For A Great Weekend Away From The Sydney Try Kangaroo Valley

Just 100 miles (160km) from Sydney, there is a tiny town that has a very big reputation. You will find only around 360 permanent residents within the National Trust village of Kangaroo Valley, but they take great pride in living in what is often called "the most beautiful valley in Australia." They are more than willing to share their good fortune with guests, offering Kangaroo Valley accommodations that are as delightful to stay in as the region is to visit. Whenever you do visit the valley, you will come away thinking that it is not only among the most beautiful in Australia, but ranks with the most beautiful in the whole world.

Irrespective of whether you approach Kangaroo Valley from Canberra or Sydney, the drive takes just 2 hours and much of that is through beautiful rolling hills. It can honestly be said of this valley that "getting there is half the fun" and often travelers find that the drive takes much longer as they make a lot of stops along the way. When you get there, you will be treated with a taste of old Australia before you even enter the town when you cross the historical Hampden Bridge, a lovely sandstone bridge built in 1898. This suspension bridge is the oldest existing bridge of its kind in the country.

When surveyor and explorer George Evans looked down upon Kangaroo Valley from the heights of neighboring Mount Tapatallee in 1912, entranced by the vision before him, he commented that "no painter could beautify" what he saw before him. This opinion continues to be shared for over 20,000 years. The indigenous population considers it to be sacred and attributes healing powers to the area. The European settlers who arrived not long after Evans put it on the map coveted the region for its rich soil and abundance of water. Aside from the early exploitation of the wonderful Australian cedars in the region, even early settlers were keen to preserve the area's natural splendor.

Kangaroo Valley naturally attracts individuals with creative and esthetic sensibilities. Because of this, the village seems to fit in perfectly with its surrounding environment and lots of the shops in the town feature fine arts, crafts and antiques, while others focus on keeping guests well fed with gourmet food. The Aussie meat pie, for instance, is not typically associated with gourmet food, but at the Barrengarry Store, you can pick from a number of what many say are the most delicious and nutritious meat pies in Australia.

Of course, you will not want to stay indoors too much when you're in Kangaroo Valley. The scenery is simply too magnificent. Bush walking is as well-liked now as it had been with the aborigines 20,000 years ago. Remarkably, you can literally follow in their footsteps, because many of their trails remain. There is an abundance of wildlife within the valley and on the surrounding slopes. The locals only request that you tread gently and treat their unspoiled paradise with the respect it deserves. You will not need to be reminded, though. There's something about Kangaroo Valley that makes you want it to remain exactly as it is forever.