The high country around Oberon sits on the plateau west of the Blue Mountains, a cool tableland more than a thousand metres above sea level, where the air is clean and the winters are properly cold. Oberon itself is a town of about three thousand people, surrounded by farms, pine plantations and the forests of Kanangra-Boyd and Jenolan State Forest. The surrounding country is a rolling grassland, with granite outcrops, sheep and cattle, and stands of snow gum and peppermint, quite unlike the sandstone and eucalyptus of the mountains to the east.
Oberon's story is largely one of timber. The big softwood plantations established here in the twentieth century made it a centre of the industry, and the sawmills and timber trucks are an important part of local life. The town is also known for its frosts and occasional snowfalls, which are uncommon in most of New South Wales. In winter, a dusting of snow draws visitors from Sydney, and the roads may be icy in the early morning.
Riding in the high country is a pleasure, with long, flowing roads across the tableland, and fewer cars than on the roads of the Blue Mountains. The corners are broad and the surfaces generally good, though verges are soft, and logging trucks use many of the roads, so keep to the left and give them space. The road to Jenolan Caves descends into a deep limestone valley by way of a series of tight bends, and is a classic ride. The caves, among the oldest open caves in the world, were known to the Gundungurra people long before Europeans arrived, and guided tours go down into the cathedral-like chambers. The final approach, through a rock tunnel known as the Grand Arch, is dramatic.
Weather here is changeable. Summers are mild and sometimes hot, and autumn brings beautiful colours in the plantings of exotic trees. Winters are cold, with frosts and fog. Kangaroos and wallabies are common at dusk, and wombats may be seen on the roads at night.
Oberon is large enough to have fuel, supermarkets, bakeries and pubs, which makes it the sensible stop on the plateau. Lithgow, thirty-six kilometres to the north-east, is the next big town. Fill up in Oberon before heading into the forests, and carry a warm layer even on a summer day.