Standing proudly in the heart of Windeyer, The Gold & Fleece Hotel is a true piece of Australian country history. Just over half an hour’s drive from Mudgee along the winding roads of Windeyer Road and Hill End Road, the hotel has been welcoming travellers, locals and prospectors for well over a century.
The building you see today was constructed in 1911, rising from the site of an even earlier inn that served the bustling goldfields community. Long before sealed roads and modern comforts, this spot was a vital resting place for those drawn to the promise of gold and a better life in the Central West.
Windeyer itself was once a thriving gold mining town during the mid-19th century. Originally known as Richardson’s Point, the settlement quickly grew following the discovery of gold in 1851. By 1859, the area was formally named the Village of Windeyer. History suggests the town may have been named after either Charles Windeyer, a Sydney magistrate, or Richard Windeyer, a prominent barrister and politician of the early 1800s. Whichever the case, the name has become firmly woven into the region’s story.
