NSW Top Tourism Town Finalist
Welcome to Carcoar
Tiny Town: population under 1,500 residents
09:00 Weds 13 April - till - 17:00 Weds 27 April.
Members of the public may lodge only one vote for one town in each category. See Terms & Conditions.
One of Australia’s most perfectly preserved 19th Century villages
The picture-perfect village of Carcoar is nestled in a small, sheltered valley beside the meandering Belubula River in the Central West region of NSW – just a 45 minute drive from the regional centres of Orange, Bathurst and Cowra.
It is very much a living and breathing historic village with just over 200 residents. Carcoar offers visitors an authentic and immersive experience of the slow life in a genuine Australian village. A true historic gem, Carcoar is the third oldest settlement west of the Blue Mountains, first gazetted for settlement in 1839, and is one of the most perfectly preserved 19th century villages in Australia. The entire village of Carcoar is classified by the Australian National Trust and you'll see why when you arrive here - it's like driving onto a movie set and straight into the goldrush-era.
Immerse yourself in village life - local accommodation options range from stylish cottages for couples, to rooms above the pub, to sympathetically restored guesthouses as well as grand homesteads perfect for families and friends.
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Take long walks or bike rides in the fresh country air, soak up the history and pristinely preserved heritage architecture. Meander through boutiques, mingle with the locals at the pub, experience unique cultural or fine dining experiences, sit by the fire with a glass of local wine.
Or just stare up at the clear, starry skies. There are plenty of great reasons to linger longer over a weekend in Carcoar, with a surprisingly sophisticated range of boutiques and dining experiences for a tiny village.
The Village Grocer is our local café serving up breakfast and local Academy Roast coffee, with takeaway wraps and pastries. Grab a pre-made charcuterie and cheese Grazing Box from them to sit by the beautiful Belubula River for an impromptu picnic. You can grab a bottle of local cool-climate wine from over the counter of the Royal Hotel Carcoar too.
The Royal Hotel Carcoar is one of the friendliest village pubs you’ll ever discover, serving up lunch and dinner from Thursday to Saturday. Meet the whole village there for happy hour on Fridays, it starts when the church bells ring at 6pm.
Find lovingly curated homewares and fashion at the renowned Tomolly homewares store on our main Belubula Street. Next door, rummage through a treasure trove of genuine retro/vintage homewares at The Rustic Flamingo, which is also home to Stoke Lane Textiles featuring a collection of gorgeous artisan textile designs on linen.
In the Carcoar Courthouse you’ll find Carcoar Pottery with a range of hand-crafted ceramics by local artist, Louise Purcell.
Book well in advance for a cultural dining experience at Antica Australis, presenting regional Italian dishes featuring all local produce in a unique format of food and stories. The Post restaurant across the street additionally offers an unmissable 10-course Parisian style degustation set fine-dining experience.
For a tiny village, Carcoar punches well above its weight for the number of museums and churches you can wander through. You simply haven’t lived until you’ve visited the unparalleled 20th Century Toy Museum, featuring more than 2000 hand-curated toys.
Our other museums include the Stoke Stable Museum, built by convict labour circa 1849 and possibly the oldest building in Carcoar, the Courthouse Museum and the Carcoar Hospital Museum which is housed in one of the earliest colonial hospital buildings in Australia.
You can wander through the grounds and interior of the former St Paul’s Anglican Church (1848) which is now a non-denominational chapel and wedding venue, and soak up the peaceful atmosphere of the Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception (1870) which is still in use today and responsible for the beautiful church bells that sing out over Carcoar several times a day.
Take long, local walks to truly explore the village and its surrounding countryside. There are also many secret places nearby for escaping into nature to go camping when even a tiny village seems too crowded.
You could follow an off-road cycling adventure through the region’s scenic villages, with an itinerary that takes you through the local villages of Millthorpe and Carcoar and then to Orange. Take a detour and set out for nearby Rockley village via Blayney and Newbridge, home to Matt Moran’s Rockley Pub.
The sound of Carcoar in the summer and when it’s raining is of little frogs merrily singing on the banks of the Belubula River.
It’s a joyous, much-loved place. We can almost guarantee you will never want to leave
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Two days in Carcoar
Carcoar is a beautifully preserved goldrush-era village in the Blayney Shire of the Orange wine region in the Central West of New South Wales.
We have designed an ‘insider’s itinerary’ to Carcoar for you to make you feel part of the village during the time you spend with us. Take long walks or bike rides in the fresh country air, soak up the history and pristinely preserved heritage architecture.
Meander through boutiques, mingle with the locals at the pub, experience unique cultural or fine dining experiences, sit by the fire with a glass of local wine. Or just stare up at the clear, starry skies. With only just over 200 residents, the longer you stay with us the more you’ll feel part of our village. We love that - Carcoar + You.
The entire village has been classified by the Australian National Trust and we are blessed to have the Belubula River running through the heart of our village. We hope you truly enjoy your Carcoar experience.
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