JULY 2012 VOL 2 Orange - The Garden Of Oz

Our first impression of Orange was coloured by the great accommodation we had picked. "De Russie Suites" is a stylish, cosy, boutique Hotel in the CBD of Orange, which suited us perfectly. The weather was cold in the evening, and a quick walk to restaurants and shops was better than a long one.

We arrived late afternoon, and the receptionist told us we would find "a light breakfast" in our room. I was surprised to see this paper bag sitting on the kitchen bench.

Next morning, we opened the paper bag....TaDaaaaaa!

After breakie, we planned a stroll around town, following the "Heritage Trail".

"A SLICE OF ORANGE" are providores of boutique and seasonal produce from the Orange region Central NSW. I just loved the look of the place. All those pretty bottles with the light shining through and the jars of Honey in the Honeycomb.

Killer Chillis, Monster Mint and Cheeky Ginger

You have to love honey.

It's not all about Oranges

You know the old saying "When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade"...well when life gives you unripe grapes, you make Verjus. (I googled it).

Hello honey.

Website: A Slice Of Orange

All that certainly got my taste buds going. We decided on The Hotel Canobolas Steakhouse for for dinner where you can choose to cook your own steak if you wish.

But could I be trusted with this task? .

That's the indoor Barbecue in the background.

The Hotel Canobolas boasts a delicious array of steaks, from T-bones to Beef & Reef.

You save several dollars if you choose to BBQ your choice of cut. But the chef insists on cooking the Beef and Reef. (Grain fed eye fillet and king prawn tails in a creamy garlic and shallot sauce).

....I probably couldn't be trusted to BBQ that one anyhow.

Duntryleague Golf Course is a championship 18 hole layout. An historic Club only minutes from the CBD of Orange and approximately 260 kilometres West of Sydney.

My interest was not to play golf, but to take some photos and learn a bit about this mansion's history.

What a prize this must have been back in 1867 when James Dalton built it as a new home for his wife and eleven children, at a cost of $100.000. John had made his fortune as a successful food distributor, reputedly the biggest, west of the Blue Mountains.

(Detail of the stained glass panels either side of the front door)

James Dalton moved to Orange having previously owned and operated a small store in the nearby village of Lucknow. He later went on to establish a number of flour mills in Orange in partnership with his brother Thomas, and later, his half-brother Michael. Over the years, the Daltons acquired substantial land holdings in and around the Orange district. James Dalton purchased the property and built the house where it stands today in 1876.

The name Duntryleague was taken from his birthplace near Galbally in County Limerick and means "The Fort of the Three Pillar Stones". It refers to the burial of King Cormack, who was the King of Munster in the 11th century. The original spelling of Duntryleague was Doon-tri-liag.

The house was built over three levels from bricks made on the property and features a magnificent stairway, wrought iron lace embellishments and iron lace portico. The pride of the building is a stained glass window which features in the stairway and was a gift to James Dalton upon his investiture as a Papal Knight in recognition of his services to the Catholic Church. The window had been presented to Dalton by Pope Gregory and carries his papal crest and motto, "Inter Cruces Triumphans in Cruces".

(Still functional, but in its' original condition, the dining sideboard and cabinets).

(The dining room overlooks the expertly maintained golf course).

The Clubhouse features a licensed bar area, barbecue area and four tennis courts. Duntryleague is a private golf club, however visitors are welcome

Duntryleague is not just about golf and tennis. Located right in the middle of the City of Orange it offers the ideal meeting place for locals and visitors. Spectacular views from the Restaurant and Clubhouse prove very popular with both members and visitors.

Orange was proclaimed a village in 1846. It had been previously known as Blackman's Swamp, presumably after James Blackman, of Bathurst.

The village was named by Mayor Thomas Mitchell in honour of Prince William of Orange.

The Heritage Trail ( tourist walk through the city) had been a project of the Orange City Council. The walk proceeds along Byng St and takes about 1.5 hours to complete.

St Joseph's Catholic Church sits on the Corner of Byng St and Hill St.

St Joseph's Catholic Church.

Continuing our stroll down Byng St., we pass a number of architectural beauties in original condition, freshly painted and proudly presented.

70 Byng St has some very interesting history.

70 Byng St was James Dalton's first home, built in 1860. Eleven of his 12 children were born here, where he lived until his mansion Duntryleague (see pic below) was built in 1876 in Woodward St., Orange.

Duntryleague is now the clubhouse for a championship 18 hole golf course. I photographed the interior, which is in beautiful pristine condition. I look forward to presenting Duntryleague in a forthcoming feature.