Made In Lithgow
Made In Lithgow
Podcast Description
"Made in Lithgow" is a podcast for the Greater Lithgow Region, no matter where you live. Join Brad Cluff and Ian Iddles as they explore the stories, culture, and people shaping the region's transition from its industrial past to a bright future. Whether you're a business owner, athlete, involved in tourism, local charities, or industry, or have a story to tell, we want to hear from you. Relax and listen as we showcase the beauty of Lithgow – both in its landscape and its people. Lithgow doesn’t need to be made great again; it already is.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast explores significant themes such as community resilience, local history, economic transitions, and cultural celebrations, with episodes like Debate, Respect & Hard Truths covering contemporary challenges facing Lithgow and Uncle Bob Sutor's Soundtrack of Lithgow highlighting the town's musical heritage.
Made in Lithgow is your front-row seat to a town that helped build Australia—and is now building its future. Join Brad Cluff and Ian Iddles as they uncover the real stories behind Lithgow’s grit, growth, and transformation. From coal to culture, sport to startups, this is where history meets hope. It’s raw, real, and deeply regional. Whether you’ve lived here forever or just passed through, this podcast will change the way you see Lithgow—and maybe even yourself. Listen in and be part of what’s next.
In this episode of Made in Lithgow, Ian and Brad sit down with Brad’s parents, Robert and Linda Cluff—the visionary couple behind a hospitality powerhouse that started as Black Gold Cabins, evolved into Black Gold Motel, and is now simply known as Black Gold.
What they’ve built isn’t just a business. It’s a beacon of possibility—rising from the bones of the decommissioned Wallerawang Public School, where Robert once cried walking through the gates as a child, and where four generations of Cluffs studied, including Brad, Katrina, Derryn, and Robert’s grandmother.
Today, that same site is home to:
🏨 71 rooms across villas, cabins, suites, and motel-style accommodation
🍽️ Tripadvisor’s #1-rated restaurant and accommodation in the Central West & Blue Mountains
🏛️ The Barton Centre – a modern training and conference venue used by agencies across NSW
🏆 Business NSW’s Best Large Business in the State
🌍 Tripadvisor’s Top 1% of Hotels Worldwide – #21 in Australia (2025)
👥 A team of 45 staff, welcoming 60,000+ guests each year
Robert, a fitter and former coal mine deputy, brought the shovel and the daring.
Linda, a former Police Assistance Line worker and office administrator, brought the structure and systems to grow it.
Together, they proved what’s possible with vision, sacrifice, and relentless teamwork.
Now joined by Brad and his wife Emily, Black Gold continues to thrive as a cornerstone of regional tourism and transformation—right across from a concrete dispatch plant, a rock-crushing yard, and an old power station. Proof that beauty and brilliance can come from anywhere.
At the heart of it all is Robert’s favourite saying:
👉 Never say can’t.
This is a story of family. Of grit. Of building something bigger than yourself.
And of what it takes to turn the unused old… into gold.
Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
For a complete disclaimer, please see our Full Disclaimer on the archive page. The Podcast Collaborative bears no responsibility for the podcast’s themes, language, or overall content. Listener discretion is advised. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for more details.