A Perfect Autumn Weekend in Orange NSW

Looking for a colorful autumn getaway near Sydney? Then you can’t go past spending an autumn weekend in Orange NSW. Read on to find out more.

As well as being a color and a fruit, Orange NSW is also a small country town located in the central tablelands region, a couple of hours’ drive from Sydney, Australia.

Known for its fantastic local food scene and autumn colors, Orange NSW was the perfect choice of location for a weekend away from Sydney in late April.

Embarking on Our Weekend in Orange NSW

Finishing work early, we hit the road on a bright and sunny afternoon for the four-hour drive inland. As usual Sydney traffic was pretty horrendous and we had only made it as far as the Blue Mountains when the sunset, leaving us to drive the rest of the way to Orange in the dark.

Our first evening in Orange was spent eating Indian takeaway in our motel room, exhausted after a day at work and then the long drive.

Saturday was a special day with a very early start. It was the 25th April, or ANZAC Day, a day to remember the sacrifice of Australian and New Zealand Army Corps soldiers that fought and gave their lives for their countries in times of war.

On April 25th, 1915, ANZAC soldiers stepped foot on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey, the first day of what became a bloody eight-month battle against the Ottoman Turks who were protecting their homeland.

The aim of the Gallipoli campaign was for the allied forces to gain control of the Dardanelles and Bosporus straits, capturing Constantinople, and opening a Black Sea supply route to Russia.

It ended up being a slaughter.

Landing at what is now known as ANZAC Cove at dawn, one mile from the planned drop-off spot, the ANZAC soldiers were faced with almost impenetrable cliffs blocking any advance, and nowhere to take cover.

There was a massive loss of life on both sides, and although the numbers pale in comparison to some of the battles that took place in France and Belguim during World War One, the Gallipoli campaign is a significant battle in the history of Australia and New Zealand as it is considered as marking the birth of Australian and New Zealand national identity.

My Great Great Uncle Arthur Verner was an ANZAC soldier and he died on the beach at ANZAC Cove. He was 31 years old and never had a family of his own.

The rosary beads that were on him when he died were sent back to his mother and then passed down my family line to my Grandmother. When my Grandmother passed away last year they were given to me.

I had never been to a dawn service before and I was determined to finally make it this year, on the 100-year anniversary. Luckily for us, the dawn service was being held in the park across from our motel in Orange.

My alarm went off in the early pre-dawn hours of Saturday morning. We layered up and braved the freezing temperatures to join the silent crowds gathered around the war memorial in Robertson Park.

I had my Great Uncle’s rosary beads in my pocket and my Grandad’s notebook of songs he wrote while stationed in Fiji during World War Two. Two of my prized possessions. I hate war but I respect the sacrifices they made to protect their country.

There was a feeling of expectation in the air. We heard a band in the distance with the music becoming louder as they approached us. The dawn service for ANZAC Day had begun.

Speeches, poems, and bugle calls followed by the Australian then New Zealand national anthems put chills up my spine and tears in my eyes. It was very moving and I felt a very strong sense of national pride. 100 years ago our young nations really came into their own.

We had started to develop our own sense of identity separate from our British rulers.

The service was over within 15 minutes but it stayed with me throughout the day. The Orange Country Women’s Association put on a complimentary breakfast at their small headquarters at the edge of the park.

We ate porridge with stewed apples and fruit toast on tables covered in lace tablecloths and decorated with vases of rosemary, a symbol of ANZAC Day in Australia.

I didn’t take any pictures out of respect but I will never forget my first dawn service. I can’t believe it took me 32 years to finally attend.

The day was still young by the time we left the breakfast. After showering back at the motel room we walked along the main street of Orange, looking for a cafe that was open.

Orange, NSW is an attractive town with tidy historic buildings lining the main street and strings of lights with colorful bulbs crisscrossing over the road. A few trees were shedding their golden leaves.

Leaving the town centre, we drove the gorgeous Pinnacle Drive through the countryside surrounding Orange. Glorious autumn color abounded as we drove to the top of Mount Canobolas, a dormant volcano and the highest mountain in the central tablelands region of NSW.

The view from the top was largely unimpressive due to the cluster of transmission towers dominated the summit. The wind was cold and relentless so we quickly set off on a 6km return hike to Federal Falls.

We were absolutely shattered by the end of the hike as the last 2km was uphill. I wasn’t sure if I was going to make it and had to take frequent breaks. We are generally pretty fit, especially for hiking, but I think it was the super early morning that did us in.