Get Away with Dre to Orange NSW
In the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales, Orange was proclaimed a city on 19 July in 1946.
Orange is just shy of a 4 hour road trip from Sydney’s CBD with some nice pit stops along the way (like the Blue Mountains and Bathurst), it’s a city in a region rich in agriculture and activities that’s worth a visit.
Let’s go through a few activites you can do in Orange.
OVBT: Orange and Villages Bicycle Trail
Orange Villages Bike Trail. Image: nsw.gov.au
You can explore Orange by bike on a curated 360 kms loop bike trail on a mix of sealed and unsealed bike paths and back-country cycling. It splits up into 6 sections which you can do in portions with the family, or go hardcore and do the trail on a multi-day trip
The trail aims at combining bike touring with visiting rural communities, allowing you to really take in and explore the agriculture, environment, and local food and delights of a region – what better way to explore a district known for wine making!
Section 3 of the trail, from Cargo to Cowra is one of the many highlights of the OVBT. You get to ride past cattle, sheep and alpacas in some back-country cycling, and visiting Cowra is a must. Spending two days there would be ideal, and the Japanese Gardens and the Cowra Prisoners of War Camp that should be at the top of your list of places to visit. The Cowra POW Camp is one of the top Heritage sites in Australia. In 1944 over 1000 Japanese prisoners of war staged a massive breakout.
Check out Cowra civic to see Australia’s World Peace Bell made with melted down coins donated by 106 member countries of the United Nations. The peace bell is a testament to Cowra’s long-standing contribution to world peace and international understanding – an annual ceremony is held on World Peace Day, 3rd September.
Verandah Cave, Borenore Karst Reserve
Verandah Cave
There’s a lot of good hiking spots in Orange, but travel a bit inland, 22 minutes away to Borenore Karst Reserve to check out Verandah Cave.
Verandah Cave is this cool looking cave make from a large limestone overhang that protects the large pool of water within. This limestone cave has been shaped by its water flow throughout time – we’re talking ancient year old water flows to get it looking like this.
The walk to the cave is a nice, easy hike that starts from the Borenore picnic area along the Boree Creek Trail through the bush for 3.5 kms. A return trip should take about an hour to complete – minus your lunch break. The cave is a nice place to relax and have a picnic. If you’re quiet enough you might be lucky enough to see a platypus.
Wine Tasting
Orange Winery Image: Destination NSW
Orange is known for wine, so if you’re not going to have some wine while you’re there you’re missing out.
There’s soo many wineries to check out in Orange.
Mayfield Vineyard is a gorgeous looking vineyard that also offers farm feeding experiences with their incredibly gorgeous friendly farm animals. You can also book a pre-packed picnic hamper where you can have a picnic on the vineyard along with your wine tasting.
You know what pairs well with wine? The outdoors.
Simmos Offroad Tours takes you on a Food & Wine Safari. Add a scenic tour and camping adventure where they tailor a camping adventure for you. They prepare all the meals, camping, sleeping and recreation equipment for you – you just need to bring yourself.
You know what else pairs well with wine? Fly fishing.
Printhie Wines have activities you can do with their wine tasting experience and fly fishing is one of them. At Printhie Lake, with a bottle of sparkling, you get a private instructor for 2 hours – it can be your first or your thousandth time, the only thing that matters is how tipsy you are. After 2 hours of fishing you’ll probably be famished, so the experience comes with a four-course degustation with more wine.
