New England

New England
A lovely, scenic alternative to the coast, with rustic beauty and a cooler year-round cli¬mate, the New England Highway begins in Sydney, continues along Hwy 15 to Bris¬bane, and is serviced by most major bus lines. Most of this 380km stretch of road is dotted with inviting country towns. The highway traverses the Hunter Valley, with scenery transforming from Newcastle’s industrial machines and coal ships, along Maitland’s vineyards, past Singleton’s army base and mines, and through Muswell-brook’s coal mines and Scone’s horse stud farms. It then begins the dramatic climb up the Dividing Range from Tamworth to Armidale, in New England proper.
The national parks in the New England region (clustered in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales) are worth re-routing an itinerary for. There are abso¬lutely no entrance fees, and almost all of the parks have picnic areas, camping sites, toilets, fireplaces, and spectacular views. Unfortunately, most are accessible only by vehicle (some only by 4WD), although there are companies attempting to start cheap shuttle service.