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| View of the Devils Hole
from lookout at Barrington Tops National Park
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Gresford (including Allynbrook, Lostock Dam,
Chichester State Forest, Mt Allyn and Barrington Tops
National Park)
Small towns on the edge of the beautiful Barrington Tops
National Park
Gresford and East Gresford are two small settlements
separated by 2 km. They make an obvious base for an
exploration of the area to the north where you will find
lovely Allynbrook, Lostock Dam, Mt Allyn and the mountainous
terrain of Chichester State Forest and Barrington Tops. East
Gresford, on the main road to Maitland, is 196 km north of
Sydney and 39 km north of Maitland.
Prior to the colonial period the Gresford area was
occupied by the Gringgai clan of the Wanaruah Aboriginal
people. The first Europeans in the district were
timbergetters who began extracting cedar in the 1810s. When
Paterson was settled in the 1820s exploration upriver began.
The first grants were 'Camyr Allyn', issued to Charles
Boydell (now Gresford) and 'Cawarra', made out to George
Townshend (now East Gresford). Boydell's brother William
took up 'Caergwrle' (just north at Allynbrook and pronounced
'Ca-girl-ee') upon his arrival in Australia in 1836. As
these names might suggest these early settlers were Welsh.
In fact Charles Boydell and George Townshend were neighbours
in Wales and came to Australia on the same ship. Other local
place names, such as Trevallyn and Eccleston, reflect their
heritage. Indeed Gresford is named after a town on the Allyn
River in North Wales.
They were assigned convict servants in proportion to the
wealth they brought with them, with a view to 'developing'
the land and establishing autonomous settlements. Tobacco,
wheat, corn, grapes, citrus fruits and turnips were grown.
Henry Lindeman, one of Australia's most famous
winemakers, bought 'Cawarra' in 1842 and set up vineyards
there in 1843.
Today the Gresfords are essentially service centres to
the surrounding pastoral, agricultural, dairying and timber
district.
Things to see:
Tourist Information
At the main intersection in West Gresford - off Durham Rd
(to East Gresford), Lostock Rd (to Lostock Dam), Singleton
Rd (to Singleton) and Church St (down to St Anne's) - is the
Gresford Post Office Store which can provide tourist
information. The main information centre in the shire is at
the corner of Dowling and Brown Sts, Dungog, tel: (02) 4992
2212.
St Anne's Anglican Church and Suspension Bridge
Just down Church St is St Anne's Anglican Church. William
Broughton, the first bishop of Australia and one of the most
prominent ecclesiasts in the early colonial history of
Australia, is said to have held the first local Anglican
service in a barn across the river.
The current brick building was completed in 1898-99. It
is an Early English design with a fine wrought-iron gate.
The churchyard is full of trees, roses and trimmed hedges
with a seat nicely placed within a shady arbour. Some of the
stained-glass windows were furnished by the Lindeman family.
The land was donated by the Townshends, one of the first
families in the district.
The church is adjacent a suspension bridge over the
Paterson River. This was the site of the original ford
across the river and was part of the road to Singleton. A
pedestrian bridge was built in 1911. This, the third span
and the first vehicular bridge, was built within the last 20
years.
Cawarra Estate
Head out of Gresford along Lostock Rd. 2.6 km from the main
Gresford intersection is the driveway of Henry Lindeman's
Cawarra Estate, one of Australia's most famous vineyards.
There were three cellars to the winery which operated
between 1843 and 1918. One remains. The two-storey homestead
was built of local sandstone around 1880 with later
additions. The best perspective is gained by continuing just
past the driveway.
Lostock Dam
Continue northwards along Lostock Rd and 18.2 km from
Gresford to the turnoff to Lostock Dam and Caravan Park. A
side road to the left leads down to a boat ramp, barbecue
and picnic area with chopped wood while the main road
continues on to the caravan park. The land here was granted
to John Phillip Weber in the 1830s. The dam, built in 1969,
covers 220 ha, has a storage capacity of 20 000 megalitres,
a maximum water depth of 30 m and draws on a catchment area
of 280 square kilometres. The dam wall is 701 m long and 38
m high. Fishing and boating are permitted.
Return south along Lostock Rd for a little over 8 km then
take the left into Cross Keys Rd. It is a 4.6-km dirt track.
At the T-intersection a left will take you on towards
Barrington Tops while a right will bring you, after 2.5 km,
to Allynbrook.
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| A black sally tree at
Polblue Swamp at Stewarts Brook State Forest at the
top of Barrington Tops |
The Northern Drive (Allynbrook)
This is a loop drive which heads north along the Allyn River
to Chichester State Forest and Mt Allyn then veers south
through a section of Barrington Tops National Park, along
the Williams Valley and on to Dungog. It is 125 km to Dungog
and 150 km back to East Gresford. This can be done in a day
with an early morning start if you restrict yourself to two
or three of the shorter walks. If you intend taking time out
to do a lot of bushwalking then you may wish to camp in
Chichester State Forest or stay in accommodation en route.
Before starting ensure you have plenty of petrol as the NRMA
depot in Durham Rd, East Gresford is the last petrol source.
Allynbrook is nothing more than a locality 7.5 km north
of the Camyr Allyn Bridge, which spans the Allyn River at
the northern end of East Gresford. Adjacent to the main
road, you will find, to the right, the homestead 'Caegwrle'
(c.1844 and pronounced 'Ca-girl-ee') and St Mary-on-Allyn
Church, built in 1840. In the graveyard are the tombs of
William and Mary Boydell. The two met aboard the ship which
brought them to Australia in 1836. Mary was the daughter of
Bishop Broughton who made it a condition of their marriage
that Boydell build the home and church which he did on his
land grant, one of the early ones in the district .
St Mary's is a handsome church with a fine graveyard but
what makes it very special is the well-kept churchyard and
idyllic pastoral setting. A nice touch is the iron gateway
with an old gas lamp dangling overhead. There are
lancet-arched leadlight windows with timber tracery and a
lancet-arched doorway topped by a gable with carved timber
bargeboards. Caegwrle next door also has lancet arched
windows and door. The public school adjacent dates back to
1881.
The Northern Drive (Eccleston)
The drive north from Allynbrook follows the course of the
Allyn River. There are mountains all around. 23 km from East
Gresford are Eccleston Public School and a Congregational
Church opposite, both established in 1867. Just past them is
a driveway on the left to another small timber church (St
Paul's).
34.5 km from Gresford is Tristania Tops Farm Horse
Riding, tel: (02) 4931 5212. There is a general store that
is open (10.00 a.m. - 4.00 p.m.) for weekend and holiday
trading from the October long weekend to the end of the
school holidays in January.
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| An unusual granite
formation in the Barrington Tops National Park
|
The Northern Drive (Chichester State Forest - Mt Allyn
Lookout and Burraga Swamp Walk)
If you're in trouble a telephone box is on the roadside a
further 3 km along the road near the entrance to the
Chichester State Forest where there are numerous camping
areas and scenic spots. A few hundred metres brings you to a
fork in the road. Turn left for the superb Mt Allyn Lookout
(26 km return). Measuring distances from the fork,
Paddymelon Forest Park is to the left after 700 m and The
Gunyah (one of two huts for rent - tel: 02-4933 2537) after
2 km. Quite rapidly the temperature drops and the vegetation
changes from dry sclerophyll eucalypt forest to temperate
Antarctic beech forest.
After 11.4 km there are two choices. Either take the
sharp left to Mt Allyn Lookout (1.6 km) or continue along
the main road to Burraga Swamp Walk. The commencement of the
easy 2-km walk is not signposted but it is pretty clear
where it starts - from the roadside to the right where there
is a fireplace a few hundred metres past the lookout
turnoff. The virtually 360-degree view from atop the lookout
(1143 m above sea-level) is stunning. A walking track heads
off from this pinnacle and joins up with the Burraga Swamp
Walk.
The Northern Drive (Chichester State Forest - Forest
Parks, Walking Trails and Lookouts)
Return to Mt Allyn River Road. There are numerous signposted
camping areas on both sides of the road. Again measuring
distances from the fork The Ladies Well swimming hole is
signposted at 700 m; an access point to the Double Bridges
Walking Trail (4 km long, it loops back to the roadway) on
the left at 1.8 km and Allyn River Forest Park (3.6 km). At
3.9 km you can continue along Mt Allyn River Rd to more
camping areas or turn right along Lagoon Pinch Rd. 250 m
along this road is the Peach Tree Picnic Area where you can
go on the excellent and short Allyn River Rainforest Trail
(1 km). A series of arrows lead to numbered sites which are
explained in an accompanying brochure. It can be obtained,
along with pamphlets on other walking trails in the area,
from the Information Centre at Dungog, contact (02) 4992
2212 or ring (02) 4927 0977.
The walk takes in the largest small-leaved fig in NSW
(no.2) with a diameter of 3.3 m, a height of 50 m and a
crown spread of 40 m. Perhaps even more remarkable than its
giant roots extending above-ground. No. 12 is the largest
river oak in NSW with a diameter of 1.88 m and a height of
53 m. There are masses of thick vines, ferns and epiphytes.
Continue along Lagoon Pinch Rd through wet sclerophyll
forest of tall blue gums. 2 km brings you to a
T-intersection. The road to the right is Williams Top Rd.
Turn left. After 800 m you will see an old grader to the
right, once used for logging in the area. Barely visible on
the grader is some writing and an arrow indicating the
direction of Rocky Crossing Trail, a 1-km walk down to the
Williams River. This track continues along the river for a
further 7 km to Barrington Tops Guest House.
Continue driving north along the road and 500 m from the
grader is Lagoon Pinch Forest Park where you can go on a
12-km, one-way walk to Careys Peak Lookout. It is a long,
steep climb involving almost vertical sections and it links
up with the Barrington Tops Walking Trails and Gloucester
Tops for 2-3 day treks. Also there is a walk from here to
Hawks Nest Surf Club along the 220-km Myall's Heritage Trail
(there is a map and signposts).
Return to the point where Lagoon Pinch Rd and Williams
Top Rd meet. It is 1.4 km south to the Headwaters Lookout (a
very sharp left). If the trees have been cut back there are
fine views of the start of the Williams River and the crags
of Barrington Tops National Park. If they haven't been cut
back there's nothing to see.
Another 2.4 km will bring you to the turnoff on the right
to Williams Top Lookout (6 km return). There is a
picnic-barbecue area and fine views of the Williams Valley.
The Northern Drive (The Williams River Day Use Area)
3.5 km south of the lookout turnoff there is a
T-intersection at the end of Williams Top Rd. Salisbury Rd,
to the right, heads off to Dungog while two roads head left:
the first to the award-winning, first-class Barrington Guest
House (02-4995 3212) where there is horse riding,
bushwalking, tennis, Devonshire teas etc. The far left leads
to the Williams River Day Use Area of Barrington Tops
National Park. This represents only a small section of the
park. It contains 26 endangered animal and 9 endangered
plant species.
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Gresford
