How To Spend 24 Hours in Blackheath

It’s less than a two-hour drive from Sydney to Blackheath, but the shift in pace and lifestyle is remarkable. You’ll swap skyscrapers for a rustic high street, which houses quaint bakeries, wine bars and record stores. And you won’t find that ever-present traffic – the quiet streets are framed by spacious scenery. Even the temperature drops as you edge under the shadow of the Blue Mountains.

If that all sounds appealing, now’s your chance to win a weekender in the tiny town for you and a plus one, staying at a chic converted motel. Plus, we’ll throw in a $350 voucher to dine at its slick restaurant, helmed by two star chefs. You just need to be a Broadsheet Access member to enter.

Eat and drink

While Chapters & Leaves isn’t technically in Blackheath, it’s a worthy pit stop on the road from Sydney. Comfort food is on the menu at this teahouse bookstore – think hot scones with house jam and a dollop of thick cream, baked cheesecake and sticky chai brewed with local honey.

Once you hit the town centre, Ates – run by an ex-Tetsuya’s and Rockpool chef – opens for lunch on weekends. Set in Blackheath’s original bakehouse and powered by a 150-year-old wood oven, it turns out snacky Mediterranean plates like focaccia topped with sweet and sour grapes, pecorino and roquette, and a house ricotta with tomato, anchovy and olive. If a boozy afternoon’s calling, duck into Frankie & Mo’s for natural wine. The four-room space goes from bistro to wine bar to bottle shop, and everything in the shop’s available to drink at the bar.

For dinner, the Access competition winner will have a $350 dining voucher to spend at the fine diner Blaq. It’s helmed by chef-partners Galia Valadez (ex-No 92 and Michelin-starred Lillas Pastia) and Alejandro Huerto (ex-Noma and Newtown’s now-closed Comedor). Here, the menu is a culmination of international influences mixed with the pair’s Mexican heritage. Settle in for mains like a traditional Mexican soup with pork hock, pickled leeks and chickpeas, and Huerto’s take on Peking duck, where the meat’s marinated in cardamom and clove, and finished with a blood orange glaze. For dessert, don’t pass up Valadez’s corn and banana cake served with crème fraîche and a dulce de leche-style caramel.

Shop

If you’re in need of weekend reading material, Sydney’s well-loved independent bookseller Gleebooks has an outpost in Blackheath. It’s been stocking a curated selection of titles since 1975.

Stroll down the high street and find the Victory Theatre antique store, the largest west of Sydney, with 50 dealers over two floors selling everything from books and art to vintage clothing and jewellery. Continue the vintage theme and hit Side B Vinyl Bar to flick through an impressive record collection – think ABBA, Elvis and David Bowie.

Play

If you need some R&R, book a spot at Aqua/Ignis in advance. It’s a chic bathhouse that includes a hot rock sauna, herbal steam room, magnesium mineral bath, cold plunge pools and two rest areas: yin (a quiet, peaceful nook) and yang (a communal area designed to encourage socialising).

Of course, nature’s your best playground out this way. The Grand Canyon walk is a winner – the six-kilometre loop takes you past several waterfalls, through a couple of creeks and up to a stellar view. There are lots of gentler options too, like Walls Cave Track or Porters Pass. Just make sure to take a deep breath of that fresh air.

Sleep

There’s no better spot in Blackheath to rest your weary head than The Kyah, a modern, pastel-hued retreat. The original motel’s bones have been kept – each room still has its own external entry – but interiors now feature graceful archways, sweeping curves, art deco furnishing and calming, muted tones. At the centre of the stay is the aforementioned Blaq, so you can keep the room-to-meal step count at a minimum. You’ll also find an outdoor hot tub, sauna, sports court, three fireplaces and a 100-year-old cherry blossom tree.

And if you’re our lucky Broadsheet Access winner, both nights at the stay are completely free.

Ready for your getaway? Join Broadsheet Access today for your chance to win two nights at The Kyah for you and a plus one, along with a $200 dining voucher to Blaq. To up your chances and get automatic entry in all our competitions, we recommend an annual membership. It’s only $12 a month.