Better Homes and Gardens (Australia)
Oh, Oberon!
Secret gardens, gemstones and caves – this town is a nature-lover’s paradise
Explore the delights of this quaint town
on the western side of the Blue Mountains in New South Wales is the town of Oberon. Think spectacular cool-climate gardens – including the celebrated Mayfield Garden – incredible scenery, fossicking for all manner of treasures and awe-inspiring natural caves. It’s easy to see why Oberon is a fantastic road trip destination. Here’s where to go.
WANDER THROUGH MAYFIELD GARDEN
It took passion and true grit to transform bare paddocks into Mayfield Garden. Inspired by their European travels, owners Garrick and Evelyn Hawkins began planting and landscaping in the 1990s, and the result is ‘bloomin’ magical’. New display The Valley of the Five Ponds features cascading water linking the waterholes, while the Camellia Walk has mobility-friendly pathways that let everyone enjoy the gardens. There’s also a cafe with a farm-totable seasonal menu. Be sure to also get lost in the 1.4km long English Box Hedge Maze. mayfieldgarden.com.au
GO FOSSICKING FOR GEMSTONES
Fancy foraging for your own gemstones, perhaps to wear as jewellery? You can do it in Oberon, as the area is rich with sapphires and zircons. Just stop by the visitor centre to find out where to go – the staff are passionate and will likely draw you a map of the best fossicking areas. In fact, they regularly conduct demos in the fossicking pit next to the Visitors Centre.
DISCOVER JENOLAN CAVES
A spectacular labyrinth of stalactite-lined limestone chasms carved by underground rivers, Jenolan Caves is one of the highlights of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. The CSIRO confirmed them to be the world’s oldest known open caves, at more than 340 million years old. You can explore nine of the caves, with the Lucas Cave being one of the most well-known. It features The Broken Column limestone formation, as well as The Cathedral – a 54m high chamber, which offers the perfect acoustics for concerts and performances.