Discover Batlow

Batlow is known for its apple orchards, with panoramic views across orchards and grazing land in a hilly landscape. Local themes range from cider and seasonal produce to local history and art in the forest. You can tailor your stay according to whether you are particularly interested in regional produce, a festival in May, historical insights or nearby attractions.

Apples, cider and regional produce

The Apple Thief CiderHouse in Batlow offers an orchard-to-glass experience. Crafty Cider focuses on tastings of small-batch ciders. The two offer different ways to explore cider: one focuses on the journey from orchard to finished drink, while the other offers tastings of ciders made in small batches.

Seasonal farm-gate outlets in Batlow allow visitors to pick their own apples or buy fresh regional produce. Which option you choose also depends on whether you would prefer to pick your own or take home produce; the farm-gate outlets are seasonal. At Mouat’s Farm Shop, the range includes crisp apples and sweet cherries, as well as farm-fresh eggs, homemade jams and local honey. Alongside the cider offerings, there is also a selection of different regional products.

At Yesteryear Plantations, visitors can learn about the traditional distillation of eucalyptus oil. A shop featuring unique, locally made products complements the offering. Those interested in traditional processing will find a different focus here from the apple and cider offerings.

The Batlow CiderFest in May

The Batlow CiderFest takes place every year in May and draws visitors to Batlow from New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria. The program includes music, roving performers, numerous markets and gourmet food vendors. The festival provides a specific reason to plan a visit around a recurring date in the calendar. If you are planning your trip around the CiderFest, check the exact event date.

Forest walk and nearby art

The nearby Alpine Ash Walk in Bago State Forest, near Batlow and Laurel Hill, is an easy, one-kilometre, one-way forest walk with sculptures along the route. The Bago Sculpture Forest has a different focus: located between Batlow and Laurel Hill in Bago State Forest, it brings together public artworks by local, national and international artists in a forest setting. The two experiences therefore differ both in form and in how the art is integrated into the surroundings.

Local history and museum

Batlow developed in connection with the 19th-century gold rush. In 1854, gold prospectors came to Reedy Creek, the name then used for Batlow. A later historical milestone was 1923, when the first cold stores in New South Wales were built in Batlow. The two dates represent different chapters in the town’s history.

Visitors can learn more about the region at the Batlow Museum. The museum is run by the Batlow Historical Society and is located in the former St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church building. The Big Apple is also among the town’s well-known landmarks: it is described as “the town’s biggest attraction”.

The swimming pool in Batlow

The Batlow Community Swimming Pool includes a 25-metre swimming pool, a learn-to-swim pool, a paddling pool and an accessible ramp. The swimming pool adds an aquatic facility to the range of things to explore; the pools mentioned serve different purposes. Alongside seasonal produce, the CiderFest, local history and art, it offers another specific way to get to know Batlow.

Discover more destinations: Adelong, Gocup, Yarrangobilly.

For the broader travel overview: Tumut Council.