Just 7 kilometres apart, Rylstone and Kandos NSW are neighbouring towns with a community that’s tightly connected — and a combined personality that’s impossible to resist. Both towns serve as gateways to Ganguddy–Dunns Swamp and Wollemi National Park, making them the perfect base for nature lovers, heritage enthusiasts, and curious travellers alike.
Rylstone
Embrace the charm of this riverside village, where tree-lined streets, heritage cottages, and sandstone walls tell stories at every turn. Rylstone slows you down in the best way — a haven for artists, creatives, and anyone in need of a soulful café or a browse through boutique shops and galleries. Discover handcrafted treasures, stylish décor, and quirky vintage finds tucked into every corner. Food lovers are spoiled too — from hearty pub meals and incredible yum cha to fine regional wines. Don’t miss the annual Rylstone Street Feast, where long tables, live music, and gourmet flavours turn the main street into a festival of indulgence.
Kandos
Set against the bold backdrop of “Rocky” and “Baldy” in the Coomber Melon Mountain Range, Kandos is a small town with a big story — a community cemented (literally) in industrial history and now reinvented through creativity and culture. Once proudly called the ‘town that built Sydney,’ Kandos has embraced change since the cement works closed in 2011. The biennial Cementa festival anchors its transformation, filling the town with contemporary art, curiosity, conversation, and just the right amount of mischief. From almost anywhere in town, you can glimpse the abandoned cement works — reminders that big stories come in concrete form. Galleries, quirky cafés, art spaces, op shops, and studios keep the streets buzzing, while the Kandos Street Machine each January revs up classic cars, family fun, and chaos in the best possible way. The Kandos Museum captures the town’s industrial past, preserving stories that shaped the community.
Heritage and creativity, nature and community — Rylstone and Kandos are best experienced together. Two towns, closely linked, offering a richer picture of regional NSW than either could alone.
