'Barrington Tops - a little closer to heaven', goes the current marketing slogan. Forget that. This place is a little bit of heaven already, say the city escapees, dozens of them, who have fled up here in the last couple of years to take up farming or B, or almost anything they can think of that does not entail them being part of the rat-race. 'Tree Change' somebody dubbed it, the perfect explanation of what has lured them to these remote mountains.
Yet you don't have to pack up and move here. Plenty of people are discovering that this place is closer than they may have thought - an easy three-and-a-half hour's drive from Sydney, much less from Newcastle. There is even a CityRail link to Dungog, the end of the line.
Once there the options too are extensive. Especially if your interests include outdoor activities such as bushwalking, camping, horse riding, mountain biking, birdwatching, canoeing, swimming, photography, trout fishing, picnicking, or rock climbing. Many of the accommodation options in the area can provide or arrange access to several of these.
And there is plenty of accommodation too ranging from the been-there-forever Barrington Guest House, established in 1930 with its traditional or ensuite guesthouse rooms and luxury rainforest cottages to the eco-friendly Yeranda cottages at Barrington Tops. At the latter, three craftsman-perfect cottages have been built in a 140-acre wildlife refuge, one with careful provision for disabled users, all with log fires, full kitchens and BBQs, plus total privacy.
The multi-award winning eco-resort Eaglereach Wilderness Resort, has one to five-bedroom deluxe lodges, many with amazing views across the ranges, and Hookes Creek, offers luxury self-contained cottages, deep in the forest. Riverwood Downs' luxury guest suites, and The Barringtons Country Retreat's range of luxury lodges and cabins are always in demand, but if roughing it is part of the formula for a fun time in the bush, State Forests have simple unpowered forest huts, sleeping several people, available for public use.
While most people would opt to self-drive in this area - and certainly most of the roads are 4WD passable (and often quite suitable for regular cars) except in very rainy or snowy conditions - a great way to go is to sit back and let Hunter Valley Day Tours run by Rob and Vicki McLaughlin offer a 4WD soft adventure-eco day tour of the area. If your stay is longer they can build in a rainforest and wineries tour, wine-and-cheesetasting tours, and other tours to surrounding areas.
And, yes, this area does experience snow - one place called Frosty Hollow can have temperatures 10 degrees less than other parts of the region - and temperatures are often up to 10 degrees lower in the Barringtons than in Sydney, and can plummet as low as -18°C. Snowfalls are common in winter, but this is not ski-country as the snow cover rarely lasts.
The mighty Barrington Tops National Park is an amazing place. In one part, rainforest ferns lead the way to a massive small-leafed fig, which at a height of 50 metres with a canopy of 40 metres is NSW's biggest. Lime green flashes of parrots as they zigzag through the treetops may be the only sign of life in this cathedral-quiet place which once was the hideout of Thunderbolt, the bushranger.
Originally this whole area was a rich cedar timber-getting area, but fortunately logging was halted in time to save many of these precious trees. Today there are still stands of original forest, but interspersed now with carefully maintained and supervised plantations.
National Parks and Wildlife Service has a huge stake in this area too. After all it's a unique area - The Barrington Tops National Park, with its highest point 1586 metres, beginning around 60 km west of Gloucester. A World Heritage Area, it is surprisingly accessible, even to people with limited mobility. It is about 75 per cent a declared wilderness, with totally undisturbed habitats of local fauna and flora. In fact, more than 50 plants and animals in this region are listed as rare or threatened.
There are strict rules for behaviour in such sacred spots, but the payoff is enormous: stand quietly by a river and more than likely you will spot a platypus nudging the water's surface; tiptoe into a dark forest and you may disturb a lyrebird scratching noisily around in the leaf mould: sit still on a rock and an echidna just might amble across your footprints.
A must-see is the Antarctic Beech Forest, an easy 20 to 90-minute walk from Honeysuckles Picnic Area. If you fancy a stroll through snowgum forests, peat swamps and grassy frost hollows, head for the Lower Barrington Tops Plateau Walk. If you want views and a tougher climb, check out the Careys Peak trek, around ten hours return.
A little closer to heaven? You bet.
NSW National Parks can be closed at times of bushfire and bushfire danger. It is advisable to check with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service before you set off. Either phone 1300 361 967 (within NSW) or (02) 9253 4600 or visit www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au.
Spend some time getting back to nature. Take a horse ride, canoe trip or mountain bike ride through the rainforest. You'll be surprised how much there is to see and its all made better by your other means of transport.
Colleen, Dubbo.
4WD
