Welcome to Forbes, in the heart of the country.
Hearty food baskets, art from the heart, friends that are country at heart and heart racing adventure are waiting for you in Forbes.
Art in Forbes is a mix of traditional, practical and homemade chic with a twist of bush eccentricities. Displays of country knits, preserves and patchworks welcome visitors at the Forbes Visitor Information Centre. You’ll experience the Forbes creative spirit at its best at the camel races. Not afraid to laugh at life or themselves, you soon discover the Forbes people still know the art of how to make their own fun.
A hearty food basket
Forbes is renowned for farming, producing a healthy and nutritious food basket not only for Australians but the world. Summer is stone fruit season, so be sure to drop into the orchards to pick peaches and dollop them with local cream whipped to perfection the traditional Forbes way. Try the salt bush local lamb rubbed in river salt and rosemary for salivating flavour. Serve it with some roasted riverbank potatoes and greens for some real earthy tucker!
Make friends that are country at heart
The warmth of Forbes hospitality will have you smiling ear to ear. Locals are naturally curious about visitors and quick to strike up a chat, just one trip to the pub and you’ll be bound to leave with some new friendships. When you are in Forbes you are in the heart of the country marked by endless fields, 360 degree horizons and big, big skies.
In Forbes heart racing adventure is only limited by your imagination. You can follow the stock routes by horse under the shade of Red River gums, ride into farm cottages for an evening of home country cooking and sleep under the stars in a swag. Pick up the pace in the back of a Ute in an emu watching expedition. Watch through a telescope as emu herds gracefully strut through wheat fields. Slow back down again and go with the flow of the great Lachlan River on a kayak, stop to drop in a line and catch and release the great Macquarie Cod.
Forbes is described by resident Stuart Robb as a “small, big town’ meaning what it lacks in land mass it makes up for in character and variety. The final resting place of Ben Hall and Ned Kelly’s sister, Kate, this former goldmine built on the banks of the Lachlan River echoes with Australian history. In the centre of town stands the heritage Town Hall, opposite the park, with palm trees lining the road. Walking from here we found a few quirky, interesting shops you might like to visit this December…
Esme’s Coffee Shop, on Templar Street, is the perfect place pop in and relax on your morning, afternoon or evening rush. Brewing excellent bills Beans coffee, Esme’s has fresh salad, sandwiches and delicious sweets available, with gluten free options too! While you’re waiting for your order why not give the angel cards a go and see what’s in your near future? Or see which selection of crystals in store choose you, could it be the rose quartz?
Verde, which is French for ‘green’, gets its name from owner Sophie Petropoulos’s desire to preserve and respect the natural environment. What makes it unique as a spa is its commitment to stocking eco-friendly products. At Verde Spa you can get pampering worthy of a princess with high end spa-treatments including facials, massages, wraps and body exfoliations. Enjoy no interruptions in an elegant and sophisticated atmosphere while receiving a luxurious treatment. As Sophie says, ‘it’s all about you!’
What started as a café specialising in modern home wares and boutique tiles has evolved into ‘not the café you’d expect to find in country NSW’ as their website slogan states. Mezzanine celebrated its 10th anniversary this November and owner Janine Whitfield says the café is still thriving. This heritage building, once known as the Lachlan Arcade in 1892, has a large brick wall interior and iron railing staircases leading up to the ‘mezzanine level’ from which the café gets its name and is strewn with pop-up stalls, art and comfy chairs. At the heart of Mezzanine is the family that nurtured it. “Two girls grew up here” says Janine, “parts of our home are in here, over there’s our kitchen table!” it’s these personal touches, such as the long wooden table made by Janine’s father where coffee drinkers now sit, that make Mezzanine homely. The café showcases local artists every six weeks and hold pop-up markets in June and December, oh and if you’re thirsty try the ‘Coconut Blitz’, it’s amazing!
The idea of Little Extras was to provide accessories, clothes and jewellery to complete an outfit, a wardrobe or a look at a competitive range… and it’s a store that lives up to its name. Owner Leigh originally got into retail through “a love of fashion and the industry”. The shop includes unusual brands such as Rare Rabbit jewellery and has recently branched into shoes. It’s your ‘one stop shop’ for fashion, jewellery, hats, shoes and all those other things that turn a look from drab to fab. One of the best traits of Little Extras are the extremely friendly and helpful staff who put you at ease and the wide range of catchy music playing while you browse. I mean, who wouldn’t want to listen to The Beatles ‘Let It Be’ while out shopping?
On Rankin Street there’s a shining shopfront that advertises Shimmer Candles, owned by Kristy Lamont. Kristy began candle making as a hobby, “it was just something fun to do and then friends began to ask me to make them for them” she says. She set up a website, www.shimmercandles.com, and found success with flat rate of $9.95 shipping Australia wide. Eventually the shop opened up and three years down the track, Shimmer Candles is still coming up roses. Walking in you’re bathed with scents of lavender, lemon, vanilla and all those other magical elements that candles are created from. Kristy hand makes her candles locally and also sells glass candles, bath cosmetics, shower scrubs and more. In for Christmas are festive bath bombs including a cute little snowman with a carrot nose. “It’s a pure display of my addiction to all things smelly!” Kristy says.
The Party Shop has been bringing fun to Forbes for 5 years. Filled with party plates, cups, birthday badges and fancy dress costumes, it has everything you need to create a memorable event. For Christmas the owner, Lin Anderson, is pulling out all the stops. “ We have magic trick sets and Hootabel and Hoot teddies for the little ones. We did have lots of Frozen dolls but those are selling out fast!” Our personal favourite was a Minion onesie from the film ‘Despicable Me’ and the ‘sand alive’ that can be moulded into any shape you like, allowing for hours of fun for little and big kids alike!
Welcome to Robbs Jewellery! This family run store is part of the range of Showcase Jewellers and Stuart Robb and his team look forward to delighting you with their scintillating range. They will happily work with you to bring to life that special piece fuelled by your imagination and sparked by your heart’s desire. Stocking a range of watches, necklaces, earrings, bracelets and of course rings in various metal types, gem types and brands, they offer extra special gifts this Christmas for your loved ones.
That marks the end of a hard days shopping, eating and drinking in Forbes. It’s a fantastic little town, great for a day out or weekend away. We will definitely be back there soon, will you?