Woodleys' gold rush history published in Warren Woodley's second commissioned book

Former Tamworth Mayor Warren Woodley said 'the Woodleys of Nundle and Tamworth' covers four generations of Woodleys, from their arrival in Australia in search of gold.

Like many, their search took them to the small town of Nundle and Hanging Rock. The booming community was a far cry from the old country of Cornwall in England, growing to 1000 within just a few years of striking the mineral.

Like some, the Woodleys were fortunate enough to find gold. The family stuck around.

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"[The book] goes to four generations right through to what was happening when they were close to Goonoo Goonoo," he said.

"They started moving to Tamworth and they started to move down the Peel river flats because by that time they were not just gold diggers there were people making good money from cattle and sheep."

Telling the story of the Woodleys will also tell the story of the early growth of Tamworth, he said.

Mr Woodley said the family made a success of the area, founded businesses and stuck around.

The former Tamworth Mayor said he was proud to see his family history finally put down in black and white, by author Cate Clark.

It's the second book commissioned by Mr Woodley.

The Gunnedah author also helped write the story of his mum Sylvia based on notes she wrote in 1991 and left him before she died.

He launched the new book at the city library on Friday night.

But Tamworth residents may never get to read Warren's own story.

He has no plans on a memoir and said 'the Woodleys of Nundle and Tamworth' will be his last commissioned book.

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