Central New South Wales
Just like an onion, peel away the skin of modern life and you are left with Central NSW. This is a region in which it appears time just hasn’t quite caught up and it’s good that way. It’s a region travelling at a slower pace where slick brochures and marketing gurus haven’t penetrated. Instead, there are fields of bright yellow flowers, gorges carved by tumbling water, Aboriginal sacred sites, hot water bubbling from the centre of the earth and wildlife that still looks up in surprise as you pass.
It’s a place where neighbours talk to each other, where gossip spreads faster than wildfire and friends are made for life. It’s also a place where weather plays a starring role in people’s lives. Where fortunes are made and lost in the blink of a storm.
The northern end of this region is the home of the apple, while orchards give way to sheep the further south you travel. The Great Artesian Basin lies underground like a giant hot water bottle and soaking in water pulled from 1km below ground is a real treat. Whatever you do in this region, the environment plays a part. From fishing on pristine waterways at Glen Innes and finding flecks of gold at Bathurst, to learning about the cotton industry or following the World’s Largest Virtual Solar System.
This region also boasts my favourite two playgrounds: one in Bathurst and the other in Moree, so make sure you don’t drive on through!
Photo courtesy Tourism NSW
