If you are looking for school holiday activities that are fun for the entire family, stimulating visually, as well as budget friendly, then exploring the art and culture on a road trip in the Central West will tick those boxes. There is lots to discover in each of the quaint and heritage towns in the region too, which you can plan as a day trip or plan as a staycation.
We experienced this recently with a few friends with children aged between 7-14 years, which is ideal for this itinerary. All they need is a little imagination and the day will be golden.
To encourage your children to get into the mindfulness of art and culture, talking about colour as a way of seeing through new eyes before you set off is a good way to set the tone for the road trip. A guided imagery engaging all the senses (you could be imaginative and describe any story), ending with a colour glowing in a woman’s palm can be facilitated using chalk pastels or even paint colour charts. A range of 72 colours is ideal so that each person can choose their colour and spends the day looking for their colour as part of their journey.
Starting from Orange, the distance to Eugowra is approximately one hour by car.
About 25 minutes in on the Mitchell Highway you may spot the Platypus on a penny farthing and Frog on a Bike – part of the fantastic Animals on Bikes paddock art sculptures. Blink and you might miss them! (There are over 100 on display between Molong and The Dubbo Zoo via Cumnock and Yeoval).
Talk about recycled sculptures and mailboxes and how you will see them in many places.
Stop at the mural walking tour sign and wander around the murals. The murals represent the town’s unique history and community including the Spring Racing Carnival, Canola Cup and Eugowra Show.
Take a picture of you in the mural; not just standing still but somehow interacting with the content. There’s more than 30 murals around town, and you can scroll through the gallery of photos below to see all the fun the children had in front of them! You can find more about the public art and culture map at Culture Maps Central NSW
If you’ve packed a picnic, there are some lovely grassy spots close to the Mandagery Creek or wonderful little cafes that are thriving in town. I stopped for a coffee at The Fat Parcel Food Van which was a good drop and they also offer burgers, sandwiches, toasties, cakes and more. There’s some outdoor seating with some tables providing shade too.
There are also good public bathroom facilities here too, so best to refresh if continuing on.
Eugowra is in the heart of bushranger country so If you have time, stop into the Eugowra Historical Museum & Bushranger Centre where you can learn about Eugowra’s claim to fame in the history books during 1862.
Eugowra has a lovely community pool which might come in handy if it is a cracking hot day; although check the hours of opening as they tend to be limited in small towns.
From here you can continue on the art trail to Grenfell – see link here.
