Unearth Blayney Shire

The pages of progress flick by quickly around Blayney.

One moment you’re driving through the decorative flourish of its Victorian main street. And next, the sky is full of the rotating paddles of the Blayney Wind Farm’s turbines.

The way of the past and the way of the future in the bat of an eyelid. The town was officially gazetted in 1843 as the Village of Blayney and is located on an alluvial flat with a couple of useful resources not far below the surface – water and gold.

In 1867, a prospector struck gold near Blayney and, more than 150 years later, one of the largest gold producers in the world is still recovering 700,000 ounces of gold a year from the region.

For visitors the Blayney Shire is about getting in the car and exploring not just Blayney but ticking off a number of the historic villages within the Shire and discovering the scenic country views that connect the villages.

DAY 1

Each step forward along Adelaide Street is a delightful step back into the 19th Century. Pick up a heritage walk brochure from the information centre and your stroll becomes a parade of late-Victorian mansions, villas and bungalows, many with mature gardens and retaining their old stable buildings. The period character of the main street is reinforced by hipped iron roofs, bullnose verandahs, and decorative gables and chimneys.

Talk a walk along the Belubula River Walk, Blayney’s newest nature-based attraction, stretching from Dakers Oval to Heritage Park. Take in the local environment, waterways, and bird and plant species on this fully accessible 1.4km walk. The boardwalk features a footbridge to a small island surrounded by the Belubula River and connects Blayney’s shopping centre with the main playground, off leash area and skate park. If you’re up for a drive and enjoy a water view or fishing, check out Carcoar Dam or Junction Reefs Reserve.

DAY 2

Discover the unique character of our surrounding villages, each with their own distinct landscapes, flavours and colourful histories. A visit to Millthorpe wouldn’t be complete without exploring the boutique retail shops lining the streets and the three cellar doors only a stone’s throw apart. Carcoar, the NSW Top Tiny Tourism Town of 2022 is a picture-perfect village, nestled in a small sheltered valley beside the meandering Belubula River with the perfect selection of specialty businesses ranging from a hatted restaurant to shops selling vintage wares or handmade items. Newbridge is another quaint village getting a strong reputation for their art and good pub food. Neville is ideal for those looking for a country garden nursery and a quiet coffee, Mandurama is for those seeking a good steak with locally grown produce and Lyndhurst works an easy, free RV friendly stop over.

BLAYNEY SHIRE FOOD & WINE OPTIONS

• Tattersalls Hotel, 129 Adelaide St., Blayney. 02 6368 3262
• Exchange Hotel Bistro, 121 Adelaide St., Blayney. 02 6368 2124
• Hang Sing’s Chinese Cafe, 56 Adelaide St., Blayney. 02 6368 2063
• Carcoar Royal Hotel, 6 Belubula St., Carcoar. 02 6367 3009
• Tonic Restaurant, cnr Pym & Victoria Sts., Millthorpe. 02 6366 3811
• Tony G’s Bistro, 67 Adelaide St, Blayney. 02 6368 3792
• The Old Mill Cafe, 12 Pym St., Millthorpe. 02 6366 3188
• Royal Hotel Mandurama, 14 Olive Street, Mandurama. 02 6387 4316
• Gladstone Hotel Newbridge, Three Brothers Road, Newbridge. 02 6368 1004
• Lyndhurst Royal Hotel, 1 Main Street, Lyndhurst. 02 6367 5024
• Ironbark Espresso Bar, 97 Adelaide St, Blayney.
• Millthorpe Providore, 23 Victoria Street, Millthorpe. 0428 289 923
• The Village Grocer, 7 Belubula Street, Carcoar. 0499 044 479