Ashford
Small New England township
Ashford is a small New England town on the Northern Tablelands of NSW, 430 m above sea-level. It is situated in the largest tobacco-growing district of NSW, 748 km north of Sydney. The area is popular with the 4WD brigade.

Before white settlement the area was occupied by the Kwiambal, a sub-group of the Murri indigenous people. It was the duty of the Murri women to raise the girls and younger boys. Later the boys went with the men. Both sexes went through initiation rites, proving their worthiness to the community. The men hunted large game while the women hunted smaller game and collected fruit and vegetable matter. Both were skilled in tool manufacture and the tribe lived with great economy on the resources of the land.

Bushranger 'Thunderbolt' (Fred Ward) robbed Bonshaw's Hotel in 1867.

Things to see:  

Kwiambal National Park
About 25 km north-west of town, along the unsealed Limestone Caves Rd, is Kwiambal (pronounced 'Ky-am-bal') National Park at the confluence of the Macintyre and Severn Rivers. Amidst the gorges, waterfalls, waterholes, rivers and woodlands are wallabies, kangaroos, koalas, platypuses and wallaroos.

Limestone Caves
A highlight of the park is The Limestone Caves (follow the brown and white tourist signs), 28 km from Ashford. They are readily explorable but you must bring lighting. The caves are situated in a 16-ha reserve. The largest is 550 m long. It lies in a low limestone hill, close to the creek which runs through the valley. By the main entrance are barbecue and toilet facilities.

Enter the cave system, walk to the right of the large stalagmite, passing through the Main Cave, and keep to the right. A low passage leads into The Great Cave. The Opera House Cave is to the left and The Gallery to the right.

You can either exit the way you came in or proceed to the far left, to the back of the Opera House Cave where you will find a passageway called The Yellow Submarine (watch out for the 1.8-m drop). An area opens up to the left. Walk through this section into the Bat Cave and then exit.

Once outside peer up the hill. The kurrajong tree marks the entrance to the small Pretty Cave. The nearby Moreton Bay fig tree marks the entrance to the Bone Cave. This leads through a passage called The 'Dragon's Belly' which will return you to the Main Cave, the large stalagmite and your original entrance (now your point of exit).

The Macintyre Falls
36 km from Ashford, the brown and white tourist signs lead to a beautiful gorge wherein lie the Macintyre Falls which drop from a high rocky outcrop in a stepped fashion to the deep rock pool at the base. The associated campsite has basic camping, toilet, barbecue and picnic facilities. Walking tracks lead to a lookout, the crest of the falls, which are especially striking after heavy rains, a large rock swimming pool and a freshwater beach.

Pindari Dam
25 km south-east of town along a sealed road is the turnoff to Pindari Dam, on the Severn River, where there are excellent opportunities for boating, waterskiing and fishing. There are barbecue, picnic and camping facilities, a childrens' playground, an amenities block and a boat ramp.

	Hotels
	Commercial Hotel Albury St Ashford NSW 2361 Telephone: (02) 6725 4203
	Caravan Parks
	Ashford Caravan Park Bukkulla St Ashford NSW 2361 Telephone: (02) 6725 2468 Rating: **
	Restaurants
	Commercial Hotel Albury St Ashford NSW 2361 Telephone: (02) 6725 4203