Oxley Highway - Attractions

Attractions

The Wauchope to Walcha section and southwards along Thunderbolts Way is a very popular motorcycle ride in Australia as these roads wind their way up and down the scenic mountains of the Great Dividing Range.

A major attraction at Wauchope is the Timbertown Pioneer Village which is a very good old timber town of the 1880s set on 87 acres (350,000 m2). West of Timbertown the highway passes along the northern boundary of the Bago Bluff National Park. After leaving Ellenborough the highway traverses through the Cottan-Bimbang National Park and the northern edge of the Mummel Gulf National Park. The Apsley Falls are easily accessible on a 1 km sealed side road and the Tia Falls and are quite spectacular, too, with good facilities available at each. Walcha has the unique Open Air Gallery, fossicking opportunities, Amaroo Museum & Cultural Centre, Pioneer Cottage museum and the local history archives.

The Gunnedah Rural Museum, containing farm machinery, equipment, a gun collection, photography and other artefacts is located on the Oxley Highway, 1 km west of the post office.

Near Coonabarabran, 2 km west of the town centre, on the National Park Road, is the Skywatch Observatory. Its attractions include hands-on usage of powerful telescopes. Hickey's Falls are located at the end of a short walking track which departs from a roadside stop, 42 km south-west of Coonabarabran on the Oxley Highway, en route to Gilgandra. Picnic and barbecue facilities are available.