Eugowra sits upon the Mandagery Creek in central western New South Wales. The township is dramatically shadowed by the huge granite outcrop of "Commissioners Rock". Settlement of the region is owed to the discovery of Gold in the Lachlan River, and the subsequent development of the nearby township of Forbes.

European discovery of the Lachlan River and Eugowra region was made by George William Evans. Upon the successful penetration of the Blue Mountains by Gregory Blaxland, William Lawson and Wentworth, Evans resolved to discover the westward regions beyond. In June 1815, he happened upon the Lachlan at its confluence with Mandagery Creek, at which spot Evans marked a tree. Ironically the tree was removed to Sydney for "posterity". Upon the centenary of Evan's Lachlan expedition, the people of Eugowra erected a monument in the tree's stead. In September 1915, a statue in memory of the town's explorer was unveiled. It stands six kilometres from the now flooded site of the tree.

Gold lured thousands of prospectors to Lambing Flats in the late 1850s. Within two years the Lachlan had revealed potential deposits, and a property owned by Mr Twaddell was inundated with over 30,000 miners. This property developed into the township of Forbes. By the middle of the decade, many frustrated miners fled the reluctant Lachlan. The township of Forbes was relieved from the threat of decline due to burgeoning agricultural prospects. The fragile economies of Forbes and nearby Eugowra were consolidated initially from sheep, and later wheat farming.

Discovery of gold in the Lachlan not only lured miners, but also the scourge of the colony, bushrangers. The infamous Ben Hall featured the most notorious of all. Eugowra figured in the scandalous "Eugowra Gold Escort Robbery" of 1862. On June 15 of that year, the escort set out conveying 14,000 pounds worth of gold and a mail run. It was guarded by Sergeant Condell, senior and junior Constables Morgan, Constable Haviland and one other with John Fagan as driver. As an acute bend at "Escort Rocks" was approached, four or five disguised men surprised the escort, firing shots and wounding two of the party. The gang claimed a major haul, although much was recovered later. It would not be until 1865 that Hall finally met the law. One of his gang members, "Goobang Mick" succumbed to a police reward, and divulged information of Hall's whereabouts. A posse tracked him, and his bullet ridden body was transported to Forbes for public viewing.

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