Travel: Space to embrace nature | Auckland Lifestyle News | Health, Fashion, Food and Wine in Auckland

Beyond the big-bang sights of the Blue Mountains is a wilderness resort that has to be experienced to believed. Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa, flanked by the Wollemi and Gardens of Stone National Parks, is a gold-standard triumph in nature-focused hospitality.

The luxury conservation-based resort puts a very soft footprint on the 1600ha conservancy reserve that it protects and enhances. Started in 2009, the project is securing the future of the region's indigenous and endangered species and regenerating the health of the surrounding natural habitat.

Wolgan Valley, showered with awards, was the first hotel in the world to achieve carbon-neutral certification. On arrival at this secluded valley, it is the glorious sense of space that will delight. Forty individual suites are sprinkled across the valley in the shadow of the majestic main homestead and sparkling pool deck. It is entirely up to you how much - or how little - you wish to do. Take your time to unwind or explore.

The resort offers a plethora of field activities and there are some great excursions.

In the late afternoon, the soft sunlight suffuses the sandstone cliffs with a warm pink glow. As twilight nears the sundowner 4WD tour delivers an enthralling panorama. Kangaroos, wallabies and wallaroos abound and, with a bit of luck, you'll spot some of the albino roos.

Escorted by knowledgeable field guides, you'll learn about and see a wealth of wildlife including many of Australia's magnificent birds.

You'll also visit the reserve's cherished wollemi pine grove, home to one of the world's ancient and rare species.

For a slightly more arduous activity, saddle up and hit the trail on a fully escorted horse ride. I ended up on a rascal called Wrangler, which hurtled me across the open grasslands, hillside slopes and babbling brooks that lace Wolgan Valley. It was an exhilarating way to explore this enchanting wilderness.

Other activities include flyfishing, heritage tours, guided walks and stargazing. And there's an excellent spa.

Each suite is equipped with two mountain bikes, which are great to use at your leisure.

The Wolgan Dining Room serves delicious food that's refined without being pretentious. And there's the more casual setting of the providore-style Country Kitchen.

Charles Darwin visited Wolgan Valley in 1836, stopping for a breather at the original homestead, which has been beautifully restored. Darwin was awestruck by the rugged untouched terrain.

He would still be awestruck were he to visit today.

Wollemi and the Gardens of Stone

Wolgan Valley is cradled by two superb national parks, which are worth a walkabout to accentuate your foray into the New South Wales wilderness.

Wollemi National Park is a sensory feast of untamed countryside, gushing rivers and horizon-stretching landscapes. Among the labyrinth of canyons, cliffs and  untouched forest are some effortless walks. A top-drawer attraction is an encounter with the pagoda rock formations that skirt the serene waterways of Ganguddy. Canoeing and camping  are also popular here.

A walk through the wet eucalyptus trees and temperate rainforest, where sky-piercing basalt peaks rise above the canopy, is a must-do. Another recommended stop is in the southeast  end of the park, where the  Colo River  courses through one of Australia's biggest sandstone canyon systems.

For a walk with a difference, the Newnes Industrial Ruins Track is an eerie trail that leads you through the picturesque remains of what was once a large-scale oil shale production area.

You'll see snakes and lizards dozing on the crumbling stone walls  and the strikingly beehive-shaped coke ovens. The town  was  inhabited by 2000 people before it was abandoned in 1937.

Meanwhile, if photogenic rocks appeal  the Gardens of Stone National Park should be on your list.

 Pagoda rock formations have been formed by erosion on the sandstone escarpments. Wreathed in banksia, dwarf casurnia and wind-pruned heathland plants, the garden-like appearance of this rocky jungle is
quite extraordinary.

Top tips

Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa is an irresistible experience to which you should treat yourself.

The property offers a range of all-inclusive package deals, with the best available rates accessible on the website www.wolganvalley.com

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