Orange NSW Central Tablelands and all it's surrounds. Orange, Ophir, Byng, Lucknow, Millthorpe, Molong, Cudal, Canowindra, Manildra, Ophir goldfields, Mount Canabolos, Hot Air Ballooning.

Orange attractions, activities, events, accommodation, restaurants, cafes, shops and shopping. Orange real estate, real estate agents, artists, art galleries, art, professional, financial, business and home services. Orange weddings, conventions, functions, theatres, kids and pets, rural and equipment supplies, builders, building and renovating. Orange health services, lifestyles, local produce. Orange cool climate wineries, entertainment, education, sport, training and transport. Historical villages and sites, Ophir, Byng, Lucknow, Millthorpe, Molong, Cudal, Canowindra, Manildra, Ophir goldfields and Mount Canabolos, Lake Canobolas, Borenore, Abercrombie and Wellington caves, Hot Air Ballooning.

What to Do & See - Beautiful sights and places of interest, Activities - family & adventure activities, local historic areas and villages.

What's On - Entertainment, Events and Gig guide.

Where to Stay - Accommodation of all types - B & B's, Guest Houses, Motels, Hotels, Self contained, Romantic, Holiday cottages, Retreats, Farm Stays, Caravan Parks

Art & Culture -Art, Artists & Art Galleries,

Where to Shop - local businesses, shops

Where to Eat - Cafes, Coffee Shops, Restaurants, Bistros, Take-away

Community Groups, Sports & Links, History & Transport,

Helpful information for moving to the area - Trades people & Service Industries, Real Estate, Home Loans, Finance, Healthcare...and more.

Town Sites provide comprehensive information and links to -

Originally known as Blackman's Swamp 'Orange' was so named by Surveyor-General Thomas Mitchell in honour of the Prince of Orange, who later became the King of Holland.

'Orange', is an accidental anomaly because it has no connection with citrus; but grows apples, almost half the NSW crop. As well as apples you will find a strong, very diverse economy.

Today Orange & Cabonne Country prides itself on being

"Australia's Food Basket". Olives, grapes - wine, apples, berries, plums, fine lamb and beef are all grown in the local area and the produce is of the highest quality.

The Orange Wine Region, high on the slopes of Mt Canobolas, is a cool climate region which produces superb red varieties.

What ever your taste there's certainly something to fit.

Lavender, Iris, Rhodella and Protea flower farms are just a few of the many colourful and fragrant farms in the Orange district.

From it's beginnings in the late 1820's (the site of Orange was officially proclaimed on 18 November 1846) Orange has grown into the prosperous largest city in the central western district with a population of 38,000 and overall with the nearby towns and villages, supports a surrounding population of 100,000.

There is much of our history in and surrounding Orange.

You can take the 'Heritage Trail' to see Orange as it once was - this includes in part - Holy Trinity Church of Orange (1879) - the beautiful Anglican church, on the Cnr. Anson & Byng Streets which is a great example of high Victorian Gothic Revival, its tall steeple dominating much of the city. Duntryleague Guest House (1876), Orange Court House, and the Orange Town Hall.

On the other hand....

-in the city's attractive, modern CBD you will discover a vibrant, bustling centre with many side-walk cafes, restaurants, boutique galleries, theatres and the Orange Civic Theatre, Orange Regional Gallery & Regional Library. When dining choose from many different cuisines, including Japanese, Thai, Italian, French, Greek and Mexican.

Shop till you drop! You're sure to find 'that special something' in one of a number of unique shops, one of the two shopping malls with speciality shops and nationally recognised stores, or by walking into one of the many shops and stores along the main streets.

You will also discover many hand-made gifts and souvenirs plus local wines and produce.

Visit magnificent Mt Canobolas, an extinct volcano 1,395m above sea level with spectacular 360° views from its summit of the surrounding countryside. Taking one of the walks offers opportunities to see a wide range of fauna - rosellas, cockatoos, parrots, lorikeets, grey kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, koalas and small possums....

In winter the peak of Mt Canobolas is often covered in snow.

Spectacular Federal Falls will delight all and in particular bird watcher's and photographers.

Below Mt Canobolas is Lake Canobolas, a well established artificial lake. It offers good picnic and barbecue facilities as well as a wide range of leisure activities including sail-boating, swimming, fishing and during the warmer months Paddle boats are for hire.

There is a walking track around the lake and a fully restored old pumphouse.

You could even get 'a hole in one' on one of three different Golf Courses - including Duntryleague which is the Orange Golf Club, Wentworth Golf Club or the Bloomfield Country Club.

All First rate!

For the 'Connoisseurs' (or not) a day of Wine Tasting and cellar door purchases could well be in order at various award-winning local wineries in the Orange area.

The Orange Wine Region, giving superb cool climate grapes grown in rich volcanic soil at above 600 metres produces superb red varieties.

What ever your taste buds fancy you will surely find.

One more point of interest is that Orange is the birthplace of Australia's famous poet Banjo Paterson.

He was born in John Templer's home on the 17th February 1864. At the site of his birthplace, on the Ophir Road, you will find Banjo Paterson Park and a memorial obelisk which declares that this was the location where Andrew 'Banjo' Paterson, was born.

A monument to the man who wrote 'Waltzing Matilda', and who is now recognised as the country's most famous and most admired bush poet can be found in the Civic Gardens, adjacent to the Visitor Information Centre.

But that's not all..

There is also Wellington Caves, three National Parks, and endless amounts of bushranger history.

All around Orange tranquil villages nestle in the lovely green fertile valleys of the pleasantly rolling countryside.

Hidden treasures with cafes, antique shops, galleries, gift shops and restaurants providing true 'country hospitality'.

Some have always been devoted to fruit growing, mixed farming and dairying, but a few have known 'the transient glory of gold' and for a time were known around the world.....

View over Orange with Mt Canobolas in the background

Welcome to Orange, Australia's Colour City - the Hub of the Central West

There is a Cook Park Heritage Walk brochure as well, which will guide you through this beautiful park with it's first magnificent trees planted in 1880. It is a beautiful restful place for a picnic with it's fountains, rotunda, aviary, begonia house, pond and numerous walkways.

Just one of the many lovely parks in Orange -

others are - Moulder Park - spectacular in autumn, the Orange Botanical Gardens - on 17 hectares and featuring 'Homestead Gardens', 'Sensory Gardens', 'Biblical Gardens' and 'Heritage Rose Garden'.

The row of ironwork-decorated houses built in 1876, known as Bowen Terrace are a perfect and rare example of their period.

Designed by G.A. Mansfield, opened in 1880, with Sir Henry Parkes, the NSW Premier and Founder of Australian Federation laying the foundation stone is the Orange Public School. It has a unique appearance and looks more like a church than a school with its high pointed large-paned sash windows, steeply pitched roof and spire.

Brochures are available from the local Historical Society and Visitor Information Centre which lists 44 places of interest.

Also, Robertson Park - planted with exotic and native trees and located on the original site of 'Blackmans Swamp' and has existed since 1882.

You will find within it the Whitney Fountain (1895) and the Bandstand (1915).

To discover all that is Orange - staying over is a must - there is much to 'See and Do'.

Apart from all the historical sites and areas there is a multitude of things to enjoy.

You will find first class accommodation amongst our B&B's, Motels & Hotels or in our Caravan Parks and camping grounds. Available also, are a range of Conference facilities and Function centre's.

Looking down to Orange from Mt Canobolas

Then there is the Cobb & Co Heritage Trail - covering one of its old routes between Bathurst and Bourke. The historic inland coaching company operated gold escorts and Royal Mail Services across the region.

William Franklin Whitney, a Cobb & Co partner, lived in Orange and the heritage trail takes in the old family residence which was also later used as company stables and a depot (106 Moulder St), the Whitney Fountain, built by Whitney's employees in his honour (Robertson Park). Whitney and his wife are buried in the Orange cemetery.

The Victoria Hotel (once the Coach & Horses Hotel) was close to the stables and changing yard and significant for Cobb & Co travellers. The Royal Hotel (once the Wellington Inn) was the old booking office site and the former passenger pick-up point. There are also other sites of Cobb & Co interest in the Orange area and Cabonne Shire, such as pick-up points, changing stations and track routes -

Visit www.cobbandco.net.au for more information.

Cobb & Co Heritage Trail - outside the Royal Hotel, Orange

Visit the Orange Visitor Information Centre in Byng Street, between Peisley Street and Lords Place

(opposite Robertson Park)

to learn more about "Australia's Colour City"..

FREECALL 1800 069 466.

More information is available at - Orange City Council

Visit Website

......Canowindra Hot Air Balloons,

Australian Supercross Championships

and the

Central West Outdoor and Garden Expo.

and....

make sure you plan to visit during these annual events -

FO.O.D. Week

Winefest -

held annually in October

Australian National Field Days ....

All around Orange tranquil villages nestle in the lovely green fertile valleys of the pleasantly rolling countryside.

F.O.O.D

Week

Orange

When you arrive in Orange, situated on the western side of the Great Dividing Range, 261 km west of Sydney and 863 m above sea level, you will travel through it's wide elegant streets and find a mix of history and cosmopolitan.

You will still find so much of the elegance and splendour of the 19th century in it's beautifully restored handsome buildings with stained glass windows and pressed metal ceilings, it's wide tree-lined streets and it's beautiful parks and gardens.