocated Crown land full of unusual rock formations, creeks, waterfalls, fauna, flora, vantage points and historic sites.

The Y Water
2 km south of town, on the road to Glen Innes, there are two big dams on either side of the road which were constructed to service the Y Water tin mine. Just past them, to the right, is the old minesite, recently abandoned as tin prices have rendered mining uneconomical in Australia.

Grakay Pottery
Grakay Pottery is located on the roadside about 10 km south of town en route to Glen Innes.

Deepwater
Deepwater (population 330) is 24 km east of Emmaville, on the New England Highway. The Deepwater run was occupied in 1839 by the Windeyer brothers, landholders in the Hunter Valley. They had 60,000 acres by 1848. Molbdenite finds were made around in the late 19th century.

The town's Blue Bell Cafe doubles as an artware gallery and fly-fishing is popular on the Deepwater River.

Mining Museum
A mining museum is being opened at Emmaville late in 1998.

Bush Holiday
Jimargie Hi-Country Holidays offers accommodation by the Severn River, where you can relax or engage in outdoor activities such as sports fishing, bushwalking, archery, birdwatching, four-wheel driving,canoeing or clay pigeon shooting, tel: (02) 6733 7277.

	Hotels
	Club Hotel Irby St Emmaville NSW 2371 Telephone: (02) 6734 7304
	Tattersalls Hotel Restaurant Moore St Emmaville NSW 2371 Telephone: (02) 6734 7309
	Caravan Parks
	Emmaville Caravan Park Park Rd Emmaville NSW 2371 Telephone: (02) 6734 7475 Facsimile: (02) 6734 7257
	Holiday Flats & Units
	Jimargie Hi-Country Bush Holidays Ashford Rd Emmaville NSW 2371 Telephone: (02) 6733 7277
	Restaurants
	Club Hotel Restaurant Irby St Emmaville NSW 2371 Telephone: (02) 6734 7304
	Tattersalls Hotel Restaurant Moore St Emmaville NSW 2371 Telephone: (02) 6734 7309