The Capertee Valley is the world's second largest canyon, longer in width to the Grand Canyon in the United States.
If you have ever been awed by the Grand Canyon in the United States with its layered bands of red rock, it will be a pleasant surprise to know, if you haven't known it yet, that we have our own version and an even better one right here in New South Wales, at least in terms of width. The Capertee Valley is 1 km wider than the Grand Canyon although not quite as deep.
Driving on the unsealed roads of Glen Davis.
The best access to the Capertee Valley is through Glen Davis Road off the Castlereagh Highway. The drive may seem uninteresting at first, but soon you'll see grazing lands, bushes and beyond, the beautiful escarpments surrounding the valley.
As you approach Glen Davis, turn left to Goora Street and follow the unsealed road to the
Capertee River Trail. This is not an off-road adventure, but you may need a 4WD with enough ground clearance, particularly on rainy days when water at the Capertee River crossing is higher than usual. On ordinary days, however, a 2WD sedan can make the trip.
Everywhere you look, there is a beautiful backdrop of sandstone escarpment in Glen Davis.
If you are after a 4WD adventure, you might be interested in the Capertee and Hill End 4WD camping tour described in the
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service website. The tour, however, will take you to the back of Capertee and along Turon River, a hundred kilometres west of Glen Davis.
Glen Davis is nestled between beautiful sandstone escarpments.
The unsealed roads at Glen Davis are not difficult to navigate in a 2WD sedan.
Look out the window to your right and you'd see this getting closer and closer as you drive through the river trail.
Camp at Glen Davis and wake up to this beautiful sight in the morning.
Ruins at the old shale oil mine at Glen Davis.
The lookout where you can see the abandoned Glen Davis Shale Oil Works dwarfed by sandstone escarpment.
The Wiradjuri people are the Traditional Custodian of the land which includes the Capertee Valley. Remember to be respectful of their Elders past and present.
Driving in the Capertee Valley can be exhausting particularly if coming from Sydney. To make your visit worth the while, consider
camping at the Coorongooba Campground. It is free to camp there although booking is required (a nominal booking fee applies). I would have suggested the Glen Davis Boutique Hotel as the only accommodation available other than camping at Glen Davis, but currently, it is closed. The circa 1939 hotel is up for sale.
Of course, a visit to Glen Davis should include the
Glen Davis Shale Oil Works. It is an abandoned shale oil mine that at one time produced a fifth of petroleum from shale oil in Australia.
