Things to do in Glen Innes, NSW: Best attractions

The best things to do in Glen Innes, NSW, include admiring the heritage buildings on Grey Street and checking out the weird Australian Standing Stones Monument.

4 best things to do in Glen Innes, NSW

The best things to do in Glen Innes are:

Admire the Stonehenge-esque Australian Standing Stones Monument.
Stroll Grey Street, taking in the heritage buildings.
Tackle the 8km Tommy’s Rock walking track in the Mann River Nature Reserve.
Use the town as a base for exploring Washpool National Park.

Where is Glen Innes, NSW?

Glen Innes, NSW, is one of the largest towns in the New England region, at the junction of the New England Highway and Gwydir Highway. It’s a fairly attractive spot, with a mixture of heritage and downright weirdness.

There’s a strong Scottish connection in Glen Innes, and the Celtic heritage is celebrated at May’s Australian Celtic Festival.

Things to do in Glen Innes, NSW: Australian Standing Stones Monument

There’s also the Australian Standing Stones Monument – a circle of 24 stones, each three metres high. It pays tribute to the people from the Celtic nations who have helped build Australia.

Glen Innes also has a strong collection of heritage buildings, most of which line up along Grey Street. There’s a heavy concentration of them within three blocks, should you fancy a stroll.

But the walking is best saved from the national parks and green spaces around Glen Innes. To the south, the Stonehenge Recreation Reserve plays host to huge granite rocks.

Things to do in Glen Innes, NSW: Mann River Nature Reserve

You’re better off heading east, however. The Mann River Nature Reserve is where you’ll find the 8km Tommy’s Rock walking track. It’s a tough walk that’ll take around four-and-a-half hours, but there are exceptional views out over the Great Dividing Range. If you’ve got a 4WD vehicle, you can drive it instead.

Further east along the Gywdir Highway are several national parks. Barool National Park is the closest, Washpool National Park tends to grab the headlines and Gibraltar Range National Park is the underrated one.

Glen Innes accommodation

Glen Innes accommodation options are basically various iterations on the motel. The New England Motor Lodge is the strongest contender, here – it has the most central location and a surprisingly sprawling pool. The Clansman Motel on the New England Highway also has good reviews. Meanwhile the Great Central Hotel does cheap but decent rooms above a pub.

The Australian Standing Stones in Glen Innes, New South Wales. Photo courtesy of Destination NSW.

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