Gather loved ones for a getaway to the bush as Oberon tempts visitors with new accommodation at Essington Park, cooking workshops, long pub lunches and picnic packages at Mayfield Garden.
Located 2.5hrs drive from Sydney in Central NSW, Oberon maybe renowned as a top spot to see the snow in a dash, but it’s a unique country escape year-round, attracting Simmone Logue and Matt Moran, with its bounties.
New must-dos in Oberon:
Cook with Simmone Logue at Essington Park – Essington Park is new boutique accommodation in a restored 1900’s Shearers Quarters for 10 people, with the option to join a cooking class with renowned chef Simmone Logue, or other talented local crafters. Located near Oberon, five comfortable guest rooms give onto a productive vegetable garden and orchard, so guests can book the whole house or individual rooms. Collect your eggs for breakfast, enjoy home-made jams, sourdough bread, and the stunning gardens of this new farm-stay experience. www.essingtonpark.com
Picnic at Mayfield Garden – after a walk around the largest cool climate garden in the southern hemisphere, enjoy a picnic amongst the flora and fauna at Mayfield Garden. Delicious picnic packages, wine and desserts can be ordered online, and with its own carry bag you can plonk yourselves wherever your heart desires – beside the water garden, obelisk pond or under the London Plane trees. All 65 hectares of the garden will be open every day from 2024, and there’s even overnight glamping packages which is ideal for couples and families (27 Dec to 25 Jan 2024 and 29 March to 27 April 2024). www.mayfieldgarden.com.au
Historic O’Connell Hotel re-opens – lazy afternoons under the elm tree in the beer garden are back as the historic 1865 O’Connell Hotel has re-opened (Sept 2023) after two years. This village is a 15min scenic drive from Oberon and is a great spot for a long lunch. Don’t miss the Fish River Festival, with live music, on 10 December. To keep the pub crawl going, Matt Moran’s Rockley Pub is nearby with excellent food, accommodation and ‘Beers and Beats’ live music sessions in the newly updated beer garden, every Sunday from 1-4pm. www.oconnellhotel.com.au and www.therockleypub.com.au
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Also in Oberon:
- Truffles – try Lowes Mount Truffles with hunts from June to August and Red Ground Truffierre from April to September for truffle hunts by appointment. Pick up local produce at the Oberon (first Saturday) and Tarana (fourth Sunday) Farmers Markets.
- Adventure playground – the warmer months are prime fishing season in the Lake and ideal to hike, cycle and feast on the natural beauty of the region.
- Jenolan Caves – join a tour at one of Australia’s most spectacular and oldest cave systems followed by a traditional high-tea or dinner in the Chisholm restaurant.
- The Field to Forest Festival – is on every April in Oberon with an array of tasty activities that showcase mushroom foraging in the forest, truffle hunting, food and wine events.
- The Malachi-Gilmore Hall – re-opened in 2022 after 40 years to offer a multi-use arts space with live-music and movie nights. An iconic Art Deco building that looks like its landed from space, it was originally built in 1937.
- 4WD Touring – fish for Rainbow Trout and forage in the pine forests. Enjoy the stunning Kanangra Boyd National Park and Jenolan State Forests on a guided 4WD tour.
For more information go to www.visitoberon.com and www.visitcentralnsw.com.au.
Central NSW includes Oberon, Bathurst, Orange, Blayney, Cabonne, Cowra, Forbes, Parkes, Grenfell, Lithgow and Lachlan.
