About Walcha

Walcha is located midway between Sydney and Brisbane via the scenic Thunderbolts Way. 

Situated on the southern edge of the beautiful New England Tablelands, Walcha is a very productive area, with the main industries being cattle and sheep production; timber harvesting and milling; as well as tourism.

The township of Walcha is 1067 metres above sea level, with a Shire population of 3500.  

Walcha was the first area on the Tablelands discovered by British explorers and the earliest town settled in the New England.  The explorer, John Oxley passed through the area in 1818 and named the Apsley River after the Secretary of State for the colonies, Lord Apsley. 

European settlement began in 1832 as squatters moved from the Hunter Valley and Port Macquarie seeking pastures for sheep.  The first settler in the district was Hamilton Collins Sempill, who made his base camp beside a good watering hole on the Apsley River, which became known as Walcha.

With some 176,000 ha of National Parks in the area, Walcha is the gateway to some of the most magnificent natural scenery in Australia. 

Part of the World Heritage listed, Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves is located within the Walcha Shire, offering visitors an unforgettable experience of nature at its best. 

Combine this with crystal clear streams which offer some of the best trout fishing in NSW and a unique Open Air Gallery, with 25 sculptures created by local, national and international artists spread around town, and you are guaranteed to have a very memorable time in this picturesque part of the New England.