Day 1: SYDNEY - BATHURST
Head towards the historic town of Windsor, followed by the arts and craft village of Kurrajong before joining the Bells Line of Road which is famous for its orchards and roadside market stalls. Visit Mount Tomah Botanic Gardens, and enjoy the escarpment views from Pierce's and Mount Banks Lookouts on the Bells Line of Road. Continue on to the Zig Zag Railway where vintage rail motors and steam trains operate daily, or the Small Arms Museum which features a major firearm collection, historic and photographic memorabilia.
Head for Newnes Plateau, part of Wollemi National Park, and explore the Glow Worm Tunnel by torch, before driving to Pearson's Lookout -the second biggest canyon in the world (after the Grand Canyon). Drive to the historic town of Bathurst - Australia's first inland settlement and enjoy the magnificent Courthouse, the Chifley Home, Old Government Cottage, Miss Traills House and garden, Abercrombie House and Bathurst and District Historical Museum.
Day 2: BATHURST - MUDGEE
Drive to Sofala, an historic gold mining village established in May 1851, followed by Hill End - a national historic site with walking trails with interpretative signs which take in old cottages and stores, mine sites, lookouts, the cemetery, waterfalls and an underground mine.
Visit historic Rylstone before heading out to Dunn's Swamp in Wollemi National Park.
Day 3: MUDGEE - GULGONG
Explore the gourmet foods, honey farms and boutique wineries of Mudgee, before heading to Gulgong's Henry Lawson Centre which houses has the largest collection of Lawson's writings and memorabilia outside Sydney's Mitchell Library. Visit Red Hill and its Pioneer Museum that has a renowned collection of Australiana.
Day 4: GULGONG - DUBBO
Take a guided tour of Wellington Caves and the completely restored underground Phosphate Mine (featuring Bone Cave with fragments of fossil bones, phosphate and calcite crystals.)
Stroll through Burrendong Arboretum - dedicated to preserving and promoting Australia's native flora with more than 50,000 flowering plants, shrubs and trees.
Travel to Dubbo where you can enjoy the Old Dubbo Gaol (built in the 1870s and housed many notorious outlaws), Dundullimal Homestead, the Jinchilla Gardens, the Dubbo Regional Art Gallery, and the indigenous arts at the Red Earth Gallery.
Day 5: DUBBO - COONABARABRAN
Visit the famous Western Plains Zoo (where more than 1000 animals and 100 species from all over the world are housed in large, open, landscaped exhibits). Head to Gilgandra and do the famous 1915 Coo-ee Tourist Walk. Travel to the spectacular Warrumbungle National Park and do one or more of the many walks available, including the sealed White Gum Lookout walk, Gurianawa walk, or the 14.5 km Grand High Tops walk (which takes 4-6 hours and takes you to landmarks like The Breadknife and Belougery Spire).
Visit the Siding Spring Observatory in Warrumbungle National Park - the largest optical astronomy research centre in Australia. Head towards Coonabarabran for the Pilliga Pottery, the intriguing Pilliga Forest, or the Skywatch Observatory.
Day 6: COONABARABRAN - MUSWELLBROOK
Cross into the upper part of the Hunter region, and journey south to Mendooran which features more than 20 murals depicting the history and country life of the area.
Drive on to the Coolah Tops National Park where you'll enjoy waterfalls, stunning views, stands of high snow gums, animal species including gliders, grey kangaroos, cockatoos and eagles, and at least 79 bird species including the Square Tailed Kite, Regent Honey Eater and the Swift Parrot.
Head for the charming village of Cassilis, followed by Merriwa where you'll enjoy local and Australian-made craft and home-wares, furniture and bric-a-brac.
Day 7: MUSWELLBROOK - SYDNEY
Explore the Upper Hunter's rich farmland, rolling pastures, rocky outcrops, sandstone cliffs and rugged mountains. Experience the range of wineries centred around Denman, Broke Fordwich and the Brokenback which tend to specialise in the Semillon, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz varieties.
Why not take Route 84 from Denman to Putty Road (via Jerry's Plains), where you'll enjoy a scenic drive with little traffic flow, back to Windsor and then on to Sydney. |
