Quick Facts about Mudgee, Gulgong & Rylstone
Getting to Mudgee
Transport
Population as per the 2000 Census
Main Industries
Main Attractions
Climate
Major Events
Church Times – Mudgee, Gulgong, Rylstone & Kandos
 

Quick Facts about Mudgee, Gulgong & Rylstone

Mudgee is located on the Central Tablelands of NSW and is part of the newly renamed "Central NSW" Region. Gulgong is just 28 km north of Mudgee. The towns of Rylstone and Kandos lie just over 50kms to the south east of Mudgee in close proximity to the Wollemi National Park.

Getting to Mudgee

From Sydney:

3.5 hour drive (261km). Take the Great Western Highway through the Blue Mountains or alternatively the Bells Line of Road through Richmond and Windsor to Lithgow. Follow directions to Bathurst, then turn left for Mudgee.

From Newcastle:

3.5 hour drive (290km). Take New England Highway to Singleton. Turn off for Jerry's Plains, through Denman, Sandy Hollow, Merriwa.  From Merriwa, follow directions to Dunedoo/Dubbo along the Golden Highway. Turn left for Mudgee approximately 10kms past the Cassilis intersection.

From Canberra:

6 hour drive (471km). Through Yass to Boorowa, Cowra, Canowindra, Molong, Wellington to Mudgee. Alternatively Cowra to Bathurst, Sofala, Ilford and Mudgee.

From Brisbane:

11 hour drive. Follow the Newell Highway to Dubbo then head East for Mudgee or alternatively the New England Highway to Tamworth, then through Gunnedah, Tambar Springs to Coolah and Mudgee.
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Transport

Six-days per week air services between Mudgee and Sydney by Air Link (Ph 02 6884 2435). Daily train/coach service between Mudgee and Sydney by Countrylink (Ph 13 22 32).

Population as per the 2000 Census

Population of Mudgee township is approximately 8,500. Gulgong has almost 2,500 people within the town boundary. Our rural villages have around 7000 residents while the towns of Rylstone and Kandos have approximately 3800 people.

The shire has been recently amalgamated into the Mid Western Shire Council and boundaries are still to be formalized. The Shire population is estimated to be around 22,000. The population is currently growing at a healthy 1% per annum.

Geographical area: 9402.66 square kms (excludes Coolah pending decision deferred to Nov 2004)

Main Industries

Wine production, Ulan Coal Mines, Tourism, honey production, and horse, cattle and sheep studs producing thoroughbred horses and super fine wool. There are also over 300 retail establishments in the Mudgee shopping centre. Gulgong, Rylstone and Kandos also have smaller CBD areas but nonetheless busy. Mudgee Regional Wine Production: area under vine approximately 4,500 hectares.

Main Attractions

Over 30 Winery cellar doors to visit, honey factories, museums, historic areas, local produce tastings including olive oil, art & craft galleries, a wide range of restaurants and picturesque countryside.
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Climate

Summer: Max average 30C; Min average 18C

Winter: Max average 14C; Min average 1C

Rainfall: 650mm (annual)

Elevation: 470m to 1,000m above sea level.

Major Events

Gulgong Folk Festival (Dec/Jan), Bylong Race Mouses (Mar), Clay Modern (April/May every second year), Henry Lawson Festival (June), Mudgee Small Farm Field Days (July), Wine Celebration (Sep), Rylstone Street Feast (Nov), Huntington Music Festival (Nov/Dec), Mudgee Cup (Dec).

Church Times – Mudgee, Gulgong, Rylstone & Kandos

MUDGEE REGION TOURISM INC

Tourism has been an important part of the economic and social life of Mudgee Shire for some years now. It is currently worth around $34 million to our local economy; only the Shire Council itself, the local manufacturing industry as a whole and the immediate agricultural/ pastoral industry contributes more to the Shire’s economy. That makes tourism a major player in the economic health of the Shire.

Prior to 2000, tourism was a component of Mudgee Shire Council and was overseen by the Mudgee Gulgong Tourism Office Board of Directors. All staff, finance, policy decisions, promotional opportunities and coordination of tourism planning strategies were the responsibility of Mudgee Shire Council.

The increasingly complex nature of tourism, the level of commitment required from the community, in combination with the directions, guidelines and initiatives of the various tourism bodies, government and quasi-government departments meant that a higher level of independence and self-governance was felt to be required by various tourism related interest groups so that tourism in the region would be attuned to their perceived needs and areas of concern. Mudgee Shire Council listened to these calls to action and responded by initiating and funding professional consultations, workshops and assessment of various tourism models that might be appropriate for Mudgee Shire.

Following this an operational review was commissioned by Mudgee Shire Council to provide a snapshot of Visitor Centre based tourism in the region. The results of this review played a key role in shaping the marketing strategies, membership format and business plan for the transitional implementation stage of incorporation.

In June 2000 the Interim Committee for the proposed Incorporated Tourism Body met to plan the transitional stage. The first meeting was “characterised by a spirit of enthusiasm and commitment to embrace future tourism opportunities” (Tourism News July 2000).  The current Chairman of the Mudgee Region Tourism Board is Mr Peter Wormald, Deputy Chairman Michael Sweeney and Treasurer John Medcalf.

The MRTI Board is representative of all major stakeholders in the Mudgee region tourism industry: Mid-Western Regional Shire Council, community representatives, Hospitality Industry, Mudgee Wine Grape Growers Association Inc, Gulgong Chamber of Commerce, Mudgee Business Association, Mudgee Olives Association and the recently formed Cudgegong Business Group.

Mudgee Shire Council provided financial and professional support and assistance in developing the Incorporation model now in place. The Mudgee Shire Council has since been amalgamated and it is now the Mid-Western Regional Shire Council that continues to be the major financial stakeholder for MRTI. Their financial assistance helps to meet the day to day operational costs of the Visitor Centres in the Shire, including the main office in Mudgee and the regional offices within the Shire.

Membership targets for each reporting period since Incorporation have been met, indeed exceeded. The current membership stands at around 250 and growing. The funds generated by membership and by advertising revenue in the major promotional tool – the Visitor Guide – are channelled directly into MRTI to fund marketing opportunities for the region. Marketing of our region as a whole gives us a louder and more powerful voice in what is a very competitive market place.

MRTI provides to the tourism industry in Mudgee a rational and strategic policy platform to coordinate decision making on tourism planning and tourism development matters having regard to social, economic and environmental factors.  It acts in consultation with the various interest groups and the community; it provides an opportunity for meaningful and positive discussion and action plans; it coordinates marketing and promotional opportunities; and it provides a vision for the future direction of tourism in the Mudgee region.

If you are interested in becoming a member of our organisation and grow with us please click here and we will be in contact with you.

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