Coonabarabran is best known as the gateway to the Warrumbungles, intriguing mountains that are one of the highlights of Central New South Wales. The Warrumbungles are easy to navigate, as much of it is National Park. Here you will find some of the state's most spectacular rock formations - such as the Breadknife - and one of Australia's Great Walks - the Grand High Tops. The park has many wildflowers and close to 200 bird species, not to mention wildlife such as koalas, kangaroos, goannas and emus.
Astronomy is big in town with two observatories. This includes the white domes of Siding Spring Observatory - Australia's largest optical astronomy research centre. Here you can see a giant 3.9-metre telescope! The best place to get a close up of the stunning night sky is at Skywatch Observatory where you can look through telescopes with an astronomy guide on their stargazing tours.
There is a mix of other visitor attractions including the Australian Museum Megafauna Display, Crystal Kingdom, Pilliga Pottery, the Warrumbungles Glass House, the Art Gallery of C, Aboriginal Culture and Ecological Tours, a hat factory outlet, wineries plus heaps more!
Coonabarabran is a town with wonderful facilities and local characters. It is located about 500 km northwest of Sydney which is a comfortable 5.5 to 6 hour drive. Coonabarabran is also a great place for a holiday stopover halfway between Melbourne and Brisbane along the Newell Highway. You will find all the sevices you need, including supermarkets, banks, cosy cafes, restaurants and a wide range of comfortable, good value accommodation.
... And October sees the Warrumbungle Festival of the Stars which displays the arts, astronomy and the Aboriginal heritage of the area.
