ORANGE, NSW
Two days is just a tease in this regional hub, with its cool-climate wines and top-notch dining, writes Akash Arora.
Friday
PM | Check into The Byng Street Boutique Hotel (byngstreethotel.com.au), a stylish Federation-era manor that dates back to the 1890s and has been converted into a gorgeous home-away-from-home, right in the heart of Orange. The lobby welcomes guests with a fireplace and vast windows that frame a century-old beech tree in the courtyard. While there are three luxurious lodgings in the heritage wing, modern suites in the new section feel more spacious.
After unpacking, make your way to Charred Kitchen & Bar (charred.com.au) on New Street, a five-minute drive away, for fine dining in a relaxed setting. Head chef Liam O’Brien’s four-course set menu is based on local produce and may feature spanner crab rich with butter one day and spice-rubbed cauliflower with chickpea purée the next.
Saturday
AM | Chase your morning coffee with a bacon and egg roll with housemade tomato relish at Groundstone (groundstone. com.au). The bright Scandi-chic café is located on Byng Street, right next to Orange Regional Museum (mgnsw.org.au) – don’t miss its long-term exhibition, Inherit: Old and New Histories, which tells lesser-known stories of the Central West region. Afterwards, spend the rest of the day exploring some of the area’s cellar doors. If you don’t have a designated driver, call Orange Wine Tours (orangewinetours. com.au), which offers private excursions.
A great place to start is family-owned Printhie Wines (printhiewines.com.au). With a cellar door in Nashdale, 10 minutes west of Orange, it’s renowned for méthode traditionnelle sparklings. Be sure to visit carbon-neutral winery and vineyard Ross Hill Wines (rosshillwines.com.au), where you can compare cool-climate chardonnays and have a casual lunch of goat’s cheese tart with Waldorf salad or chicken tagine with couscous.
Philip Shaw is the winemaker largely responsible for putting Orange’s wine scene on the map in the early 2000s. You could visit Philip Shaw Winery (philipshaw.com. au), now managed by his sons, but to meet the man himself, go to Hoosegg (hoosegg. com), Shaw’s winery and cellar door that looks to Mount Canobolas. The 2016 Double Happy Cabernet Sauvignon is the top pick.
If boutique gin is more your thing, Parrot Distilling Co (parrotdistillingco.com.au) has your name written all over it. Purists will love Dry Gin made using 17 botanicals, while the adventurous should try Oriental Gin, which has a hint of chilli.
PM | The sleepy town of Milthorpe is a 20-minute drive south but the five-course set menu at elegant fine-diner Tonic (tonic millthorpe.com.au) is worth it. Chef/owner Tony Worland, who’s worked with celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsay, is famed for transforming simple produce into exceptional courses. Expect everything from baked quail with Jerusalem artichoke to lamb loin with chickpea and eggplant on the ever-changing menu.
Sunday
AM | Gruyère soufflé with thyme cream and slow-braised lamb ragout with crisp kale aren’t your typical brunch fare. But you can order both at Byng Street Local Store (byngstreet.com.au) – grab a spot on the verandah and sip an AllPress flat white or continue the previous day’s excess with a glass of rosé.
For a sweet finish, drop in at Spilt Milk Bar (spiltmilkbar.com) for cowto-cone (made with local ingredients) gelatos and sorbets. The flavours range from the classic, such as chocolate and lemon, to the unconventional, like blue cheese and honey gelato using cheese from the region. Happily, there’s no limit on taste tests.
The collector
Missing link
Some say Hublot’s Big Bang revolutionised the watchmaking universe when it launched in 2005 with, well, a bang. A fusion of steel, ceramic and rubber, it has become the bestknown watch from the horologist, a beloved icon that is continually reinvented. Even so, it wasn’t until last year that the Swiss watchmaking house introduced the first model with an integrated bracelet, the Big Bang Integral. The addition this month of new ceramic colours, including white (right), proves the timepiece isn’t a one-hit wonder. GENEVRA LEEK
The bracelet
With three links, one central and one either side, the bracelet on first impression appears standard. But thanks to the bevelling treatment, which echoes the sporty, angular lines of the case, the style blends perfectly with the existing architectural codes of the Big Bang.
The case
Designing an integrated bracelet with the first link fused to the case meant a rethink. While the dial and bezel are identical to the existing 42-millimetre model, for the Integral the Arabic numerals were removed, the rubber pushers are inspired by the 2005 original and the watch is crafted almost entirely from a single material.
The materials
The Integral was initially released in scratchproof black ceramic, lightweight titanium and an exclusive alloy of gold, copper and platinum that Hublot calls King Gold. Now, grey, navy-blue and white options in high-tech ceramic round out the collection.
The movement
The updated in-house Unico movement is a horizontal double clutch chronograph mechanism with the column wheel visible from the dial, a three-day power reserve and flat automatic winding system.
The price
Big Bang Integral Ceramic, 42 millimetres, $32,200, hublot.com