Eschol: Macquarie River and the historic Cobb & Co route

In Eschol, a rural property on the Macquarie River meets the historic Old Dubbo Road: an old Cobb & Co route that runs through the area. Nearby river reserves offer different riverside scenery, and a section of the Central West Cycle Trail also follows Old Dubbo Road. This gives you several specific ways to get to know Eschol—from accommodation options and riverside landscapes to the cycling route.

Rural accommodation on the Macquarie River

Outback Cellar Dubbo is located at “Boora” in the Eschol area, on 125 acres of high-quality farmland on the Macquarie River. Picturesque views of the river and the surrounding countryside define the property. The Country Cottage is a self-contained two-bedroom cottage. The Outback Cellar was once a wine cellar and has been converted into an open-plan studio apartment.

There are two different accommodation options: a two-bedroom cottage or an open-plan studio in a former wine cellar. You can consider the accommodation and the landscape separately when making your choice: the number of bedrooms and the open-plan studio format help you assess the accommodation, while river views and the rural surroundings give the property its character.

Old Dubbo Road: history and cycling route

In Eschol, Old Dubbo Road connects a historic route with practical information for cyclists. The Geurie-to-Dubbo section of the Central West Cycle Trail follows this road. The stretch along Old Dubbo Road is approximately 29 kilometres to the Tracker Riley Cycleway.

Old Dubbo Road also has approximately nine kilometres of good gravel road before it becomes sealed.

Two different riverbanks

Nearby Butlers Falls Reserve has a sandy beach beside a fast-flowing stretch of river. At nearby Pilchers Reserve, there is a wide gravel beach on the Macquarie River. Sand and gravel create different riverside settings here; at Butlers Falls Reserve, the description of the fast-flowing water adds another distinction.

If you include river landscapes in your outing plans, the type of beach offers a tangible difference between the two reserves. The details about the riverbank and river character provide practical guidance without reducing both places to the same scenery.

Cultural history in the wider region

The Beni State Conservation Area lies in the wider region around Eschol, near Dubbo. Local Aboriginal groups once used the creek lines for water and food, and as shelter. Small artefacts and grinding grooves can be seen beside sandy creeks and in gorges; the grinding grooves were used to sharpen axes and tools. These traces connect the landscape with its cultural history.

Nature-based activities in the area include birdwatching, bushwalking, picnicking, cycling and horse riding. The Beni State Conservation Area thus complements the riverbanks around Eschol with other landscape and activity experiences—in a distinctly wider regional context near Dubbo.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Umina Beach, Newrybar, Temora, Moree, Dignams Creek, Mystery Bay, Tyalgum, Karuah

For the main travel overview: New South Wales.