5 famous places in Parkes – for a relaxing escape

The locals in Parkes are quite the crafty folk. Arts and Crafts is an important part of life here and almost all homes in this part of New South Wales is adorned with dainty homemade crafts that range from cushion covers to storage. At the Craft corner in Parkes, the skills and talents of the locals are beautifully showcased in a series of creative displays. Every month the Craft Corner hosts a themed exhibition where unique crafts are created specific to a particular theme. So why not pop in for a visit and witness creativity at its finest. You can also gather a couple of unique gift ideas while you are at it.

One of the biggest highlights in the city of Parkes is the Parkes observatory which has given this city a significant importance in the scientific community. Known as the CSIRO Parkes Observatory, this location is home to the world famous 'Dish' that was featured in an international movie with the same name. Boasting a massive diameter of 64 meters, the dish in Parkes was the first fully steerable large antenna in the whole of the Southern Hemisphere. Apart from its gastronomic size the dish also flaunts a well designed and an impressive structure that has been the reason for numerous scientific breakthroughs. Its popularity with tourists has given rise to a visitor's center built virtually in the shadow of the Dish where guest can enjoy a range of interactive displays and learn everything they need to know about astronomy at the resource center in the building. The fascinating 3D theatre takes guest on an awe inspiring journey across the universe which is definitely a must not miss at the center! For those who wish to take home a bit of the observatory with them, souvenirs, posters, science toys and books can be purchased from the observatory.

New South Wales is a region built on shimmering gold which made the headlines in the 19th century. From all over the world people flocked to this part of Australia to make their fortunes on the blossoming gold fields. Today, this golden heritage vein underpins the story of almost every region right across central and south west NSW. There is a world of goldfields in this area and every gold field has its very own trail to follow where you can learn everything you need to know about the golden history of the area.

This tourism complex located on the northern side of Parkes is a combination of the King's Castle Elvis Exhibit, the Parkes Motor Museum (featuring Elvis' Cadillac), the Parkes Local History Museum, Pioneer Park Antique Machinery Museum and a very useful Parkes information center. The Henry Parkes center features Elvis in a big way and exhibits a range of Elvis memorabilia that is owned by Greg Page. You can also find here in the motor museum an impressive collection of motor vehicles representing the heritage of the different motoring eras.

Indulge in an informative journey through Australia's famous gold and copper mines where you can witness advanced technology at work making Australia one of the world's finest mining destinations. For more information on the Parkes mining trail tour visit the Country Comfort Hotel Parkes has which is the ideal Parkes hotel where you can get all the information you need on the biggest highlights in Parkes.