The Central West is a region of New South Wales, Australia. The region is west of the Blue Mountains, which are west of Sydney. It has an area of 63,262 square kilometres (24,426 square miles). Major towns and cities in the Central West include the cities of Bathurst and Orange; and the large towns of Cowra and Parkes. Bathurst and Orange have campuses of Charles Sturt University, the only local provider of higher education for the region.