Five Central West spots to whack (or re-whack) on the bucket list

So, play on.

We moved to the Central West nearly nine years ago and while we're pretty keen explorers, we've got a lot to still suss out and cram into the typical (and already-packed) roster of life.

A few places we've been, a few are still on the bucket list; but we'll have them all nailed soon enough.

Acknowledgement to Country: Please respect and preserve the land across any of these sites if you so choose to visit them, as they belong to the Wiradjuri people, who are the Traditional Custodians and Owners of the Land.

A culture surviving upwards of 60,000 years, we pay respects to Elders, both past and present, and extend this respect to other Indigenous Australians on-country.

Rugby season finally came to a close, so we threw Borenore Caves on the calendar for our freed-up Saturday.

We wanted a day of adventure and, like most family units can empathise with, we needed it to be either a free or low-cost experience.

Jamming whatever household edibles we could fit into an Aldi freezer bag, we threw an old footy over the backseat and tossed some drink bottles in a backpack.

We also ended up fishing out an old cricket bat and ball from the garage, HUZZAH.

Set for the day, we got there from the Escort Way and scanned the information board before crossing a bridge to some "secret tunnels" after reaching the top of the stairway.

We admired a (massive) beehive attached to the other side of the cave wall up high, and eventually took the trail back looping back around to the picnic area.

My pre-teen later discovered an old, plastic Minecraft sword in the boot of our car, so we doubled-back to the base of the caves for some fake death-by-sword and other dramatic photo opps, obviously.

After getting home, running the dogs at the park and a side of dinner, the end result was: knackered.

We visited this beauty in February of 2021 and ended up spending the whole day checking out what 'The Falls' Water Falls had on offer.

To me, it sort of resembled a place where country mermaids might hang out if they were regionally-based ... and real.

Not to be confused with Federal Falls, like I did until recently, access to The Falls is a rough 20-kilometre drive from Orange in Clifton Grove, taking the Ophir Road out of town and on to Mullion Range.

Parking is a little scarce to the left-hand side of the road, but there's a few spots up further if you're committed to the trip.

You'll then walk The Falls Lookout Track for about 400-metres before what's a pretty steep descent of bulky, rock-inspired stairs.

Not something I'd recommend for those with physical ailments.

And only for the daredevil and talented parents who can handle climbs with a smaller child strapped to their back.

A short drive further on from The Falls where Lower Lewis Pond and Summer Hills creeks merge, we checked out this next one the same day.

We returned from Ophir Goldfields with intel of a guy who shot another guy as a dare, way back when.

A bit of argy-bargy gone wrong, we returned with intel of a guy who shot another guy as a dare, way back when.

So, you can check out the tombstone of (unlucky) Charlie Corse, with two different trails to roam and a whole host of old gold-mining tunnels.

Tip: I wouldn't go brazenly off-course from the walking tracks, as there are visible (and apparently hidden) holes waiting to swallow people.

For those wanting to set up for the night, there's a campsite area with toilets and basic cooking facilities, and plenty of information boards to learn more about the 1850s site.

It's a little weird to think we're yet to conquer seeing this popular gem, because the very adventure-worthy stories from friends and colleagues have had us busting to get amongst it.

Until then, I can only say what I've heard of Federal Falls hasn't disappointed; and it's another cost-free picnic-and-play outing.

Tucked in the Mount Canobolas State Conservation Area, Trail Hiking Australia (THA) ranks this four-kilometre hike at a grade three, taking an estimated 90-minutes to knock over.

Experts suggest heading off at the southern end, or in a clockwise direction, to take full benefit on those steeper parts being downhill.

The circuit kicks off and ends at the Federal Falls campground on Towac Way, with the walk rated pretty easy overall.

Although THA adds it'll take "confident walkers" to tackle the last 330-odd-metres, the incline down to the falls said to be very steep.

But, like most cool treks, people say the result is worth it with magnificent falls a great parting gift.

It's the furthest of the bunch here in terms of travel, with Wellington Caves about 8-kilometres from the town.

A place we've only ever stopped to grab an ice block, plans went out the window with a much younger child at the time, who was way overdue for some shut-eye.

Although tours through the limestone caves here go for about one-hour a piece and, much like Federal Falls, many people say the roughly 60-minute trip from Orange is a worthy one.

The Cathedral and Gaden Caves are still operating by guided tours, though the Phosphate Mine was temporarily closed at time of publishing.

Medium-level fitness is the rating across both caves, which have hundreds of stairs within. Hard hats are provided by cave crews prior to taking off.

There's also The Ancient Landscapes Gallery and a self-guided winding path to check out called The Fossil Trail, with ticketing and timetable information available via the Wellington Caves website.

If you've got any of your own explorer photos, handy tips, or cool stories to share, we'd love to know more. Flick an email with your adventure details to emily.gobourg@austcommunitymedia.com.au

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