Scenic Dr 17 Bro.qxp 10/02/2006 9:44 AM Page 1

scenic drive 17 The best of New England

Armidale Visitor Guyra Uralla Visitor Walcha Visitor Information Centre Visitor Information Information Centre Information Centre 82 Marsh Street Council 104 Bridge Street Fitzroy Street Armidale NSW 2350 158 Bradley Street Uralla NSW 2358 Walcha NSW 2354 Full Day Tour 245km (15.5km unsealed) Phone: (02) 6772 4655 Guyra NSW 2365 Phone: (02) 6778 4496 Phone: (02) 6774 2460 Email: [email protected] Phone: (02) 6779 1577 Email: [email protected] Em: [email protected] Gara Gorge, Hillgrove,Wollomombi www.armidaletourism.com.au Em: [email protected] www.uralla.com www.walchansw.com.au Gorge, New England National Park, www.guyra.nsw.gov.au Trout Hatchery, Cathedral Rock Drop into the Armidale, Uralla and Walcha Visitor Information Centres or Guyra Council for more information on the beautiful New England region. National Park, & Guyra Scenic Dr 17 Bro.qxp 10/02/2006 9:44 AM Page 2

ARMIDALE TO GARA GORGE HILLGROVE TO WOLLOMOMBI GORGE NEW ENGLAND NATIONAL PARK TO CATHEDRAL ROCK NATIONAL PARK Commencing at the Visitor Information Centre, turn left From the Hillgrove exit, the next stop is 11.8km along into Dumaresq Street then right into Marsh Street and the .Turn right at the Wollomombi Gorge Return to the Waterfall Way and continue east. 8km head south until the traffic lights (.7km), then turn left sign and drive into the national park car parking area. further on there is a left hand turn off to Cathedral Rock into Barney Street/ Waterfall Way. Continue heading east Wollomombi and Chandler Falls are part of the rugged National Park. Cathedral Rock is a fascinating national for 2km to Castledoyle Road, the second road on the and spectacular Oxley Wild Rivers National Park. park with magnificent granite Tors, formed about 230 right.This will lead to Gara Gorge, part of Oxley Wild are a sheer drop of 220 meters, making million years ago. It is an excellent park for bushwalking Rivers National Park. Follow Castledoyle Road for 16km it ’s second highest falls.Viewing platforms are with camping grounds available. Camping grounds can to reach the Gorge. Gara Gorge is a popular picnic spot, a short walk from the parking area and there are excellent be accessed from either the Waterfall Way or the well known for its scenic bush strolls and swimming picnic and camping facilities nearby. Ebor/Guyra Road. holes. It is also the site of Australia’s first commercial WOLLOMOMBI GORGE CATHEDRAL ROCK NATIONAL PARK Hydro-electric Scheme.The remains of this historic TO NEW ENGLAND NATIONAL PARK TO EBOR FALLS scheme can be viewed via the Threlfall Historic Walk, a 5km return loop walk. Return to the Waterfall Way T intersection and turn right. From Cathedral Rock National Park, continue east along Continue heading east along Waterfall Way for approxi- Waterfall Way and turn right at the T intersection towards GARA GORGE TO METZ & HILLGROVE mately 29km and take the right hand turn off to New Ebor. Approximately 4kms further on take the left hand Return along the Castledoyle Road, turning right on to England National Park. turn off to Ebor Falls. Ebor Falls are cascading falls, having the Waterfall Way. Continue heading east through the an upper and lower set of falls. Short walks to viewing 4km along the road is the LP Dutton Trout Hatchery. rolling country of New England. Approximately 20km platforms for both sets are well marked and maintained. The trout hatched here are used to stock the many local east, take the Baker’s Creek turn off to the right and The township of Ebor, just past the turn off to the falls, streams, making New England one of Australia’s best follow this road to Baker’s Creek Falls.The view at provides hotel/motel and cottage accommodation, known trout fishing areas.The hatchery is open to the Baker’s Creek Falls is the first taste of the many general store and garage facilities. public and offers an audiovisual show, aquarium display, beautiful New England streams that tumble and group and self-guided tours, hand feeding of the fish, RETURN TO ARMIDALE cascade off the edge of the high country, forming the free picnic and barbecue facilities. source of the great coastal rivers systems of northern From Ebor, you have a choice of two return journeys NSW. Continue heading towards Hillgrove. Open daily 9am to 4pm. Small admission fee applies. to Armidale - either return along the Waterfall Way or continue the loop along the Ebor/Guyra Road Both Metz and Hillgrove were once thriving towns that Continue on for 9.5km to New England National Park, (approximately 78.5km) rejoining the New England serviced the mines that brought thousands to this gorge Australia’s second oldest park, covering over 300,000 at Guyra. in the latter part of the 1800’s.The Hillgrove Rural Life hectares of wilderness.The park has a remarkable and Industry Museum, Scouler Street, Hillgrove, is diversity of tree and plant life – from snow gum eucalypt The Ebor/Guyra Road goes through some of New housed in the 1896 Hillgrove School building. forest to temperate and sub tropical rainforest and England’s finest pastoral country. On reaching Guyra, Antarctic beech forest. Point Lookout offers a spectacular explore the town and then it is only a short 37km drive The museum contains an excellent historic photograph panoramic view of the Bellinger Valley that extends over south along the back to Armidale. display, mining equipment and rural industries exhibit. 70km towards the Coast. These provide an insight into the life of the once On the route is Malpas Dam, the local water supply and prosperous gold mining towns of Hillgrove and Metz. The park offers many well-marked and maintained walks, water recreational dam (no powerboats allowed) and a picnic shelter, toilets, cabin accommodation and Thunderbolt’s Cave – once the hideout of the infamous Also stop and discover the history of Hillgrove at several camping facilities that allow the visitor to enjoy the park bushranger, both turn offs are on your left. Continue special display signs located throughout the village. all year round. back to Armidale to complete the scenic drive. Museum open Friday to Monday 10am to 5pm. Cabins can be booked by contacting the National Parks Please Note: The level of water flow over the waterfalls Follow Stockton Road from Hillgrove, back to the and Wildlife Service in Dorrigo. Phone: (02) 6657 2309. varies with weather conditions. Waterfall Way (approximately 5km).