The Road to the Kingdom of Stars
This story forms part of Dawn's Warrumbungles adventure.
Some trips are all about the destination. Others make you realise the journey deserves a story of its own.
Heading north towards the Warrumbungles, the road winds through towns full of character, history and a few unexpected surprises. From Mudgee and Gulgong to giant silo art and a highway of planets, this is a reminder that some of the best adventures happen before you arrive.
Plan your visit
🔗 Mudgee | 🔗 Gulgong | 🔗 Dunedoo | 🔗 Coonabarabran
Dawn's experience
The road of whimsy to the kingdom of stars
Your voyage begins long before you even spot the jagged peaks of the Warrumbungles horizon. Leaving the historic charm of Bathurst, a less than four-hour drive steers you northwards through a rich tapestry of Central New South Wales towns, each bursting with its own distinct country town personality.
First, you twist through Mudgee, a lush valley of indulgence where the air smells of ripening grapes, wood-fired cafes with rich strong coffee and artisanal cheeses. It is a playground of boutique wineries, craft distilleries, and vibrant weekend markets where you can even float into the dawn in a hot-air balloon.
Further north, the road collapses time entirely as you step back into the Ten Dollar Note town of Gulgong. This historic gold rush wonderland feels frozen in the 19th century, its crooked little main streets lined with heritage homes and secret gardens. It whispers stories of the great bush poet Henry Lawson and invites you to explore treasure-trove museums filled with gold-flecked history and clanking vintage machinery.
For the visual dreamers amongst us, the Holtermann Museum is a true marvel, housing a mesmerizing collection of 19th-century wet-plate photographs that act as a literal mirror into the town's pioneering soul.
Pressing onward, Dunedoo offers the perfect pitstop for a well-deserved coffee and cake. Here, giant concrete canvases rise into the air, the famous silo art beautifully depicts local flora, fauna, and the legendary champion racehorse Winx alongside her local jockey, Hugh Bowman.
Echoing this artistry are the whimsical rusty sculptures scattered throughout the Lions Park. With boutique shops packed with vintage goods and homewares, it's the kind of town that tempts you to fill the back of the car until it overflows!
After a quick pass through the quiet charm of Mendooran, the countryside changes, and the grand finale begins.
As you arrive into Coonabarabran, you'll join the World's Largest Virtual Solar System Drive, passing scaled models of the planets guarding the highway like cosmic sentinels as you drive around and out of town.
Photos: Dawn Webb
About the contributor
This feature was created in collaboration with Dawn Webb, one of the Friends of Chi.
The Friends of Chi. help bring the Central West to life through photography, recommendations, stories and local insights.
