April 2023 – Easter

Having spent previous Easter Weekends in the Blue Mountains and down in Jervis Baywith Cillian we thought we would go inland and visit the town of Mudgee in the Central West region of NSW. Another Road Trip!

The High Road

We decided to break up the journey and spend the night at Lithgow – the first major town once you come down the western side of the Blue Mountains. Looking at the map we realised we could go via a different route, so avoid Katoomba – and discover some new spots.

We headed North-West on the M2 from Cremorne and passed through Richmond and across the Hawkesbury River. This town marks the end of the city and the beginning of the countryside and is very historic – given it was the fifth ever European settlement in Australia when farmers founded the town in 1794. Within 5 years they were producing about half the grain needed by the colony.

Just north of Richmond is the entrance to the Blue Mountains National Park and our path through an area called the Devil’s Wilderness. Further along the road we had our first stop of the trip – the tiny village of Bilpin and the Bilpin Cider Company.

Established in 2011, this family-owned craft cider business uses only 100% crushed fruit to make it’s amazing ciders. Located just off the main road, this cider company has a cellar door, outdoor kitchen, orchards and a paddock with some farm animals. Everything a young family needs for a road trip break.

The location of the cider company is ‘on-brand’ as Bilpin is known as the “Land of the Mountain Apple” due to the sheer volume of orchards and gardens in the area. The main road is lined with vendors selling appples, apple juice and even a pie shop or two selling apple pies.

Before leaving we bought a mixed case of the ciders as we would be staying with friends in Mudgee.

On Top of the World

The next stop was up in Mount Tomah and the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden.

We were able to spend a good bit of time here as there were a number of gardens to explore – the Rock Garden, Ornamental Gardens and Forest Boardwalk. At 1000m above sea-level it has the distinction of being the highest botanic garden in the southern hemisphere and has a significant number of ferns. The Dharug word for “tree-fern” is Tomah, the name of the area.

After the botanic gardens we had one more stop just outside Lithgow – Hassans Walls. At 1,100 metres above sea-level there is a scenic lookout that allows you to take in views of Hartley, Kanimbla and Megalong Valley as well as a 360 degree vantage point as it is amongst the highest points of the Blue Mountains. Reports differ but it is possibly named after the mountainous region of Hassan in India where Governor Macquarie was stationed prior to his posting to Australia.

The landscape around the cliff contains a number of pagoda rock outcrops. These were formed when the rest of the rock surrounding them has been weathered away. Ironstone on top of the pagodas protects them from the same fate. To get to the cliff edge there is an 80m boardwalk named after Sir Joseph Cook – a local miner who went onto become the 6th ever Prime Minister of Australia in 1913.

After an adventurious road trip we settled into Lithgow and our accomodation for the night. The next morning would be the short journey onto Mudgee and the beginning of our Easter celebrations.

Wine; Easter Eggs and Miniature Trains

As soon as we made it to Mudgee we increased out party size significantly as we were joined our good friend Dim and her family for the Easter break – staying in a large converted farmhouse just outside town. Dim’s sister had a son the same age as Cillian so he had a pal to play with.

We started the weekend festivities with some wine tasting at our favourite Australian winery – Logan Wines. They had live music and food being served as it was the holidays and Cillian had fun playing amongst the trees and lawns out the front of Apple Tree Flat. The first of the Easter chocolate was also consumed.

When the boys were in bed it was time for card games and board games. Cillian was also at the age where daddy’s glasses are to be grabbed and thrown and sure enough the time had come for them to break. With no spare set packed for the trip we had to come up with a solution.

The next morning we had an Easter Egg Hunt at the house – making sure we had the right mix of chocolate and Hot Wheels cars as treasure as well as arts and crafts. Even ‘Poppy’ Brett was decorating some Easter biscuits.

After lunch we headed to the Mudgee Minature Railway. Set in the forest to the north of the town in the locality of Buckaroo. This was a great place to take the kids as there was a number of different steam and petrol trains. At $2 a ride it also meant you could go on a second time.

The Easter Bunny also made an appearance too!

The Easter Monday was a long slog home as we decided to drive back to Sydney in one go. We stopped again at the Botanic Gardens near Bilpin for a break before pushing through to Cremorne. Another Easter Holidays in the books. Cillian making a new friend, a lot of chocolate and a having a few new Hot Wheels Cars.

Meanwhile John had an appointment with the opticians booked for the Tuesday!