Bailliere’s New South Wales Gazetteer of 1866 described Cadia in similar detail:
“Cadia is a private postal township in the parish of Waldegrave…it is situated on the Cadiangullong rivulet (locally called Oaky Creek), and on a eastern spur of the Canobolas mountains, the watershed draining into the Belubula river. The Cadiangullong Consolidated Copper Company have extensive workings in the neighbourhood which employ a large number of hands. A considerable portion of the land in the district is highly fit for cultivation, the only obstacle being the heavy timber growing upon it. A good poor man’s diggings has been in existence for about three years on Flyer’s or Errowanbang creek, about 5 miles S.E. of the township. The nearest places are Orange, 12 miles north by bridle track, or 15 miles by dray road. Carcoar, 16 miles south, and Bathurst, 34 miles east. With these places there is communication by horse only, the road to Orange and Carcoar being over boggy creeks and heavy sidelings and that road being frequently altered by free selectors placing fences across the track. The road to Bathurst is, however a surveyed one. With Sydney, 168 miles, the communication is either by way of Orange, the nearest telegraph station, thence by coach, via Bathurst, to Penrith, and thence by rail; or to Bathurst direct, the route by the latter way being 154 miles. There is no hospital in Cadia but there is a medical man and the greater portion of the population being employed by the copper mining company, pay a weekly subscription, which entitles them to gratuitous medical assistance when needed. There is one hotel in the township. Cadia being the private property of the Cadiangullong Mining Company, all residents are subject to the control of the Board of Directors of that company, who have, as yet, granted no definite leases, or disposed of allotments in the township to any of business residents. There are at present four general stores, a post office, and other shops usually found in small towns. The population numbers about 600 persons.
Since our last notice of the Cadiangullong copper mines, very important progress has been, made, the prospects of the company being now very encouraging. Upon the North lode the adit has been extended, and the lode in the end is large and orey. Trevena’s or the engine shaft has been sunk 12 fathoms below the adit level, and levels are being drawn East and West on the course of the lode struck, which is over 6 feet wide, easy to quarry and yields a fine pale yellow ore. It has been decided to sink at once upon this lode another 12 fathoms, and it is confidently believed that at this depth some good discovery will be made, as the lode has improved from the surface downwards. The lode in the various stopes in this section of the mine are, generally speaking, producing ores throughout the greater portion of them, and the lode ranges from 6 to 10 feet wide, which augers well for the yield in the next leads. On the South lode the erection of the large engine, with the pumping, crushing, and dressing machinery, has been completed. This is one of the largest and finest pieces of machinery out of Sydney, the building enclosing it being substantially erected of stone. The engine shaft on the South side is now being sunk deeper; it is 4 fathoms below the 16 fathom level, and though not so productive as it has been, there are indications of an early improvement. The whole of the stopes in this part of the mine are more or less yielding ore; indeed this may be said of every portion of the mine. The smelting works are in full operation; giving full work to another furnace that has been recently completed. The company have about 90 tons of fine copper on the road to Sydney and at the mines; and it is calculated that the rise in the price of copper will make a difference close upon £4000 on the copper held by the company and on its way to England.