Tourism

About Scone

Scone is nestled in the beautiful Upper Hunter, approximately 270 km north-west of Sydney, on the New England Highway and has a population of more than 5,500 people. Scone is known as the Horse Capital of Australia. The district is home to the Australian Stockhorse Association, the Hunter thoroughbred breeding industry which is reputed as the second largest breeding area in the world, has some of the country’s longest established pony clubs, a thriving polo and polocrosse community, rodeos that attract competitors from around the country and the range of leisure and eventing equine activities.

The region is also home to a cross-section of agriculture including cattle and sheep grazing, cereal cropping, dairies and boutique wineries. While there are no coal mines in the Upper Hunter Shire, the thriving mining industry in the Muswellbrook and Singleton Shires provides plentiful work, a robust local economy and growing townships. Many mining employees and their families enjoy the work-life balance of living in the picturesque rural surrounds of Scone.

Each week we publish What’s On and you can view the Community Calendar to see what else is planned.

Top five tourist recommendations

Just passing through:

1. Scones in Scone
2. Photo on the Mare and Foal
3. Town walk
4. Visit the Washpools
5. Walk Burning Mountain

…more to come.

A planned trip:

1. Scone and Upper Hunter Horse Festival
2. Highland Games
3. King of the Ranges
4. Merriwa Festival of the Fleeces
5. Scone Literary Festival

….more to come.

Staying for a few days:

1. Horse Stud Tour
2. Visit the Devil Ark
3. View the War Birds Museum
4. Visit a local National Park
5. Try some local produce