Western NSW - Orange, Bathurst & Dubbo

BEYOND THE RANGE

Exploration and gold rushes led the development of a region today renowned for its fine wines and produce.

With the first crossing of the Blue Mountains undertaken in 1813, the rich agricultural and grazing lands of the Central West were opened up. Bathurst, 207 kilometres west of Sydney, was the first town established and is today one of the country’s fastest growing regional centres. An historic walking tour celebrates the past, while sports fans know Bathurst for a different reason – the Mount Panorama circuit hosts the Bathurst 1000 in October each year and visitors can take in the Motor Racing Hall Of Fame throughout the year.

>> follow these links for Bathurst hotels, Orange hotels or Dubbo hotels, other accommodation includes motels, bed & breakfasts and self-contained accommodation properties.

Forty-five kilometres north of Bathurst lies the village of Sofala. The 1851 gold rush saw a peak in the town’s population but gradually, as the gold became harder to extract, the town wound down and is today a sleepy settlement that has much to offer those fascinated by its earlier glory.

Orange, 261 kilometres west of Sydney, is a rural centre boasting a wide range of produce – including beef, lamb, olives, grapes and apples. The town had its own gold strike, at nearby Ophir, while 12 kilometres outside town is Lake Canobolas, popular for its watersports. There are numerous wineries in the area.

Dubbo is the commercial hub of the Central West, 412 kilometres north west of Sydney at the intersection of the Mitchell and Newell Highways. Proclaimed in 1849, it has many historic buildings, as well as the celebrated Western Plains Zoo – which covers some 300 hectares and is home to more than 800 species. A military museum, observatory and the old Dubbo Gaol, also a museum, round out the attractions.

Cowra, 320 kilometres west of Sydney, has a developing reputation for its wineries. It is also well known as the site of a World War II internment camp where, in 1944, a mass breakout was organised by Japanese prisoners of war. Today, the site is commemorated in the Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre.