Welcome to
The Southern Tablelands of New South Wales
Country towns steeped in colonial history. Wide open skies. Communities that have shaped the heart of regional Australia since the 1820s.
Explore the RegionArgyle County covers the high country between the coast and the inland plains. Goulburn stands as its principal city. Beyond Goulburn, the roads reach out to quieter towns: Yass to the west, Boorowa further into the tablelands, Tuena up in the gold country, and a constellation of smaller settlements threading the valleys between them.
The region carries deep layers of First Nations history alongside colonial pastoral heritage. Limestone caves, sandstone courthouses, merino wool runs and sheep-dog trials all belong to the same landscape. Argyle County gathers those stories in one place so you can plan a visit, or simply explore from your chair.
Each town in Argyle County tells a distinct story. Start with one, and let the road take you further.
Australia's First Inland City
Proclaimed a city in 1863, Goulburn sits at the crossroads of the Hume and Federal Highways. Sandstone public buildings, a cathedral, the Goulburn Gaol and the giant Merino sheep sculpture give visitors plenty to discover. Argyle County draws on Goulburn's story as the gateway to the wider Southern Tablelands.
Gateway to the ACT and Beyond
Yass lies on the Yass River at the western edge of the county. The town carries a handsome collection of nineteenth-century buildings, a connection to the explorer Hamilton Hume, and a pastoral tradition that continues today on surrounding properties.
Irish Inspired, Tablelands Proud
Boorowa draws strong ties to Irish pastoral settlement. The town hosts the Irish Woolfest and sits in a scenic valley off the main highways, making it a rewarding detour for visitors who take the quieter roads through the region.
Gold Country Heritage
Tuena is one of the most intact gold-rush villages surviving in NSW. Its isolation preserved its character. Argyle County documents the fossicking history, the creek workings and the handful of stone buildings that remain from the 1850s rush.
Villages, Valleys and Pastoral Country
Crookwell, Taralga, Gunning, Collector and other communities pepper the map of Argyle County. Each carries its own history: timber mills, limestone quarries, coach stops and droving routes that once connected this high country to the colonies beyond.
The merino wool industry that helped build Australia's early economy found its footing on the Southern Tablelands. Argyle County preserves the stories of the runs, the shearers, the drovers and the families who worked this land across two centuries.
The Southern Tablelands holds some of the oldest European settlement outside Sydney. Argyle County brings together the threads of that history.
Sandstone courthouses, wool stores, hotels and homesteads from the 1830s through to Federation era stand throughout the region. Argyle County maps the key buildings in each town.
Gold discovered in the 1850s transformed Tuena and surrounding creek systems. Argyle County documents the rush, the fossicking grounds and the lasting marks left on the landscape.
The Lachlan, Wollondilly and Yass rivers rise in or cross the Southern Tablelands. Water shaped the pastoral runs and the towns that grew beside the crossing points.
The Ngunnawal, Gundungurra and Wiradjuri peoples hold deep connections to the Southern Tablelands. Argyle County acknowledges that this region carries living First Nations heritage that predates European arrival by tens of thousands of years.
Merino wool and beef cattle defined the economy of Argyle County from the earliest land grants. Historic homesteads, shearing sheds and stock routes remain part of the working landscape today.
The surnames that named the stations, creeks and roads of the Southern Tablelands echo through local history. Argyle County gathers accounts of the families who settled, farmed and built this region.
The Southern Tablelands rewards slow travel. A weekend is a start. A week lets you go deeper.
Goulburn sits 200 km south of Sydney on the Hume Highway and is served by regional rail from Sydney's Central Station. Yass lies 290 km from Sydney via the Federal Highway. Boorowa and Tuena are best reached by car from Goulburn or Yass.
Autumn brings golden light and crisp air to the tablelands. Spring sees the countryside green after winter rain. Summer days run warm and clear, though nights at 900 m stay cool. Winter mornings can frost hard, but the clear skies make the light worth it.
Layers for changing temperatures. Good walking shoes for heritage streetscapes and country tracks. A camera for the skies. A thermos for the road between towns, where the nearest cafe can be a long drive away.
Argyle County is a regional information and tourism resource dedicated to the Southern Tablelands of NSW. The site documents the towns, landscapes, history and heritage of the region for visitors and for people with a connection to this country.