Copper was discovered at Gulf Creek in 1889 and the first mine was started in 1892. Gulf Creek is 22 kilometres (14 miles) north-east from Barraba. A small village began to grow, which had a hotel, a school, and a post office. This copper mine was the biggest copper mine in New South Wales in 1903 and the little village had 300 people living there. The mine was closed in the 1930s, and the post office was closed in 1966. The little village was abandoned.