Sing out if you're heading up this way RM. Always happy to show you around.
The old town has been swamped to say the least with around 2000 tourists here for several weeks now. Nothings changed even after school holidays finished as the three major parks and motels are still chock-a-block. It's been crazy to see, considering that when the summer temps arrive in September you generally don't even see a car anywhere in the streets past lunchtime.
The other substantial thing I have to note now (and may do a post on it here somewhere) is that there are major new No Fossicking and Report Illegal Fossicking signs posted up by the associated government departments around the fields and tracks now. You'll see the first one as you turn into town off the highway as it's a large blue sign just on the side of the road. This is no surprise to me and is something that has been probably warranted for some time now given the sheer amount of tourists visiting these days.
That shouldn't deter you however as the old Ridge is quite the unique place.
Cheers,
Shauno.