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Category: National Park

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Scone New South Wales Hunter Valley

Mare and Foal Sculpture Scone NSW Australia

Scone

Scone is 280km north of Sydney in the Upper Hunter Valley.  Famous for its horse breeding and agriculture, Scone has many historic buildings, making it s beautiful town to visit.

Scone Visitor Information and Elizabeth Park

Located on Kelly Street, the Visitor Information Centre and Elizabeth Park are a great place to start your visit to town. The park is shady, making it a nice place to relax after your drive. There is a statue of a mare and foal, representing the importance of the horse breeding industry to the area.

A bronze bust of Captain John Hunter, the former Governor of New South Wales sits in the park. The Hunter Valley was named after him in honour of his achievements in exploration around Australia. 

Across Susan Street is the Visitor information Centre, where you can find out about any interesting events or places to see that are not generally known about or have just become available.

Mare and Foal Sculpture Scone NSW Australia
Mare and Foal Sculpture
Scone Visitor Information Centre Scone NSW Australia
Scone Visitor Information Centre
Captain John Hunter Scone NSW Australia
Captain John Hunter

Kelly Street

Running through the centre of town, Kelly Street contains many old and important buildings. You will also find cafes, restaurants and pubs along this street, so if you are looking for something to eat, wander around here.

Scone Court House Scone NSW Australia
Scone Court House
Campbells Chambers Scone NSW Australia
Campbells Chambers
Barwick House Scone NSW Australia
Barwick House
Royal Hotel Scone NSW Australia
Royal Hotel
Campbell's Corner Scone NSW Australia
Campbell’s Corner

Kingdon Street

There are some great old buildings on Kingdon Street, including the first Catholic Church (now an arts centre) and the original court house (now a theatre).

Old Court House Scone NSW Australia
Old Court House

Washpools Water Hole

Washpools Water Hole is 20 km north of Scone in the Towarri National Park.  There are two area that you can stop in, the camp ground and picnic area. The picnic area is next to the wash pools and unless you plan an overnight stay is the best place to go.  It has picnic areas and shaded seats to eat at, so is well set up.

The wash pools are a nice series of water holes in the local creek and are picturesque, being set amongst trees and bushes and reflecting the blue sky. We spend an hour wandering around them taking photos and admiring the bush setting.

While we were there a pair of kookaburras sat in a tree watching us, probably hoping we would drop some food for them.

Washpools Water Hole Towarri National Park Scone NSW Australia
Washpools Water Hole
Kookaburras at Washpools Water Hole Scone NSW Australia
Kookaburras at Washpools Water Hole
Washpools Water Hole Towarri National Park Scone NSW Australia
Washpools Water Hole

Farming

Farming is important to the Scone district and you will see evidence of it as you drive around. The most obvious industry as seen from the New England Highway is horse breeding. You will pass many horse studs as you drive into and out of town.  On the side roads you will some across other agriculture, ranging from cropping to cattle and sheep.  In some fields you will see some old abandoned farm equipment, which makes for an interesting photo.

Old Farm Equipment Scone NSW Australia
Old Farm Equipment
Drought Stricken Tree Scone NSW Australia
Drought Stricken Tree

Burning Mountain

Burning Mountain is 25 km north of Scone. The walk begins in the Burning Mountain Rest Area, where you will find toilets and plenty of parking. For the full story of our Burning Mountain walk, please follow the link.

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

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Barrington Tops National Park

Devil's Hole Lookout Barrington Tops National Park NSW Australia

Barrington Tops National Park

Aberdeen

Our drive to the Barrington Tops started at Aberdeen in the NSW Hunter Valley.  This is a small town, famous for its Scottish heritage and its annual Highland Games.  Also of interest as you pass through the town is St Mark’s Church.

  • St Mark's Anglican Church Aberdeen NSW Australia
    St Mark’s Anglican Church

Polblue Swamp Walk

Polblue Swamp Walk can be started in either the camping ground, or the nearby day parking area.  The walk forms a loop that passes through both areas. This was a nice walk that took us 30 minutes to complete.  The loop, skirts the swamp area and passes through wooded area, over several creeks (with bridges) and finishes with a board walk over part of the swamp.

We found the board walk to be the most interesting, as it had a variety of bird life and plants.

  • Polblue Swamp Barrington Tops National Park NSW Australia
    Polblue Swamp

Devil’s Hole Lookout

The track to Devils hole Lookout is very short (about 5 minutes) and paved. The view is amazing over the Barrington Tops, because the viewing platform is placed well. 

  • Devil's Hole Lookout Barrington Tops National Park NSW Australia
    Devil’s Hole Lookout
  • Devil's Hole Lookout Barrington Tops National Park NSW Australia
    Devil’s Hole Lookout

Thunderbolt’s Lookout

Thunderbolt’s Lookout gives views similar to Devils hole, but also has a more interesting walk to the viewing area. You pass ferns, huge trees, and part of the path is enclosed overhead with tree branches forming a passageway.

  • Thunderbolt's Lookout Track Barrington Tops National Park NSW Australia
    Thunderbolt’s Lookout Track

Honeysuckle Walk

Honeysuckle Walk was our favourite in the Barrington Tops, because of its wonderful trees and undergrowth. The walk starts at the Honeysuckle Picnic Ground and then loops around through the forest before returning to the picnic area.

The walk passes through Antarctic beech forest with an undergrowth of tree ferns. Many of the trees have moss covered trunks are a spectacular sight. This walk took us 30 minutes, but could be quicker if you don’t stop to admire the surroundings.

  • Honeysuckle Walk Barrington Tops National Park NSW Australia
    Moss Covered Trunk
  • Honeysuckle Walk Barrington Tops National Park NSW Australia
    Honeysuckle Walk
  • Honeysuckle Walk Barrington Tops National Park NSW Australia
    Honeysuckle Walk
  • Fern Understory Honeysuckle Walk Honeysuckle Walk Barrington Tops National Park NSW Australia
    Fern Understory Honeysuckle Walk

Mountain Maid Gold Mine

Hidden Treasure track is an easy walk through dry rain forest following Copeland Creek beneath the rain forest canopy. This hike also takes you past remnants of the area’s mining history. Along the track you will pass mine adits that have been barred shut. Some are now home to micro bats and you can smell the guano from the entrance.

We took 90 minutes to complete this track. Be careful of the signage and take a map (or photograph the map at the start of the walk), because some signs are not obvious.

The Basin Loops track takes 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours and is an extension of the Hidden Treasure track.  We didn’t have time to complete this one, so left it for another day.

  • Giant Fig Tree
  • Mountain Maid Gold Mine Entrance Hidden Treasure Track Copeland Tops State Conservation Area NSW Australia
    Mountain Maid Gold Mine Entrance
  • Hidden Treasure Track Copeland Tops State Conservation Area NSW Australia
    Hidden Treasure Track

What Did We Think?

Our trip finished in Gloucester, where we had a late lunch at a cafe on the main street before the drive home. The Barrington Tops was a great day out with some lovely walks and scenery. There are many places to stop and admire the scenery as well as walks for beginners to the more adventurous.

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

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Abercrombie Caves and Bushrangers

Walkway inside Cathedral Cave Abercrombie Caves

Abercrombie Caves

Abercrombie Caves offer a great self guided as well as several accompanied tours of their caves. Use care when driving on the access road down to the caves, as it is windy and narrow, with many blind spots. Camping sites are available and a large car park next to the park’s office is for day visitors. Purchase your tickets ($20.00 per person in 2018) at the office.

Archway Cave

We chose to do the self guided tour of the Archway Cave, because it looked interesting and exploring was at our own pace. The attendant gives a comprehensive overview of the caves and the history, which helped in our understanding of the area.  You receive a pamphlet describing each area you pass through describing the history, geology and local wildlife. The walk is great, passing through attractive bush land and crossing a suspension bridge.

  • Limestone Cliff Abercrombie Caves
    Limestone Cliff
  • Pathway Down to Cathedral Cave Abercrombie Caves
    Pathway Down to Archway Cave

Part of the attraction of the caves is the association with bush rangers and signs point out places connected to them. The”Ribbon Gang” of escaped convicts used the area as a hideout, keeping their horses in the nearby Stable Arch.

Inside the caves, you follow the tracks in any order, looking at the formations. There is another rope suspension bridge here, which you can cross and imagine yourself as Indiana Jones. This bridge crosses a small creek that flows through the cave.

  • Entrance to Cathedral Cave Abercrombie Caves
    Entrance to Archway Cave
  • Stream inside Cathedral Cave Abercrombie Caves
    Stream inside Archway Cave Abercrombie Caves
  • Walkway inside Cathedral Cave Abercrombie Caves
    Walkway inside Archway Cave
  • Suspension Bridge inside Cathedral Cave Abercrombie Caves
    Suspension Bridge inside Archway Cave
  • Suspension Bridge inside Cathedral Cave Abercrombie Caves
    Suspension Bridge inside Archway Cave

What Did We Think?

It is unfortunate that the guided tours run infrequently as they offer a more interesting experience, but the self guided tour is not bad. It is certainly better than some we have been on. If you have never been in a cave before, this is a great first experience.

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.