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NOW’S the time to start planning the next trip to New South Wales, Australia, and a must visit is the beautiful country town of Orange. With a well-deserved reputation for producing excellent food and wine, stunning landscapes and a fascinating history, Orange is the perfect destination for a country getaway. Located 3.5 hours’ drive or a short flight from Sydney, visit for a foodie weekend or a longer stay.
With a high altitude and rich volcanic soil from nearby Mount Canobolas, Orange has the ideal conditions to produce cool-climate wines, including Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. Visitors will also find incredible regional produce, from apples, pears and exotic fruits to cheese, meat and craft beer.
Begin the foodie weekend with coffee and some baked goods at local gem, Bills Beans in East Orange. Once visitors get their caffeine fix, it’s time to explore one of Orange’s many wine trails, leading to more than 60 vineyards and 40 cellar doors, including Heifer Station Wines, Swinging Bridge, Philip Shaw Wines and Ross Hill Wines. If there is trouble choosing, take a bespoke tour with Orange Wine Tours or Vine Venture Tours.
After a day of wine tasting, enjoy a leisurely dinner at one of Orange’s many fine-dining restaurants. Options include Charred, who use the best quality local produce, partnered with their newly commissioned “Lucifer” wood and charcoal oven to impart a unique flavour. A tasting at Rowlee Wines can be followed up with a three-course meal at onsite restaurant Racine, or enjoy a meal at the hatted Lolli Redini, headed by one of Australia’s most acclaimed female chefs, Simonn Hawke.
Orange offers many boutique accommodation options to retire for the evening; choose from charming cottages at Mayfield Vineyard, glamping at Nashdale Lane Wines, or spend the night in a converted shearing shed at Black Sheep Inn. Hotel accommodation is also available at Quest, Oriana or newly opened Byng Street Boutique Hotel.
Start day two of the country escape with a delicious breakfast at Byng Street Local Store or Good Eddy, and then enjoy some boutique shopping in Orange’s charming stores. The Sonic offers an exciting selection of clothing, accessories and homewares from some of Australia’s top designers in a stunning space, and a short stroll down the street, The White Place is a great destination for stylish furniture, cushions and rugs.
Spend the rest of the afternoon exploring Orange’s surrounding historic towns and villages – stroll the quaint, heritage-listed streets of Millthorpe or Carcoar, full of beautifully preserved 19th Century buildings, followed by a delicious, seasonally focused lunch at Tonic. For something a little more casual, visit the Agrestic Grocer back in Orange – a unique shopping and dining experience, which also offers live music on the weekends.
Before returning to Sydney, make sure to stop in the beautiful Nangar National Park for bushwalking or spotting the local wildlife, including kangaroos, wallabies, peregrine falcons and wedge-tailed eagles. [PRNewswire/traveltext.id]
