Things to do & places to see
a suggestion of ways to keep even the most active people busy during your stay
Ootha
(Yarrabandai Creek Homestead)
What's out your front door?
Start your early morning at Yarrabandai Creek Homestead with a stroll through the paddocks, around the rose garden and orchard or along one of our two beautiful creeks.
Sit on your verandah and enjoy all the natural flora and fauna from a wide range of birds, kangaroos, wallabies, goannas, geckos, and even the rare but occassional emu right outside your cabin.
This place is a photograher's delight with the ever changing natural light and beautiful archictecturally deisgned buildings. The sunsets and sunrises can be truly magical.
Lounge by our spectacular swimming pool or creeks, go for a paddle in the kayaks, read a good book on your verandah or play a game of billiards at the homestead.
Being so far from the big cities in the Central West of NSW, we have the clearest night skies, perfect for star gazing through our telescope or bring your own.
But if you want to explore the local areas, there is something for everyone....
Parkes
77km from Yarrabandai Creek Homestead (45 minute easy drive)
Visit the CSIRO Parkes Radio Observatory (known as “The Dish”), it hosts the 64 metre Parkes radio telescope, which helped broadcast the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing, when Neil Armstrong was the first man on the moon. It is also the star of a classic Australian movie, The Dish.
The world famous Parkes Elvis Festival is an award winning festival held in the second week of January every year. Catch the Elvis Express or Blue Suede Express from Central Station in Sydney to the festival in Parkes and stay with us at Yarrabandai Creek Homestead.
The Parkes Elvis Presley Statue is the perfect photo opportunity. Get a photo with the King.
Take in a bit of history at the Henry Parkes Centre which comprises The Kings Castle Elvis Exhibit, Parkes Motor Museum, Henry Parkes Museum and the Antique Machinery Collection.
The kids will love the Railway Pioneers of Parkes Park at which Locomotive 3075 stands as a memorial to the contirbution made by the railway pioneers of Parkes and the Parkes Aviation Museum which houses planes and other aviation artefacts.
Roam the Parkes CBD and admire the public art installations. The Public Art Trail has extended into Trundle and Peakhill.
Visit the Wiradjuri Amphitheatre where you can learn about the culture and cultural heritage of the local Aboriginal people, the Wiradjuri and view art works created by Wiradjuri artists.
The Parkes Skate Park is a purpose built skate and BMX park in teh centre of Parkes and is a perfect place for the kids and big kids alike.
For the cyclist there are a network of cycle ways and footpaths connected throughout Parkes.
Parkes Shire Council maintains a number of identified walking tracks in Parkes itself and throughout the shire.
Parkes Upmarkets is a bi-monthly market held at Cooke Park, Parkes on the second Saturday of every second month.
For more information about activities and events in Parkes, visit www.visitparkes.com.au
Forbes
76km from Yarrabandai Creek Homestead (1 hour scenic drive)
Forbes is a beautiful riverside town, whose heritage buildings were featured in the highly acclaimed Australian movie “The Dish”.
Victoria Park is noted for its Grecian designed fountain, donated by William Thomas in 1891, a band rotunda and a modern war memorial. Many of the town's civic buildings are located around the park, giving it the look of a town square.
The Forbes Farmers Market is a fresh food and produce market held on the 4th Saturday of each month between 8am and 12pm in Victoria Park, Forbes.
Forbes is famous for its association with the bushranger Ben Hall. In 1862 the Frank Gardiner’s gang, of which Hall was a member, carried out the biggest Australian gold robbery in history near Eugowra. Visit the site where Ben Hall was killed, which is signposted and located 21km west of Forbes. Ben Hall's grave is located within Forbes Cemetary on the central eastern boundary, on the corner with an access track heading west
As well as housing the grave of Ben Hall, the Forbes Cemetery also contains the grave of Ned Kelly’s sister Kate, who was likely murdered by her husband, who was working as a shearer at Burrawang Station at the time of Kate's death.
Lake Forbes provides an impressive 4.8 km of cycle tracks and walkways. FIshing, picnicing, playing in the playground and swimming are just some of the activities available to you at Lake Forbes.
For more information about activities and events in Forbes , visit www.forbes-nsw.com
Condobolin
32km from Yarrabandai Creek Homestead (20 minute easy drive)
Condobolin is the closest town to Yarrabandai Creek Homestead, approximatley 20 minutes drive away. Condobolin has two excellent supermarkets, several pubs, cafes, restaurants and the famous Condobolin Bakery.
The Condobolin Railway Museum houses a wide range of train and other heavy machinery.
The Lachlander Museum houses all the equipment used over the years in the production of the Lachlander newspaper between 1895 and 2004.
Gum Bend Lake is a manmade lake three kilometres from Condobolin, which provides a dedicated swimming area, boat ramp, barbeques and a playground. There is a cycle and walking track.
The Goobothery Monument or King's Grave is the burial of a Wiradjuri leader who drowned crossing the river during a flood. It is situated between Condobolin and Euabalong on the Lachlan Valley Way.
Lake Cargelligo is an idyllic lake in a small town of the same name, not far from Condobolin. Renowned for its watersports and birdwatching, there is also an annual fishing competition on the lake.
Utes in the Paddock is an outdoor gallery featuring artworks painted on utes and erected in a paddock - just as the name suggests. There are fifteen utes all painted by artists as a tribute to life in the outback.
Trundle
49km from Yarrabandai Creek Homestead (40 minute scenic drive)
The historic Trundle Hotel boasts the longest verandah in NSW on the widest main street in the state. This recently renovated verandah is the perfect place to wile away the hot afternoon with a frosty cold beer.
The Trundle ABBA Festival is a tribute to ABBA held in the first week of May every year.
Tullamore
84km from Yarrabandai Creek Homestead (1 hour scenic drive)
The annual Tullamore Irish Music Festival is held over the Easter weekend and celebrates the Irish heritage of Tullamore. An influx of Irish immigrants in the early 1900s to Tullamore has resulted in more than 80% of Tullamore's residents having Irish heritage.
The Tullamore Walking Track is a 35km track which commences at Pola Park.