Coonabarabran and the Warrumbungles

Coonabarabran is the gateway to the spectacular Warrumbungle National Park. One of the highlights of Central NSW, the Warrumbungles is an amazing landscape of dramatic mountain peaks with intriguing rock formations, plentiful wildlife and a huge variety walking trails including one of Australia’s great walks, ‘The Grand High Tops’.

Astronomy is also big in town with two observatories. Visit the impressive white domes of Siding Spring Observatory - Australia’s largest optical astronomy research centre or gaze through telescopes on a stargazing tour at Skywatch Observatory with a professional astronomy guide.
 
Other Must See and Do Activities…

• Admire remarkable fossils at Crystal Kingdom. It also provides a great intro to volcanic origins of the Warrumbungles which are actually the remnants of a 13 million year old volcano
• Watch potters sculpting clay into beautiful artworks at Pilliga Pottery - the most famous bush pottery in NSW.
• Uncover the folklore of our pioneering past at the Australian Folk Music Heritage Centre.
• Learn about the local the local ecology and Aboriginal Culture on a Ukerbarley Tours with Milton & Jane Judd.
• Marvel at the luminous leadlight creations at Warrumbungles Glass House.
• Discover the best skeleton of a Diprotodon (like a giant overgrown wombat), in the Australian Museum Megafauna Exhibition housed at Coonabarabran Visitor Centre.
• Grab a fashionable bargain at the Newcastle Hat Factory Outlet.
• See the craftsmanship of quality handmade didgeridoos by a local Aboriginal Artist at Ken Dundas Didgeridoo’s.
• Taste seductive wines at Coonandry Wines or Wattagan Estate Winery where Emu Oil products are also for sale.
• Preview the latest regional artists at Art Gallery of C where artworks are for sale.
• Browse the local shops and enjoy a cake and cuppa in one of the cosy café’s

Coonabarabran is a charming country town with great facilities, local characters and as you can see a great rang eof things to see and do.

Coonabarabran is located roughly 5 ½ hours north west from Sydney travelling via the scenic wine region of Mudgee. It is also only roughly midway between Melbourne and Brisbane on the Newell Highway, 4 hours away from Newcastle and just 2 hours north of Dubbo.

The region also offers great natural attractions such as Coolah Tops National Park, home to an amazingly large cluster of giant grass trees and The Pilliga Forest, near Baradine, which is a haven for bird watching. There are also some great little country towns in the region, each with their own charm and character including Dunedoo, Binnaway and Mendooran - NSW premier Mural Town, where local artist Karen Duce has created an outdoor art gallery with over 20 scenes of pioneering and rural life.

For more details on the area or a free ‘holiday information pack’ please contact Coonabarabran Visitor Information Centre. Freecall.1800 242 881 or visit www.coonabarabran.com

TakeABreak.com.au lists lots more great accommodation in the Central West of NSW.