Destination Intravention #21 - Orange

INTRODUCTION: In 1851, a prospector first discovered gold in a waterhole near Bathurst and also not far from Orange. This triggered Australia's first gold rush and one of the biggest gold rushes in history. I am telling you this just to give you an idea of how rich (pardon the pun) the history is in this region. In fact, these are the lands of the Wiradjuri people who pre-date the goldrush days by about an extra 50,000 years. Another piece of trivia, Orange is the birthplace of Banjo Paterson. As a baby, Banjo had a Wiradjuri nanny

INDULGE: Known as Australia’s food basket, Orange has become a sophisticated gastronomical hub that would be hard to beat anywhere in the world and we were lucky to spend a long weekend here with friends just prior to COVID19. One of our passions is to support local business when we travel and this philosophy rarely lets us down. We learned so much through asking locals such as where to find a small shop called Cured hidden in an arcade off the main street. We stocked up on some of the finest salamis, twiggy sticks, terrine and prosciutto I have ever tasted. (Image courtesy of Andrew Siu).

INSTITUTIONAL: Orange is just full of unique and quirky little cafes and restaurants. If I were to single out one of our days in Orange, breakfast was an incredible bacon and egg damper roll with a strong coffee in a quaint little garden. In fact, Anything Grows is a nursery, homewares shop and café all in one. Later in the afternoon came drinks with friends. We shared some antipasto and some local bottles of Prosecco in the courtyard of The Union Bank. Only nine years younger than the township of Orange itself, The Union Bank first opened its doors in 1858. It later became a police station and then a school. Today, it remains an institution as one of Orange's most popular venues. For dinner, we opted for The Hotel Canobolas. This place is hard to miss. It’s right on the main street and one of the biggest pubs I have ever seen. Cuisine choices you might need to ponder over a beer first as aside from the many pub classics and favorites, there is a dedicated steak counter and a fantastic Thai kitchen inside too. Again, this place gets very busy so get in early.

INSTA-WORTHY: I have nothing here to tell you other than around every corner you are going to find 'insta' moments. Best of all, depending on the time of year you visit, this region looks so different. In the Autumn when the leaves change, the city is draped in fiery reds, oranges and yellow. If you are lucky in the wintertime, it becomes a white wonderland. The spring and summer, well it just looks like a picture perfect postcard from Tuscany. (Image courtesy of Orange360.com.au)

INTIMATE: Orange is well known for its cool climate wines. That’s not a fancy marketing term by the way. If you are not familiar with cool climate wines, it is relative to the right mix of latitude and altitude. Less than 1% of Australian vineyards are above 600m and the Orange vineyards are the highest in Australia at almost 900m above sea level. I'm telling you, the wine here boasts some serious latitude, altitude and attitude. There is something in the vicinity of 35 cellar doors within the Orange district, so my best recommendation to look up Orange360 or you can also head to Ferment which is the local wine centre for advice.

INSIGHTFUL: Whilst Orange is not known for oranges, it does produce amazing apples and the region has fast grown a reputation for a fine selection of cideries as well as local breweries and distilleries. Like the wine, they are all unique. In fact, the heaviest things in our luggage coming home were our haul of wine, cider and a few local brews. Orange360 is the best place for you to get the low down on where to find these hidden gems.

INCLUSIVE: A city this colourful, it comes as no surprise that it is home to Australia’s newest LGBTI+ festival known as Rainbow City Festival. My partner and I had planned to be there this year for the inaugural event in May 2020, but sadly due to COVID19, it has been postponed. Keep checking their website for updates…the show will go on.

INSPIRATION: F.O.O.D. (Food Of Orange District) Week is Australia’s oldest running regional food festival and is in the top ten Australian food festivals. Founded by a passionate and dedicated group from the local community, FOOD Week is a celebration and showcase of regional produce from the local tri-district areas – Orange, Blayney and Cabonne. There is seriously so much that happens during this festival including the Long Lunch and the buzzing Night Markets. This Festival is incredibly popular and tickets often sell out so I encourage you to plan and book ahead, especially given 2021 will be their 30th year. Orange is host to other spectacular events throughout the year so also take a look at the Winter Fire Festival and the Orange Wine Festival.

INVITATION: Orange is about a 3.5-hour drive west of Sydney, about the same north of Canberra, or a quick 50-minute flight with Qantas. Find out how you can earn points now on the ground and fly later.

INFORMATION: Orange360 has been impressively curated and is your one source of information for everything you need to plan your perfect escape. What’s amazing about this site is that it is not just Orange, but all of the amazing tastes, sights and experiences to discover that surround Orange too. After all….that is Orange360! For more information, you can also go to Visit NSW.com. (Image courtesy of Borrodell Estate).