Clarence Town


A small, pleasant, sprawling and tranquil township picturesquely situated by the banks of the Williams River, 50 km north of Newcastle.

Where is it?: Hunter Valley. Clarence Town is 50 km from Newcastle; 204 km north of Sydney.

Until the railway arrived in 1911, it was a busy and important river port and effectively the gateway to northern New South Wales. Bypassed by progress, and with its importance as a centre of exchange vanished, it is now a quiet rural town.


Things to see and do

Shipbuilding Plaque: at the southern end of town there is a small park with picnic facilities overlooking a green, tree-lined and beautiful section of the wide, deep and placid river. A plaque at the picnic spot which commemorates 'the 150th anniversary of the launching of the paddle-wheel steamer William IV from the Deptford Shipyards, Clarence Town, 500 metres downstream on the west bank of the Williams River on 14th November 1831. William IV was the first ocean-going steamer built in Australia. She left Clarence Town under sail and her engines were fitted in Sydney.


The Bridge Reserve: located over the Brig O Johnson Bridge, this pleasant spot has picnic facilities, toilets, a childrens' play area, a boat ramp, a camping area and a caravan park and kayaks and canoes for hire.

Surrounding area


Scenic Drives: You can head in just about any direction from Clarence Town and find the scenery interesting with plenty of places of interest. The township of Glen William is home to The Good Samaritan Donkey Sanctuary, a home for mistreated and abandoned donkeys since 1990. There is a deer farm at Glen William.

At Wallarobba, Camelot Lavender Farm sells lavender products, cottage garden plants, crafts, llama knitwear and Devonshire teas. There is also an animal frendship farm called Follyfoot Rare Breeds Farm with llamas. To the south at Seaham, Seaham Weir is a large lake and a popular fishing spot well-stocked with bass and mullet from November to February.


The coastal resort town of Nelson Bay on Port Stephens is 66 km away. Port Stephens was formed about seventy thousand years ago when the sea level in this area rose sixty metres, flooding the Karuah River valley and forming an estuary. With over 30 km of clean, white sandy beaches, Port Stephens is a major tourism centre, particularly for surfing, diving, fishing, and dolphin and whale watching.




Barrington Tops: carved out of an ancient volcano, Barrington Tops rises from near sea level to over 1500m. In the lower valleys, there are World Heritage-listed subtropical rainforests. Up on the plateau, the sub-alpine woodland regularly sees snow in winter. Most of the area is declared wilderness, and it's a well-known destination for bushwalkers, however the park is accessible even to those with limited mobility.


Stroud: a small country town, dating back to the late 1820s. Many of Stroud's old buildings have been preserved and the whole town is under National Trust classification. The oldest are convict-built. As a company town which was planned rather than developed piecemeal it had, and retains, some unity of focus and character.


Paterson: a tiny but attractive little hamlet 24 km to the north-east, settled amidst mountains on the Paterson River which has its source in Barrington Tops to the north. Paterson was once an important river port. As such it also became a service centre to the surrounding community. Considerable supplies of tobacco were grown, as well as grains, grapes, wine, citrus fruits and cotton. Shipbuilding also commenced with the development of the river trade. About 5 km from the Woodville turnoff, to the right, is a memorial cairn to noted Australian boxer Les Darcy who was born here.


Dungog: a pleasant country town on the Williams River, located in the middle of dairy and timber country. Dungog is rich in natural assets. including mountain ranges, freshwater streams, clean air and magnificent rural vistas. Popular Dungog events are the Dungog Film Festival hosted at the James Theatre, the Dungog Agricultural Show, Pedalfest, the Dungog Rodeo, and the Thunderbolt Rally. Dungong marks the entrance to Barrington Tops.

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