Lithgow (Wikipedia entry, tourism website, second tourism website) is a town of over 11,000 people supported by the coal mining and electricity industry. It is serviced by Cityrail and Countrylink trains. Lithgow has a good shopping centre, caravan park, bicycle shop (Ph: 02 6351 3171) and tourist information centre (Ph: 1300 76 02 76).

Lithgow to Tarana    30.4km - 455m climb - 594m descent - sealed - map
This picturesque route coincides with one of the Greater Blue Mountains Discovery Trails. One mid-winter morning I travelled through here the green valley pastures were surrounded by forested ranges dusted with snow.

From Lithgow train station, cycle west along Main Street and turn left onto the Great Western Highway. The highway has a good shoulder here. About 5km from the railway station, turn right onto Magpie Hollow Road. After a small climb, the road descends quickly to Lake Lyell (photo). There is a camping area ($10/night, showers, barbecues, amenities, drinking water) by the lake shortly after you cross the dam wall. Previously, I have camped just off the road for free (no amenities), a kilometre or so past the campground, where there are several clearings. However, this free improvised campsite is really only suitable for those arriving late in the day and leaving early in the morning. Try to avoid drinking lake water - there a couple of power stations and coal mines upstream, while algal blooms are not infrequent.

From Lake Lyell, a steep 200 vertical metre climb takes one to the crest of the Great Dividing Range watershed, where there is a four-way intersection. The road to Tarana, which descends the other side, is sealed by quite patchy in places. It passes through the small village of Sodwalls (no facilities or shops) and, a few kilometres before arriving at Tarana, passes the turn-off (Honeysuckle Falls Road, unsealed) to Evans Crown Nature Reserve. A 30 minute walk to Evans Crown gives good views of the area. While camping is not permitted in the nature reserve, some barely adequate sites for pitching a two-man tent can be located beside Honeysuckle Falls Road. Cycling a few more kilometres down Honeysuckle Falls Road rewards the traveller with superb views of Evans Crown and Fish River (photo).

Tarana (tourism webpage, further tourist information) is a small village on the Main Western Railway Line. It is serviced daily by train between Dubbo and Sydney by the Countrylink XPT. Bookings are essential. The Tarana Hotel serves meals and provides accommodation. Apart from a pay phone there are no other services in town.

Perthville to Tarana    42.6km - 562m climb - 448m descent - 4km unsealed (avoidable) - map
This is an undulating cycle along (mostly) sealed rural roads with four climbs of the order of 100 vertical metres. Only the first four kilometres are unsealed; an alternative sealed route (north-east along Vale Road then south-east along Lagoon Road) is about 3km longer. About 10km from Perthville resides a small locality known as The Lagoon, named after a nearby waterbody. It has a public school and a payphone. Ben Chifley Dam (see also here) lies off the route some 5km south of The Lagoon. It has picnic and barbecue facilities but camping and swimming is currently not permitted. However, about 500m downstream from the dam wall I found a grassy area by Campbells River (photo) which was ideal for free improvised camping.

About 23km from Perthville, the route passes through the heritage listed village of O'Connell (tourism webpage, further information). A park by the Fish River is located about 1km north of the intersection of Beaconsfield and O'Connell Roads, while the Historic O'Connell Hotel (est. 1865) lies 1km to the south of this intersection. O'Connell also has a café.

Continuing toward Tarana, one passes Flat Rock Reserve (7km from O'Connell and 12km from Tarana), which is a popular picnic, fishing and free camping area by the Fish River (photo). When I camped there in 2002 it had picnic tables, toilets and bins. The river has permanent water which should be treated before consumption.

Those heading toward Oberon should turn right onto Lowes Mountain Road about 4km before Tarana.

Perthville (tourism webpage) is a small town located 12km south of Bathurst. It has a hotel, park (with toilets), service station and general store.

Blayney to Perthville    37.3km - 266m climb - 456m descent - sealed - map
This route follows the main western railway line, traversing mostly treeless moderately hilly terrain along quiet country roads. The village of Newbridge is about 15km from Blayney and has a pub, railway station (not in use), payphone and park. Between Newbridge and Perthville the route descend steadily, losing 280 vertical metre. Approximately 3.5km before Perthville lies the village of Georges Plains, boasting a railway station (no longer used) and a cemetery.

Blayney (tourism website, Wikipedia entry, second tourism webpage) is a town of 2700. It has a small shopping centre with some food outlets, two bakeries, a Supa IGA supermarket and a caravan park. It is is serviced daily by Countrylink rail.

Orange to Blayney    36.8km - 150m climb - 150m descent - sealed - map
This is a relatively flat cycle along the tablelands at an altitude of around 900m. About 4km from Orange and about 1km off the route lies Gosling Creek Reservoir (see also this pdf document). The reservoir and surrounding land has recently been developed into a recreational area with picnic facilities and cycling paths, and may be reached by turning west into Bloomfield Road from Huntley Road, some 3.8km from Orange train station. Don't confuse this dam with Spring Creek Reservoir, which lies to the east of Huntley Road.

The route skirts around Orange Airport (12km from Orange with regular flights to Sydney on Rex Airlines) before passing through the village of Spring Hill (16.5km from Orange). The Spring Hill Heritage Trail explores the history of the town. Spring Hill has a pub by the railway. It is serviced daily by a Countrylink coach.

Millthorpe (tourism website, Wikipedia entry) lies 24km south of Orange, has a population of about 700 and is classified by the national trust. With historic buildings and some cobbled streets it is, in my view, one of the most picturesque villages in the region (photo). The village has a number of fine restaurants. It is serviced daily by a Countrylink coach. From Millthorpe it is a predominantly gentle downhill ride to Blayney.

Orange (tourism website, second tourism website, Wikipedia entry) is a major regional centre with a population of 32,000. It has an airport (flights with Regional Express) and train station (daily trains with Countrylink) and is also accessible by Countrylink Coach from Lithgow. It has a good shopping centre with three camping stores (ph: 6362 1753, 6362 1753, 6361 4332) and two bicycle shops (ph: 6360 4040, 6362 3670). Orange has a good range accommodation outlets, including two caravan parks.

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