Get out of Sydney for a relaxing weeked in Barrington Tops

On a freeway, you can drive 100 miles in less than 2 hours, but it takes almost twice as long as that to drive the hundred miles from Newcastle to Barrington Tops. This is because when you go to Barrington Tops, you're leaving the big freeways and highways behind and heading into the wilderness. If you're travelling from Sydney or Newcastle, there's no faster way to say goodbye to noise and pollution and hello to pristine wilderness than to visit Barrington Tops.

The reason for the name, Barrington Tops, comes from the fact that it situated on top of a long plateau. The Tops, which stand between the extinct volcanoes of the Mt. Royal Ranges, may be a plateau, but it is definitely not a flat, dry one. In fact, over 20 valleys crisscross the plateau. Rainfall is high in this region of New South Wales, forming wild rivers and spectacular waterfalls and feeding some of the most stunning rainforests you will see anywhere in the world.

There are not enough superlatives to describe Barrington Tops, but the facts speak for themselves. Where else in the world will you find stands of Antarctic Beech trees whose history can be traced back over 66 million years? The pollen of one species at least, genus Northofagus, is believed to date back to when Australia was Gondwanaland, before it was separated by water from Africa and South America.

The rarity and diversity of plant and animal life on Barrington Tops was one of the reasons it was declared a National Park in 1969. Further investigation led to its being given World Heritage status and even given the distinct title of a Wilderness area. In a world that has seen its fresh, pure waters decline dramatically in the 20th and 21st centuries, Barrington Tops boasts four Wild Rivers - five if you count Boonabilla Creek. Once a little known region of Australia, Barrington Tops is now recognised as one of the world's great wilderness areas.

Barrington Tops is only about fifteen miles or twenty-five kilometres long, so it can't be said to be a vast wilderness. It may be small in size, but within its boundaries can be found over half of Australia's native species of plants and over a third of the country's mammals and bird species. Amongst these are some of Australia's rarest and most endangered species, including the brilliant blue riflebird, one of the most beautiful birds in the world and the rufous scrub, a tiny bird with a big, melodious voice. These are just two of over 2 dozen rare or endangered species found on Barrington Tops.

All Australians are united in wanting Barrington Tops to remain as unspoiled in the future as it is today, but we also want to be able to enjoy its wonders. In fact, along the slopes of the plateau and in the nearby Hunter Valley, you can find a Barrington Tops accommodation that will allow you to experience it in all its glory without leaving an obtrusive environmental footprint. Where else will you find a tastefully built accommodation within walking distance of a river so clean, you can drink from it?

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