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The name Oberon comes from Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer
Night's Dream'. Oberon is the highest town in the
Blue Mountains region at 1,113m. Oberon is the perfect
base from which to explore Jenolan Caves and Kanangra
Boyd National Park. Located about 180 kilometres
and under three hours drive from Sydney on the western
side of the Great Dividing Range. Due to its high
elevation Oberon enjoys cool summers, balmy autumns,
cold crisp winters and lush springs. During winter
visitors also on occasion experience a snowfall turning
the area into a picturesque winter wonderland.
Oberon offers visitors good shopping
facilities, a number of restaurants, cafes and takeaways.
Accommodation
in Oberon ranges from hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts,
self contained cottages, farm stays to caravan parks.
The Oberon area is well known for its primary industries
including prime lambs and beef cattle, brussel sprouts,
broccoli, potatoes and peas, tree nurseries, nut
tree plantations, wineries, and bulb farms
Lake Oberon along with wonderful local streams offer
excellent trout fishing in season.
Most of the early buildings in Oberon were built
of pise, wattle and daub or slabs from local timber.
The convent on the corner of Queen and Fleming Streets
was built in 1914 for the Sisters of St Joseph. Ramsgate,
is one of Oberon's most significant buildings, it
is a two storey Victorian private residence built
in 1906.
The Oberon Museum is located in the old railway
station and has an excellent collection of items
of local historical interest.
The Oberon Council has a collection of woodcraft
and paintings. Paintings depicting Oberon's early
streetscapes by artist Reg Campbell hang in the Oberon
RSL Club.
The Daffodil Festival, first held in 1984 has become
an annual event taking place on the last weekend
in September. Among the attractions are the Annual
Anglican Spring Flower Show, Art and Craft Exhibitions,
a Market Day, open gardens and special attractions.
The Oberon Agricultural Show, is held on the second
weekend in February. The 2 day program includes livestock,
ring events, produce, floral displays, cooking, harness
racing and sideshows.
Abercrombie Caves
Located in a nature reserve Abercrombie Caves, are one of the most spectacular
limestone cave systems in Australia. They consist of a large arch claimed to
be the largest natural limestone tunnel in the Southern hemisphere and a number
of smaller passages leading from it.
In 1854 gold was discovered in the
Mount Gray area, just above the caves. A gold mining
community was established covering over 20 hectares.
In the early 1860's the miners constructed a small
platform for dancing. A larger structure was built
in 1880 and is still used today for functions - this
venue has exceptional acoustics and hosts regular
musical events.
Abercrombie River National Park
The Abercrombie River National Park is a 19,000
hectare park and protects an important area of
bush land within the south-western central tablelands. Abercrombie River National Park is
located off the Goulburn-Oberon Road, about 40km
southwest of Oberon. The park offers fishing, picnic
spots, canoeing, swimming and bush walking.
Bike Riding
Experience the world heritage Kanangra Boyd National Park and Jenolan Caves from
a bike. Sweeping hills, paths that weave through native and pine forests and
quiet country roads offer cyclists a varied scene.
Evans Crown
Evans Crown Nature Reserve is situated 21 kilometres
from Oberon, in a picturesque valley. Evans Crown
Nature Reserve is an attractive bush walking
area with
diverse fauna and flora and some outstanding granite tors.
Crown Rock is a popular abseiling spot. The track to the summit takes about
half and hour. Fishing
Lake Oberon is regularly stocked with rainbow trout and can be fished throughout
the year from the water's edge. Boating and swimming are prohibited without
special permission as the dam supplies drinking water. Most local streams also
contain trout and are stocked with trout fingerlings regularly.
The Oberon Visitor Centre can provide detailed information
on where to fish and how to access various rivers and streams.
Gardens
Oberon's cool mountain climate and high rainfall provide a wonderful environment
for gardens. From early spring until late autumn, Oberon gardens are full
of colour. The district has a number of unique gardens well worth visiting.
Oberon gardens are open for the Daffodil Festival in September, in October
and at other times by appointment. Some gardens are also open in the ABC
Open Garden Scheme.
Jenolan Caves
Located just 30km from Oberon, Jenolan Caves are
set in a 2,416 hectare reserve and offer visitors
one of the most spectacular Limestone caves in
Australia. The caves are world renowned and have
been open to
the public for over 150 years. These caves are
believed to have been first explored by European
settlers
in 1838. There are 9 richly decorated show caves
open for public viewing every day of the year.
The surrounding parkland has wonderful bush trails
with
numerous lookouts from which to enjoy the scenery.
Kanangra Boyd National Park
The Kanangra Boyd National Park covers approximately 68,000 hectares. This
includes parts of the Blue Mountains National Park. The Kanangra-Boyd Wilderness
Area includes a large scenic water catchment area.
Within the Kanangra-Boyd National Park is the elevated Boyd
Plateau and a maze of creeks, rivers, deep gorges and ridges into which
the plateau fall. The park provides a wide range of bushwalks. The lookout
walk is the easiest and is wheelchair accessible. A pleasant 10 minute
stroll along well-formed tracks leads to the first lookout which overlooks
the gorges of Kanangra Creek and beyond to the high tops of Mt Cloudmaker
and the Blue Mountains escarpment. The second lookout overlooks rugged
ravines at the head of the gorges and Kanangra Falls.
From the second lookout the Waterfall Walk leads down into
the gully where Kalang Falls splash into a deep pool. Plateau Walk is the
longest walk and turns off before the main lookout and leads into Kanangra
Wilderness and onto the expansive heath-covered Kanangra Tops Plateau with
its magnificent view. Mushroom Picking
The vast area of State Forest pine plantations provides
an ideal environment for exotic mushrooms. Between
late January and early May, many varieties of mushroom
emerge waiting to be picked.
There are many colourful mushrooms
and fungi in the forests some make great photographic
subjects
but should not be eaten. A leaflet and advice is
available from the Oberon Visitor Information Centre
regarding which mushrooms are safe to eat.
Oberon Museum
The Museum is situated on what was the Oberon railway station and shunting grounds.
The museum is home to over 150 pieces of early farm machinery and a wide and
varied collection of artifacts and memorabilia which is housed inside the original
1920's railway station with it's two 1925 passenger rail carriages.
Two of the Museum's most popular exhibits
are the early settler's authentic, furnished house
complete with a blacksmiths shop and it's fully functioning
forge. Both buildings were constructed between 1885
/ 1895.
Oberon has four distinct seasons with cool summers,
balmy autumns, cold crisp winters and lush springs.
Frosts occur regularly during autumn, winter
and spring and several snowfalls can be expected
each
winter. Average Summer Temperature Day: 21º C Night:
12ºC
Average Winter Temperature Day: 8º C Night:
1º C
Oberon Plateau Tourism Association - http://www.oberonaustralia.com/
If you would like to display your business here,
click here to contact us.
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