The facts and figures of visiting

I thought it would be good to give you the low-down on the average facts and figures (including cost) of visiting Mudgee. Though small, the town is economically strong with the balance of both tourism and mining enterprises. Though some may see these two industries as conflicting they actually compliment with the steady and strong income of the mines keeping the local economy healthy, and the tourism and hospitality sector ensuring the town stays attractive to the eye. Both industries also provide great employment opportunities and ensure business’s are well supported. This is a fantastic feature as many country towns cannot simply survive on the tourist trade alone, with many other towns suffering from poor commercial trade on a local level.

Mudgee is not cheap, I think it is best to say that. The place is targeted in services, products and accomodation for ‘...medium to high income earners..’ according to Mudgee Regional Tourist Officer Lucy White though there are still some cheaper alternatives available.

Distance Km’s

From Sydney 268km

From Dubbo 129km

Flights are available direct from Sydney daily with Aeropelican and start at $216pp

Rail & Bus travel is available, but lengthy. Contact Country Link.

Accomodation

Budget:  < $100.00 

B&B: $150-$500 p/n

Motel: < $200

Self Contained: $150-$400 p/n

Luxury: $350 - $550 p/n

Dining:

Options are varied with selections of

Take-away ($2-$20)

Pub ($10-$20) 

Cafe/bistro ($10-$25) 

Restaurant ($18-$40) for each meal.

Coffee is expensive at $3.50-$4.50

Wine Tours starts at around $20pp

USEFUL LINKS:

Mudgee IPHONE Application

Mudgee on Facebook

Mudgee on Twitter

EVENTS AND HAPPENINGS

It’s time to look into Events offered in Mudgee and surrounding areas and see what the happenings are. I am delighted though not suprised to find out that Mudgee is very busy throughout most of the year. I have done a little summary of the highlights, though these are just the tip of the iceberg with exhibitions each and every month, Dinner events and regular live music sessions and much, much more!

JANUARY

Gulgong Folk Festival

A great festival held over the new year period celebrating folk influence in art, dance, music and literature.

Day on the Green Music Festival 

Held at Robert Oatley Vineyards, a great day of music with famous headline acts from around the world.

MARCH

Mudfest - Mudgee’s International Film Festival

Hosted by Bunnamagoo Wines, this event showcases young filmakers from across the world. Watched under the stars with wine and food.

Mudgee Show & Rodeo

The annual Mudgee show featuring local produce, rides and livestock on display. The Rodeo is held on the last evening.

APRIL

Regions on the River

A small fair showcasing local produces from within a 100 mile region of Mudgee.

Mudgee Bike Muster

A family friendly weekend of recreational cycling held every Easter in Mudgee.

Goree Cup

One of Mudgee’s premier race days attracting visitors from across the state, sponsored by the local Stud, Goree Park.

MAY

Bligh Picnic Races

The oldest active Picnic Races in Australia

Wings, Wheels, Wine + Wool

A fantastic weekend of airshows, shearing expo’s, vintage car collection parades and fine wines.

JUNE

Henry Lawson Festival, Gulgong

A festival celebrating the life and works of the famous Australian poet, Henry Lawson.

JULY

Mudgee Small Farm Field Days

Expo designed for small to medium agriculture business.

AUGUST

Mudgee Readers Festival

Come and join with lovers of literature as they meet with fellow readers, celebrating the joy of the written word. With famous Authors in attendance, this annual festival is growing in size and content each year.

SEPTEMBER

Mudgee Wine Festival

Mudgee’s premier wine month that celebrates each Wine Producer and their wines. This festival also features the Mudgee Wine Show.

NOVEMBER

Rylstone Street Feast

Join the locals for foods, wine and music as Rylstone shuts down it’s main street and sets the table!

Day on the Green Music Festival

The 2nd Day On The Green Event

Huntington Music Festival

Join internationally acclaimed musicians for a week of classical masterpieces.

DECEMBER

Mudgee Cup Races

Mudgee’s largest race meet of the year

Burnbrae Blacktie Ball

An annual Ball held with entertainment.

the rylstone street feast! 

yummy food at Blacktie ball!

Local Produce...YUMO!

Saturday morning I head down to the local Farmers Markets following the reccommendation yesterday.

It’s 8am and the local musician is just setting up. Held in the yard of St Mary’s Catholic Church on the main street you are greeted straight away by the wafting smell of sausages and sure enough, follow your nose and you will find local organic pork sausages from local producers Orminston Pork being served on Mudgee sourdough with organic rocket and homemade tomato relish. Venture a little further for Leaning Oak Goats Cheese, Sourdough by John Grant, Angela’s Edibles (delightful relishes and pastes), Mowats of Mudgee, Mudgee Made....the list goes on forever. A little further on I find my highlight ‘Gingle-Mil’, a unqiue little store owned by two local best-friends. These two girls came up the the idea to bring their wines to the markets in kegs and fill bottles on-site....brilliant!

I leave the markets 2 hours later feeling like a local from all the friends I’ve made. 

As I reflect later that afternoon, I begin to realise that what I so attracted to in this little town isn’t so much just the actual products, services and experiences you can have in this little township, it’s the way that they provide them - all with a focus on local community, local produce and local harmony. You could easily come to Mudgee and just get all the goods, but what captures you the most is the atmosphere surrounding it. You feel like you live here, in this clean, charming and naturally stunning little town. I guess they have always been a town that is used to travellers and strangers, experiencing much of it’s growth in the gold rush and now with the Mines with many transit employees.

One thing is for sure, it doesn’t take long to feel at home.

local store 'ginglemil' looking fabulous at the markets!

Wine! Wine! Wine!

So I awake feeling refreshed and revived from my travels the previous day and am ready to go exploring. 

I decide to head down the main street and put Mudgee to the real test – a good coffee. I decide to see what the locals have to do and wander past many a café to find where the local hang-out may be… The Butcher Shop Café with its groovy ambience, Alley Cats for its charm, Eltons Café with its beautiful lead-lighting décor…I settle myself in a Market St Diner, not as showy as some but it appears to be packed. Delightfully satisfied. No watery and bitter coffee here.

I open my tourist booklet and decide to book in for the day on a wine tour with ‘On The Bus Tours’– no point risking anything, and why drive when you can be chauffeured – this town is here to serve and entertain! I phone Mudgee Tours and book in for pick up in 45 minutes.

My driver is friendly, warm and keen to share his knowledge – that appears to be one of Mudgee’s strengths – everyone is willing to share around the visitors, keeping the supply chain of information and resource around. He tells me the Farmers Markets are on tomorrow and cant be missed, best local produce around he says. Jot that down. 

We have four wineries to visit today, Di Lusso Estate for the Italian varities that no one else in town does, Logan Wines for their cellar door experience, Lowe Family Wines for the organic vines and Robert Stein for the history. 

It’s going to be a great day.

doing a winetasting at lowe family wines
with friend, Simon Gilbert

The perfect resting place!

The moment you drive down the sweeping entrance into Mudgee, you know you have discovered a gem.

Unlike so many country towns of central NSW where the petrol station may be the only place to rest up on a long journey, Mudgee opens with the inviting sign ‘If you lived here you would be home right now’, fair enough it is the advert for a local Real Estate agency, but even so, as you drive in the stunning Poplar trees that usher you onto a humming main street, lined with blossom trees and cafes speckled down the footpath, you know you could park the car for a good few days.

Mudgee is the second eldest town west of The Great Dividing Range and takes it’s name from a Wiradjuri Aboriginal word that translates to ‘nest among the hills.’ Originally a pastoral area, the first settlers to the area were in 1838, and though slow to start the area took to settlement by the mid 1850’s with the discovery of gold in the area. Very similiar to how hospitality started in Australia, these settlers brought with them an involvement with food and alcohol and some of the first establishments in the area were hotels (1843).

Today Mudgee hosts a population of around 10,000 and is the main township supporting the other smaller townships within the Mid Western Region including Gulgong, Rylstone and Kandos.

The first point of call needs to be the Mudgee Tourist Centre. As soon as you walk in the door you are guaranteed to be welcomed with a smile – these people are used to entertaining and receiving guests! As I quickly span over the promotional material around, I begin to understand the culture of this town – food, wine and luxurious accommodation appear to be the specialty! Though keen to get into the food and wine, my first priority is somewhere to stay. They are keen to recommend and provide many options as well as an overview print-out ; Evanslea Guesthouse because it’s near the river and for the scenic feel, Bleak House for the decadence, Cobb & Co Court for the convenience or Mudgee Homestead for the self contained option. I go with Evanslea – a fantastic choice I quickly find as not only do I receive my room, but a delicious hot breakfast will greet me each morning as well as dinner should I choose.

I arrive at Evanslea and am once again treated like a royal guest! It is obvious why so many people make Mudgee their regular weekender, as not only do they receive you warmly but after chatting to the lovely host Vicky Hudson I begin to realise the culinary experience that Mudgee will offer me over the next few days of my stay…restaurants, wineries, tours…the list goes on and on…I can barely wait! 

WATCH MUDGEE WEEKENDER ON YOUTUBE!

my cottage at evanslea