Central Caleula Motor Lodge

Orange shooting range

by CdnJane

My visit to Orange was short... there with a friend for a shooting match. Our drive from Penrith just had us driving quickly through the town out to the field and then out to Dubbo. It was a lovely field! Believe you have to belong to the the shooting club... need a rifle, a permit, and some ammo. My friend puts his shells together rather than buying them premade, so that he can control the weight and control of them.

NO ORANGES IN ORANGE!

by balhannah

"FUNNY HOW TOWNS GET NAMES!"

Orange, [population 39,000], and immediately you think of Orange Orchards.

As you drive along, you see plenty of Orchards, but none of these are

Oranges, they are Apple Orchards, and very pretty when in blossom in spring.

A lot of these are located around the base of an extinct volcano, [Mt. Conobolas]....................

a mountain that is worth the drive up the top for the scenic views and bushwalks.

The feritile volcanic soil means wheat and barley, and more recently fruit

orchards, including olives, apples, grapes and berries are grown in the area.

Local produce can be bought from roadside stalls when in season, nice & fresh!

Vineyards, a lot of these in the area, and a lot of Cellar Doors also, so

many that they have a "Wine Week."

Autumn is the time to see the vineyards in their glorious "hot" colours,

and of course, all the beautiful tree lined streets in the splendours of Autumn Colour.

"A LITTLE HISTORY ON ORANGE............"

Prior to European settlement, the Wiradjuri Aborigines language lived in
the Orange area.

It became known as Blackmans Swamp in the early 1800s, but was

renamed Orange and proclaimed a village in 1846. In 1851 business

began to boom with the discovery of Australia's first "payable" gold at nearby Ophir.

You can follow a City Heritage Trail, a self-guided walk, which takes in more than 40 places of historical interest.

Pick it up at the Tourist Information Centre.

OR.............
Wander around the mines at Ophir and try your luck panning for gold at Ophir Reserve. Pans can be hired.

ORANGE was the birthplace of one of Australia's most famous Poets ............

.........BANJO PATERSON..............

and you can visit the site of his birthplace

Banjo Paterson Park features an obelisk that was unveiled in the presence of the poet's widow in 1947.

Festivals and events are held thoughout the year, so there is something for every one when visiting Orange.

Orange is located 280 km west of Sydney, and is a nice town to get away to from the hustle & bustle of Sydney.

Orange gets cold in Winter!

Orange... not over the Rainbow, just the Blue Mtns

by CdnJane

"At a Country Meet"

I'm afraid I can't tell you much about Orange. We left Penrith about 6:30-7am and got here around 9:30/10am, and spent until around 3:30pm in this field, while my friend competed in the rifle range shooting match. I can tell you that the people there were very friendly, and that they make the best sandwiches. I think I really did meet the real Aussies when I was there, and I liked them, very much.