After our Tiger encounter at Western Plains Zoo we hit the road and headed to Orange. The back roads were lovely. The drive from Dubbo to Wellington was thoroughly enjoyable, with long windy roads and lush green fields. We stopped in at Wellington to grab some lunch. There we were assisted by a lovely lady in the information centre, before walking around Wellington Park and Gardens.

We arrived at di Russie apartments which are good value. In my opinion the photography on their website is too good as it leads you to expect more than what is on offer. That said we would certainly stay there again as it is good value for money and in walking distance to town.

Places to Eat in Orange

Lunch time came around very quickly and we stopped in at Benson’s Cafe on Summer Street. The hospitality was very friendly, and I thoroughly enjoyed a turkey and gherkin sandwich. They also make a great iced coffee.

We went to Borrodell Vineyard where Borro gave us a great lesson on Orange region wines, and why you have to pay for a good Pinot Noir. This grape demands more from the soil. Thus there are less vines per square metre. Pinot Noir has to be carefully hand pruned rather than machine clipped as they like morning sun. But need to be shaded from the harsh afternoon sun. Borro also has plenty of fruit trees and truffles growing on his amazing property. So hopefully we will be able to go back during truffle season some time.

After a big day exploring we had dinner at Lolli Redini which was nice, but nothing amazing. Entree and main wasn’t anything to write home about, and the waitress was haughty. The lemon curd tart with coconut sorbet and vanilla ice cream that Mark and I shared for dessert was delicious though!

An early morning walk from our accommodation to Cook Park was pleasurable. As was my run around the park (the only exercise I had all holiday) before my ears froze from the cold. I then walked around to enjoy the gardens, whilst Mark took photos. Cook Park is a lovely place to walk around or stop and enjoy a picnic lunch. There are many tree, plant and flower specimens to admire, and at this time of year the tulips were simply striking.

I’ve definitely been inspired to plant more flowers in my backyard farm.

Union Bank Wine Bar

During our stay in Orange Mark and I went to the Union Bank wine bar. It has a great selection of wines by the glass, tasty bar food and meals. We arrived early in the evening for pre-dinner drinks, and later enjoyed a tasting plate that had delicious olives and cured meats.

By this time the bar had quickly filled with a diverse collection of people meeting up for dinner and a nice glass of wine. The vibe was great with mates nights, girls nights and Mum and daughter catch ups filing the bar. This venue really does cater to everyone.

For our main meals I thoroughly enjoyed a well cooked sirloin steak with the most delicious chorizo I have ever had. Of course Mark’s fish and chips weren’t safe from my taste testing, those chips were magic. If you are visiting Orange, make sure you enjoy a glass of wine out in the beer garden at lunch, or on the comfy red bench seats inside for dinner. I say do both.

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