📍9 Best Breathtakingly Scenic Things To Do In Tenterfield, NSW For Nature Lovers. (2025.)

LOOKING FOR THE BEST NATURE-BASED THINGS TO DO IN TENTERFIELD?

Sitting close to the Sunshine State’s border at the intersection of New England and Bruxner Highways in the breathtaking New England region of New South Wales, lies Tenterfield, famous for being the birthplace of Australia as a Federation.

But that’s not why people head inland to visit this small country town. It’s the epic landscapes that is home to that makes it such an inviting destination, especially for outdoorsy folks as there’s a huge variety of landscapes and terrain to explore. This is especially so since it is amidst the breathtaking Granite Belt, a region of Australia filled with mountainous granite monoliths and spectacular boulder fields, where most of the best unique things to do in Tenterfield for nature lovers lie.

But that’s only a taste of what this town highway crossroads town is the gateway to. Along with being in the vicinity of several breathtaking landscapes and terrains to explore, it also has some fascinating heritage sites, some of which are a unique blend of both, such as the natural locations and landmarks that a local infamous bushranger utilized as hideouts while he was on the run from the long arm of the law, making it an endlessly beautiful and fascinating place to visit.

1. Climb NSW Tallest Granite Monolith!
Bald Rock National Park.

If there’s one place that defines Tenterfield’s magnificent wild beauty, it’s unequivocally Bald Rock National Park. Towering over the landscape like a colossal natural fortress, this place right running alongside the Queensland border, is the outstanding highlight of the entire New England region and a magnificent exemplification of the famous Granite Belt geology that this part of Australia is renowned for.

This is thanks to the breathtaking scope and epic magnitude of it’s world-class titular landmark. This massive dome, measuring 260m high, and 750m wide is such a behemoth slab of rock that it is officially New South Wales’s largest granite monolith, which is the perfect incentive to attempt to summit the hugely imposing thing!

The Bald Rock Summit Walk is the park’s showstopper trail. This challenging 3.2km, Grade 5 return hike takes you straight up its immense slope and is a steep and physically demanding challenge. But the views from along it are unforgettably magnificent, providing the intrepid with uninterrupted panoramic views stretching far and wide across both sides of the border, while the boulders at the top provide even more visual interest to an already outstanding natural attraction, making it one of the most unforgettably unique things to do in Tenterfield.

But that’s not all this breathtaking national park has to offer. It also has several other beautiful walks not to miss, such as the Bald Rock base walk which as the name suggests circumnavigates the base of the landmark monolith to see it up close, and walking to the top of Big Guy’s smaller siblings, Little Bald Rock and Bald Rock Trig Lookout, which also both have beautiful views but are less difficult to conquer.

2. Explore Another Of The Granite Belt’s World-Class National Parks.
Girraween National Park.

Just over the border in Queensland’s breathtaking Granite Belt, Girraween National Park is an even more inviting hiking destination, because this rugged, boulder-strewn world-class natural wonderland doesn’t do epic landscapes lightly either, especially when it comes to the Pyramid, the magnificent sister monolith to Bald Rock!

This enormously imposing smooth, sloping mountain of a thing rises dramatically from the earth’s peaking into a soft dome, giving it its natural pyramid shape. But this isn’t just a sight to admire from below. It’s also an unforgettable hike that leads straight up its exposed rock face to its spectacular boulder-strewn summit and offers incredible jaw-dropping views of the undulating surrounding countryside, including some of the other iconic landmarks within the national park.

Speaking of, they are also phenomenal hikes, with the Granite Arch Trail showcasing a stone archway that resembles the mathematical pi sign, the Sphinx & Turtle Rock Trail which lead to towering boulders delicately balanced atop one another and Castle Rock which climbs to yet another stunning vantage point, deliverin geven more fantastic uninterrupted panoramic views. Plus, there are also several scenic creekside walks, as well as multi-day trails that plunge deeper into this rugged landscape for those looking for something more leisurely, longer, or actively intense.

3. Enjoy Views Of The Town & Countryside.
Mt McKenzie Lookout.

Whether you’re taking a quick drive through the countryside, a long, slow road trip discovering Australia, one pitstop worth making, especially if your time is short, is Mt McKenzie Lookout.

Perched atop this rocky peak, it’s an easy drive to this nearby mountain which has lovely panoramic views overlooking the town and the picturesque countryside that surrounds it. It is also a great place to watch the sunrise, however, because this part of the country is known for being cooler than other areas (Stanthorpe, just across the border is the coldest town in sunny Queensland,), I was surprised that it was 12 degrees in February and a thick persistent fog that lasted well over an hour hiding the view when I went there.

However, on the flip side, on the rare occasion that these towns get snow in winter, it is a great place to see the landscape turn into a magical winter wonderland.

4. Go On An Easy Drive Through Even More Boulder-Strewn Terrain.
Tourist Drive 9.

The New England Highway, which runs right through the region of the same name and in Queensland gives you a glimpse of the boulder-strewn landscapes that this part of Australia is famous for, while the national parks of Bald Rock and Girraween showcase the very best of the magnificent granite terrain it has to offer through their many phenomenal world-class hikes. But another way to see these incredible landmarks that are synonymous with the town is to take a detour off the highway and take the short, but breathtaking, cruise-y Tourist Route 9.

Kicking off from the gorgeous Mt McKenzie Lookout and its views overlooking the town, take the road back down then turn onto Kildare Road, and it’s there where the scenery becomes jaw-droppingly beautiful. The magnificent countryside with hilltops covered in massive granite boulders dotting the landscape is absolutely spectacular to behold, especially the first few kilometres, which felt like something that wouldn’t feel out of place in a Lord Of The Rings Movie, it was that jaw-droppingly beautiful. That’s before adding in the road that undulates and gently curves with the terrain and the route is just a dream to drive, so keep your camera ready.

5. Visit A Criminal Hideout.
Thunderbolts Hideout.

“Back in the days when Australia was young, when everything was like a loaded gun, ready to go off at any minute, yeah, yeah, you know there was a bushranger. Yeah, yeah, you know he’s going to flee again, yeah, yeah, you know he’s going to flee again.”

No, it’s not the famed “Such is life” bushranger, Ned Kelly that I’m embellishing Puddle Of Mudd’s Psycho lyrics to suit. It’s Captain Thunderbolt, a fellow bushranger, whose thug name sounds like it belongs in a Power Ranger movie to who I’m referring. Known as Australia‘s longest-roaming bushranger, you can visit some of the spectacular places he utilized while he was on the run from the long arm of the law throughout the New England region of New South Wales.

One of those places is Thunderbolt’s Hideout, on the road towards the incredible Bald Rock National Park. This easily accessible place is home, a small cluster of massive boulders that have created a natural sheltered like caves, which makes it a fun-to-explore landmark by itself. But the fascinating part of it is that it is where Fredrick Ward, Thunderbolt’s birth name hid out while he was on the run from and “WANTED! Dead or Alive.” making it an even cooler place to visit but also because of this association with such an intriguing and prolific person on infamy in Australian history.

• Other Thunderbolt Locations: Thunderbolts Rock, Thunderbolts Cave, Thunderbolts Grave.

6. Torrington Conservation Park.

Keeping on theme with the town and region’s boulder-strewn landscapes and natural landmarks that Thunderbolt utilized during his bushranger days, Torrington Conservation Park offers even more incredible places to visit that far fewer people know about, making a day trip out there one of the best things to do in Tenterfield for nature-lovers who enjoy discovering off-the-beaten-path gems.

Combining the two is Thunderbolt’s Lookout, an absolute must-do. This spectacular viewpoint sits atop a series of massive boulders that the infamous Captain is said to have utilised during his time as an outlaw and offers breathtaking, 360 panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. But getting there is half the fun—you’ll first navigate through the huge granite slabs that have formed a natural rock shelter, before climbing a steep, near-vertical 5-metre ladder to reach the top. But take a jacket as it can get windy and super cold up there even in summer, which felt weird when I visited at sunrise in mid-February.

As fantastic as that trail is, the Mystery Face one is the most rewarding, because while it’s named after a rock formation that resembles the side profile of an elderly man, my favourite part was the Wellington Rocks—a towering cluster of colossal boulders that have eroded and tumbled together, creating an incredible natural above-ground cave just as impressive as Thunderbolt’s Lookout. Plus, from start to finish, the scenic loop is a visual feast for the eyes thanks to the many unique rock formations to walk on, under, and through scattered throughout, so I recommend allowing more time to walk through it than you would expect, especially if you’re a photographer as there are plenty of incredible shots to take along the way.

7. Boonoo Boonoo National Park.

Another great low-key place near Tenterfield that outdoor enthusiasts will love is Boonoo Boonoo National Park. Located further east along the Queensland/New South Wales border next to the famous globally-renowned side-by-side national parks of Bald Rock and Girraween, mentioned above, this unspoilt habitat has a few lovely attractions that make it fantastic to visit for a relaxing day trip away from civilisation.

The park offers beautiful short trails that wind their way to scenic rocky creeks, making them ideal for wild swimming on warm and humid days during spring and summer. The breathtaking Boonoo Boonoo Falls adds to the already diverse landscape. For those seeking a peaceful evening under the stars, the Cypress Pine Campground is the perfect spot. You can gather around a campfire to roast marshmallows and look for the enchanting nocturnal wildlife that resides here.

8. Tenterfield Cork Tree.

Back in town, one of the most unique attractions in Tenterfield is the Cork Tree. Located on Wood Street, this majestic plant is a living relic with origins stemming back to 1861, when it was brought over from England in a jam jar and has flourished in the town ever since!

That’s over 160 years that it has been hanging out here on foreign soil, making it one of the oldest exotic trees in Australia. It’s actually even older than the entire country as the Federation we know today, which only occurred in 1901, which is crazy to think about, making it a fascinating sight to see. If only it could talk. The eras its been through and the stories it could tell!

• F1-11 Memorial.
• Railway Station.
• Sir Henry Parkes School of Arts Museum.
• Centenary Cottage Museum.
• The Prince Albert Memorial Hospital Isolation Ward.
• Wallangarra (Border Post.)

Things To Do In Tenterfield Map.

Accommodation: Where To Stay In Tenterfield.

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