Marnie

In 1990, Chatswood High School P & C purchased a country retreat for use as the school's Field Studies Centre. The property, Marnie, is a few kilometres from Rylestone in NSW's Central West. Marnie boasts a cottage with accommodation for about 10, some sheds, an ablutions block, and a back yard comprising the amazing Wollemi National Park.

Rumour has it that the famous "living fossils" - the Wollemi pines, are located only a few kilometres from Marnie. But even if you can't find them, there's lots to see and do.

In Summer, visitors make use of kayaks and canoes on the nearby Dunn's Swamp, voted one of the "Top Destinations" on Channel 7's Holiday Program recently. The "Swamp" is actually a dammed up valley, in parts resembling a canyon, with a number of walks of varying lengths.

Marnie has been used to accommodate students on band and year camps, when it can look more like a tent city. It has also been used as a base for the 120 km through-walks by students from the North Harbour Unit which is linked with Chatswood High School. Students on qualifying expeditions for Duke of Edinburgh awards have typically started and ended at Marnie.

"Pagoda Sandstone" formations create a strange but attractive landscape in the Wollemi National Park, and seem to invite exploration. While examining the Pagodas don't forget to keep an eye out for wildlife such as kangaroos, echidnas, tortoises, and yabbies. Mushroom lovers can also have a field day.

In winter, you may want to curl up at night in front of Marnie's log fire, but the days are generally glorious. Marnie serves as a base for visiting Mudgee (wine making, honey, and other agriculture), Gulgong (best collection of Australiana in the country, boasting its own opera house), Hill End (early gold mining town, and source of enormous wealth), Sofala (historic gold town, gold panning, tickle a trout in the Turon River), and other nearby centres.

Marnie is currently closed for refurbishment.