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| The Commercial Hotel,
built in 1865 |
Walcha (including Nowendoc, Woolbrook and Mount
Seaview)
Attractive town on the edge of the Northern Tablelands
Walcha (pronounced 'Wolka') is a town of some 1800 people,
located in a beautiful area 1067 m above sea-level on the
eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range at the
south-eastern edge of the Northern Tablelands.
It is essentially a service centre to the surrounding
area which has traditionally been associated with sheep,
wool and cattle, although timber and timber-processing have
been of increasing importance to the local economy since
World War II.
The area is thought to have been occupied by the
Ngayaywana and Dyangadi Aborigines prior to white
settlement. In 1818 John Oxley camped beside the Apsley
River very near the present townsite en route to the coast.
He recorded the event in his diary that day: 'We halted in a
fine and spacious valley ... watered by a fine brook, and at
a distance of a mile we saw several fires at which appeared
many natives.'
The first settler in the New England area was Hamilton
Sempill (see entry on Gundy) who took up the 'Wolka' run in 1832, establishing
slab huts where 'Langford' now stands. Consequently the
hilly country around the present townsite was the first part
of the New England tablelands to be explored. Other early
runs around the town were Ohio (1836), Orandumbie (1837) and
Europambula (1830s).
A road to Port Macquarie (the template of today's Oxley
Highway) was constructed in 1842 for the transportation of
wool from New England to the coast. A postal service was
established in 1851 and the village of Walcha was gazetted
in 1852. At that time there was a blacksmith's, a store and
a flour mill. A Catholic chapel was erected in 1854, a
police station and the first Presbyterian church in 1857 and
the Walcha National School in 1859.
In 1861 the population was recorded at 355 and the
Anglican church (still standing) was built in 1862. Numbers
dropped in the 1860s but the town soon began to grow for two
reasons: firstly, cedar-getters were active in the area's
rainforests by about 1870 and goldmining began in 1873 at
Tia, Glen Morrison and Nowendoc.
In 1878 Walcha was gazetted as a town and a courthouse
was built. A rail link opened to the west, at Walcha Road,
in 1882. The town became a municipality in 1889.
The timber industry became important after World War II.
The first aerial spraying of superphosphates in Australia
took place at a local property in 1950. One of the first
instances of aerial agriculture in Australia it greatly
increased the stock-carrying capacity of the land.
Walcha's Agricultural Show is held each year in February,
the biennial Timber Expo in September and, in January, the
Walcha Bushmans Carnival and Campdraft.
Things to see:
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Visitors' Centre
The Tourist Information and Telecottage complex is located
in the old public school (1882) in Fitzroy St (the Oxley
Highway), between Middle and Lagoon Sts. As well as
furnishing detailed local information they can tell you
about accommodation possibilities, including farmstays and
bed-and-breakfasts.
Within the same building is The Walcha Gallery featuring
local art works. Admission is free and the opening hours are
currently weekdays from 9.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m., with plans
afoot for weekend openings, tel: (02) 6777 1111.
Town Walk- Fitzroy St
Head west along Fitzroy St to Captain Cook Park, a pleasant
spot for a picnic on the banks of the Apsley River. Over the
road is Fenwicke House, a charming 19th-century terrace
house which is now a bed-and-breakfast and cafe, tel: (02)
6777 2713.
Continue westwards along Fitzroy St to the South St
intersection, where you will find McHattan Park, a good
picnic spot with childrens' play facilities. Here you will
find a map detailing the area's highlights. Over the road is
The Craft Shop, situated in Walcha's earliest store.
At Fitzroy and Meridian is the ex-serviceman's club, an
unsympathetic extension of the town's first bank, the CBC
(1876). Turn right into Meridian St where you will find the
Commercial Hotel (1860s).
At the corner of Fitzroy and Thee Streets is the Anglican
rectory, known as The Vicarage (1879), designed by J.
Horbury Hunt, arguably colonial Australia's finest
architect. It is now a private home.
South Street
Return east along Fitzroy St and turn left into South St. On
a slight hill behind St Andrew's is the original Anglican
church (1862-66), built of stone taken from the demolished
homestead, 'Villa Walcha', erected on the Wolka run in the
1840s by then-owner David Jamieson. The old church has fine
stained-glass windows which bear tribute to the town's
pioneers.
At 17N South St is the town's first chemist shop. The
adjacent building, 19N, was a residence and saddlery
workshop. Both date from the 1860s. Cross Apsley St. To the
left is St Patrick's Catholic Church (1881).
Hill Street
Turn right into Hill St. At Hill and Derby is Monument Park
where there is a war memorial in a garden setting and
another good vantage point. Also at this corner is
'Trefusis', a private home dating from the 1870s.
Pioneer Cottage and Museum Complex
Turn left into Derby St. To the left, opposite Quota Park,
is the Pioneer Cottage and Museum Complex, open by
appointment only, tel: (02) 6777 1265. There are eight
buildings in all. The museum has Aboriginal artefacts and
other historic items.
The Pioneer Cottage is a slab house built in 1858 and
reconstructed to represent an early settler's home, complete
with colonial furnishings. There are old domestic and
agricultural tools in the Shed which was originally used as
a kitchen. The old school of arts building (1887) features a
display of the wool industry. It was originally built at
Glen Morrison, a mining settlement 24 km south-west of
Walcha, and now houses a shearing machinery, wool presses,
fleeces and a photographic display. There is a collection of
horse-drawn vehicles and early agricultural equipment in the
slab barn, and a slab blacksmith's shop with bellows, forge,
anvil, brands and horseshoes.
The Plane Shed contains the 1930 Tiger Moth biplane which
was used at a local property in 1950 by A.S. Nivison. This
is claimed to be the first time a plane was used to spread
superphosphate over crops in Australia. It was a major
breakthrough, greatly increased the stock-carrying capacity
of local land.
Also within the complex is a stringybark tree with
Aboriginal carvings, one of the few surviving examples of a
once common feature of the area.
Town Walk Continued
Head south along Derby St to Apsley St where you will find
the National Australia Bank, formerly the CBC (1909), James
Barnet's brick courthouse (1878 with later timber
additions), and the post office (1884).
Amaroo Cultural Centre
Just past the post office is the Amaroo Aboriginal Museum
and Cultural Centre which features artwork by Aboriginal
people, screen printing and contemporary clothing with
original designs. There is also a display of historic
artefacts. The centre is intended to educate the community
about Aboriginal culture and, to this end, it caters to
school groups with participatory activities such as bark
painting, jewellery making and storytelling. They are open
weekdays from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., tel: (02) 6777 1391.
The Rotary Park adjacent has childrens' play facilities.
Oxley Cairn
About 750 m south of the Derby and Fitzroy St intersection
(via Thunderbolt's Way), on the western bank of the Apsley
River, is a memorial cairn to John Oxley who camped near
here en route to the coast in 1818.
The Oxley Cairn Scenic Walk and Langford
There is a short and very pleasant walk from the cairn to to
the A.S. Nivison Lookout at the southern end of Middle St.
The walk incorporates scenic views of the town, sections of
bushland and Langford House, built c.1900 on the original
'Wolka' run which was established in 1832, making it the
first property in the New England area. Langford is a
two-storey red-brick mansion with a central three-storey
square tower over the portico. The two decorative cast-iron
verandahs are connected by a circular iron staircase.
State Forests
Walcha has many quite beautiful state forests in the area,
some of which are sketched below. For a map, further details
and updates about the conditions of roads and what may be
negotiable in a two-wheel drive, visit or phone the Walcha
Forestry Office at 19E Hill St, tel: (02) 6777 2511.
Apsley Falls/Oxley Wild Rivers National Park
The falls were discovered by John Oxley in 1818 who wrote of
being 'lost in astonishment at the sight of this wonderful
sublimity'. They are located in Oxley Wild Rivers National
Park, an enormous wilderness area situated on the Great
Escarpment which divides the tablelands from the coast. Here
the New England Plateau drops precipitously into the rugged
gorges carved out by the Aspley and upper Macleay Rivers
which meander through the park. Numerous private tour
operators run excursions into the park. Ring (02) 6773 7211
for further information.
To access the falls head east along the Oxley Highway for
19 km then take the signposted turnoff on the left. At the
rest area there is a gorge rim walking track. A 52-m steel
stairway leads to an observation deck where there are great
views of the deep gorge and the falls which drop 309 m in
two stages. The Apsley River Nature Trail is a 1-km circuit
track.
Tia Falls/Oxley Park
A further 19 km south-east along the Oxley Highway is
another turnoff to the left which leads to the Tia Falls
Rest Area which is situated in a charming bush setting with
all appropriate facilities. There is a gorge rim walking
track with spectacular views and swimming in the warm
weather.
Enfield State Forest
48 km south-east of Walcha via the Oxley Highway, there is a
turnoff to the right which leads into Enfield State Forest.
There you will find Enfield Forestry Camp, where
accommodation is available at certain times of the year, and
New Country Swamp Forest Park. For further information
contact the Walcha Forestry Office, tel: (02) 6777 2511.
Werrikimbe National Park
56 km south-east of Walcha, to the left, is the turnoff into
Werrikimbe National Park (Kangaroo Flat Road). The access
roads are gravel, serpentine and sometimes steep, so drive
slowly and don't bother attempting to take a caravan in.
This large remote park has been listed on the World Heritage
Register due to its extensive tracts of rainforest.
There are campsites at Cobcrofts and Mooraback. After
approximately 20 km Kangaroo Flat Rd brings you to a
signposted intersection where you can either take the hard
right into Cobcrofts Rd and head south to Cobcrofts Rest
Area or keep to the left following Mooraback Rd to the
Mooraback Rest Area. The latter is situated on a branch of
Mooraback Creek amidst snow gum woodlands. There are several
excellent trails. At Cobcrofts the 1500-m Carabeen Track
leads through warm temperate rainforest.
If you are experienced and prepared you can also
undertake longer and more challenging walks to the Hastings
River Gorge, the Upper Falls and the Mesa, tel: (02) 6773
7211.
Mount Seaview
77 km from Walcha, on the Oxley Highway, is Mount Seaview,
an attractive, family-oriented holiday resort situated in a
valley near the mountain of the same name. The peak was
named by John Oxley in 1818 while en route to the coast. In
his journal he noted: 'Balboa's ecstasy at the first sight
of the Southern Sea could not have been greater than ours
when on gaining the summit of this mountain, we beheld old
Ocean at our feet; it inspired us with new life, every
difficulty vanished and in imagination we were already at
home'. Horseriding can be pursued and there are 4WD tours
into Werrikimbe National Park.
Woolbrook
If you follow the Oxley Highway west from Walcha (via
Fitzroy St) it leads to the old railhead of Walcha Road, and
on to Woolbrook and Bendemeer. This section of the highway
was constructed in the late 1860s. Woolbrook is situated on
the Macdonald River and is a popular swimming and fishing
spot. There are picnic facilities.
Winterbourne State Forest
Take Derby St northwards towards Uralla then turn right a
short distance from town on to Emu Creek Rd (4WD territory),
which leads to Winterbourne State Forest. Ring or visit the
Walcha Forestry Office for details, tel: (02) 6777 2511.
Budds Mare Rest Area
Moona Plains Rd (2WD) runs to the right off Emu Creek Rd. 44
km from Walcha is Budds Mare Rest Area, a delightful spot
with walking tracks, bush camping and picnicking facilities,
toilets, barbecues, a viewing platform and bushwalks to the
Apsley River.
Riverside
Beyond Budds Mare, the Moona Plains Rd is strictly 4WD
country but it is very beautiful indeed. 6 km brings you to
the Apsley River within the remote and unspoilt Macleay
Gorges Wilderness Area. Swimming, fishing, bushwalking and
canoeing can all be pursued though numbers for camping and
day-use are limited so bookings are essential. Ring (02)
6773 7211 or obtain a permit from Apsley Motors in Fitzroy
St, Walcha, tel: (02) 6777 2755.
Nowendoc State Forest
The drive south to Nowendoc is really very beautiful and
quite scenic. Moreover, the road through to Gloucester will
soon be entirely sealed. There are facilities for overnight
stays at Goldsmiths Camp although advance bookings are
essential, tel: (02) 6777 2511. Nowendoc itself is a tiny
village with little more than a shop, a police station and a
few houses although the scenic attractions have generated
enough custom to warrant a motel.
Koolkuna Berries
For those keen on a country drive, 40 km south-west of
Walcha (half of it on gravel roads) at Niangala is a berry
farm nestled in some beautiful bushland. You can investigate
the workings of the farm, have a picnic, and pick, or just
buy, your own fruit, as well as gourmet jams, wine vinegars
and traditionally fermented wines, tel (02) 6769 2221.
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Walcha
