Less than four hours north of Sydney lie the craggy cliffs and ancient rainforest that make up the spectacularly wild Barrington Tops. This section of the Great Dividing Range was officially listed as a World Heritage Area in 1986, but unlike the heritage-listed Blue Mountains within the Great Dividing Range further south, the Barrington Tops bushland is wild and lonely, and much less trafficked, even during peak season.
The Barrington Tops are located approximately 320km north of Sydney via Gloucester, and 240km via Dungog. The Barrington Tops parklands is a collection of national parks, state conservation areas and state forests, which make up a total of 125,000 hectares of wilderness. That’s 1,250 square kilometres without a high rise or Starbucks in sight. Instead, what you will find is the Barrington Tops National Park (76,500 hectares), Barrington Tops State Conservation Area (8,400 hectares), Barrington Tops State Forest (14,000 hectares), Chichester State Forest (15,000 hectares), Stewarts Brook State Forest (3,800 hectares) and Mount Royal National Park (6,900 hectares). Characterised by steep ridges and quiet valleys and waterfalls, this captivating section of New South Wales is part of an ancient volcano, made up of subtropical rainforest, sub-alpine wetlands, snow gum woodlands and the unique Antarctic beech rainforest. Throughout the region, flora and fauna abound, offering a home to more than 50 species of mammals, 278 bird species, 42 reptile species and 18 frog species.
Giving you the best of both worlds, here you can enjoy all the comforts of home, surrounded by all the great outdoors has to offer. Snuggle up in winter with a glass of local red, or chuck a steak on the barbeque in summer and breathe in that sweet country air, as you forget all about the stresses of the city. If you want to get away, this is most definitely the place to do it.
From the Chill Out Winter Festival and the Dungog Antiques and Collectable Fair, to Dungog Campdraft and the Dungog Festival, Barrington Tops comes alive during these events, attracting visitors from across Australia – and in some cases, from around the world. So, the only question that remains is, when are you going to join them?
Barrington Tops has a rich past, offering history buffs plenty to investigate. One option includes a tour of the Mountain Maid Gold Mine provided by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. Hidden in a rainforest within Copeland State Conservation Area near Gloucester, this mine offers a look back to the days of Australia’s gold rush, when the area was home to about 1,100 people.
We are avid travellers that love to experience the best of what nature has to offer. Once you experience Tall Gums. You will be wanting to come back again and again. Only 3.5 hours from Sydney. Get lost in nature once more.
There are plenty of things to do around.
