Fast facts
- Heritage village with old stone buildings
- On the western edge of the Blue Mountains
- 238 km north-west of Sydney, population 1,200
Why go there
Rylstone is a pretty village with many heritage-listed stone buildings, including the magnificent post and telecommunications office, the police station, courthouse and Shire hall.
The town acts as a gateway to the World Heritage-listed Wollemi National Park to the east, and the scenic Capertee Valley to the south. The local area is fast becoming known for its wineries, olive estates and gourmet foods.
History
The town grew up on the site of a camping spot for stockmen, and many of the fine buildings were built as a result of profit earned from agriculture and mining. Back in 1861, the notorious bushranger, Captain Thunderbolt, spent the night in the town's lock-up while being transported to Bathurst to stand trial for horse theft.
Things to do
- Pick up a brochure for the Rylstone Heritage Walk and learn more about the town’s colonial-era sandstone buildings, including its four stone churches and early stone and timber cottages.
- Drive through the Capertee Valley, the world’s second largest enclosed valley (the Grand Canyon in the US is the largest) and see dramatic cliffs and volcanic plugs rising out of lush, rolling grazing land.
- Visit Wollemi National Park, the home of the Wollemi Pine – a living relic from the age of the dinosaurs.
Events
- Streetfeast, in November, is a gourmet five-course lunch featuring local produce and served on banquet-style tables under the main street’s plane trees.
Don’t miss
- Dunnes Swamp waterway edged by pagoda-shaped rock formations.
- Ferntree Gully Reserve for lookouts, birds, rock orchids, tree ferns and vines.
- Wollemi Afloat River Cruises and Boat Hire for fishing, tours and cruises.
- Dropping into a winery, an olive farm or a local gourmet food producer.
- Browsing through Rylstone’s art, craft and old wares shops.
