Joadja town history and heritage

Valero and Elisa Jimenez regularly open to the public the heritage site they call home in a series of "open days." Valero said it was an important site for the community.

"We feel that it would be a crime to lock it all up, so we open it for people to come and have a look at their own heritage," he said.

This includes ruins of the 18th century mining town, which Valero described as "an old ghost town."

"There were 1200-1300 people living in the valley about 100 years ago, and it's where most of the Scottish connections begin with the Southern Highlands."

Many Scottish workers were brought to the valley of Joadja to mine it, as it was founded on a shale seam.

"The flora and fauna here is absolutely incredible," Valero said. "We have kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, lyre birds, wedgetail eagles, platypus in the creek, echidnas and so forth and all manner of birdlife."

The couple's work was recognised this year in the Wingecarribee Heritage Awards, with Valero and Elisa awarded 'Best Heritage Precinct' for their conservation of the Joadja Historic Oil Mining Town and Works.

In recent years more than $250,000 has been spent on the historic valley to restore it to its former glory and preserve the history of the special place.

Conservation work carried out in 2013 and 2014 was supported by the "Your Community Heritage Program" delivered by the Department of the Environment under the Federal Government.

The nationally and state-listed heritage site is steeped in Highlands history and includes a number of buildings.

"People can see the retorts - those are ovens where they would heat up the shale - as well as the refinery, chimney stacks and the old School of Arts," Valero said.

The site also features six partially-restored houses known as "Carrington Row".

"People can also see our Highland cattle, the shaggy cattle from Scotland and a couple of goats too."

Guided tours of the site will be run and can take up to 60 people at a time for 90 minutes, including a stop at the whiskey distillery to see how whiskey is made.

Anyone interested in attending the open day this Sunday, August 23, should call to check availability on 4878 5129 before departing for Joadja.

Admission is $18 for adults, children under 16 are free.

For more details visit www.joadjatown.com.au or email bookings@joadjatown.com.au