the oldest still-operating Opera House in the Southern Hemisphere. The opera house is now owned and operated by the Gulgong Amateur Musical and Dramatical Society. Hobsons Shops Hobsons Shops is a heritage-listed retail building at 75 Herbert Street, Gulgong. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. The Greatest Wonder of the World and American Tobacco Warehouse and Fancy Goods Emporium The Greatest Wonder of the World and American Tobacco Warehouse and Fancy Goods Emporium are heritage-listed adjacent shops at 123-125 Mayne Street, Gulgong. They were built from 1870 to 1878. They have been refurbished to house the Gulgong Holtermann Museum, with new galleries constructed at the back to house the UNESCO listed HOLTERMANN COLLECTION. The original buildings were added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 21 October 2016. Wallerawang-Gwabegar railway Wyaldra Creek railway bridge Wallerawang-Gwabegar railway Gulgong railway station Mayne St, Belmore St, Herbert St A large portion of the homes and businesses on Mayne St are of historical significant and protected under Heritage Protection Laws. Railways Gulgong is at the junction of the Sandy Hollow line (which runs west from Muswellbrook) and the Gwabegar line (which runs north-south from Gwabegar to Wallerawang). A section of the Gwabegar railway line south of Gulgong to Kandos has been closed since 30 June 2007. Events Gulgong is a regular host to both regional and international festivals and events. Clay Gulgong Festival Gulgong has hosted an international ceramics festival every two to three years since 1989, most recently over April 9 to 15, 2022. Clay Folk Festival Gulgong also hosts an annual folk festival. The Henry Lawson Festival The Henry Lawson Festival is an arts festival held annually on the Queen's birthday weekend in Gulgong and Grenfell, New South Wales (NWS), Australia. Henry Lawson, one of Australia's best loved poets and writer of short stories, was born in Grenfell, and he lived in Gulgong for a time as a child. Mudgee Classic The annual Mudgee classic cycling event now incorporates Gulgong into its route, allowing for cyclists to resupply during the event. Gulgong Show The Gulgong show is a regional agricultural festival attracting over 3500 participants and spectators each year. The show hosts a large number of livestock, arts, food and craft competitions. Notable people Jimmy Governor, on whom Thomas Kenneally based his character for The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith, grew up