Dungog

Set in rolling valleys at the foothills of the Barrington Tops is a picturesque necklace of historic towns and villages - Clarence Town, Dungog, Gresford, Paterson and Vacy. Together they span the Shire of Dungog, a rich farming area of the Hunter Valley. Just 2.5 hours drive from Sydney (or just 3.5 with the direct Countrylink rail service), the area is a favourite of hikers, car enthusiasts, cyclists and roving bikers.Special features include the picturesque winding roads, breath-taking views and fresh pure country air. Along the rivers, the Williams, the Chichester, the Paterson and the Allyn, you'll find plentiful waterholes for picnics and a swim, and walking through the splendid world heritage listed rain forests of the Barrington Tops is forever enticing.

The towns and villages are set conveniently apart, so, when driving or riding, a coffee, or lunch stop, or a drink at a traditional country pub, is never very far away. The farms you'll find between the villages specialise in everything from lavender to chickens, from olives and wine to cattle grazing and horse breeding. The area is a perfect weekend getaway for nature-lovers with heaps of things to do, while the local restaurants, hotels, motels and bed 'n breakfasts offer a fresh country welcome for lovers and families alike.Come, visit and recharge – there's not a traffic jam or parking meter anywhere in sight, and the residents are determined to keep it that way! Dungog is not on the way to anywhere except the Barrington Tops, and that's why the people who come here love it! Better still, all the information you will need to make your ideal country holiday dream come true will be found by browsing this website – where to stay, where to eat, where and how to explore.. So drive, ride or catch a train, but don't miss out!

First discovered by European settlers in the early 1800’s it was seen as a valuable source of cedar timber as the river allowed for easy access from Paterson or Clarence Town, both of which were centres of river navigation. Agricultural pursuits attracted a large number of settlers into the area from 1824 after the first land grants were made and many small villages were established throughout the fertile valleys between the Paterson and Williams Rivers.

Now a quiet rural area, with a busy commercial centre; Dungog provides a home base for the surrounding areas with a movie theatre, cafes’, restaurants, banks, a supermarket and a large variety of browsing opportunities. A gateway location for the surrounding area Dungog is a town that must be visited while enjoying a stay in the Barrington Tops.

What to do in and around Dungog:

• Take a self guided tour of the fine historical buildings throughout town including the museum and (possibly) Australia’s longest running cinema
• Spend a day walking in the Williams River areas of the Barrington Tops National Park.
• After your physical activities in the day then you may choose to stay in town or venture out to one of the relaxing cottages or lodges nestled in the foothills just 20-30 minutes drive away.
• Visit the Camelot Lavender& Llama Farm - Wallarobba
• Gresford Wine and Olive Trail
• St Mary’s on Allyn Historic Church - Gresford
• Tocal Historic Homestead
• Museums at Clarence Town & Paterson
• Local markets held regularly in Dungog, Gresford and Clarence Town
• Only 40 mins to Nelsons Bay

For More Information:

Dungog Visitor Information Centre:

193 Dowling Street Dungog, NSW 2420
Tel: (02) 49922212
Email: dungogvc@ceinternet.com.au
Website: www.visitdungog.com.au