Outback Nsw Guides Attractions Events in New South Wales

Balranald is the gateway to Mungo National Park, the new Yanga National Park is on Balranald's Doorstep. Balranald is the oldest settlement on the Lower Murrumbidgee River, with records dating back well before 1850. In 1847 and 1848 George James McDonald, the Commissioner for Crown Lands for the lower Darling District came to the small village. McDonald, a Scotsman was from a small town called Balranald in the Outer Hebrides, and perhaps it was natural for him to christen his adopted place of abode Balranald. Bal (Celtic) means abode, township, a village thus Balranald signifies an abode of Ranald.

Mungo National Park was the first national park to be World Heritage Listed in Australia. The park covers most of an ancient dry lake bed on the plains of
western New South Wales. During the ice ages, Lake Mungo was one of a chain of fresh water lakes.

Balranald is considered to be the Gateway to Mungo National Park which was the first national park to be World Heritage Listed in Australia. Mungo National Park covers most of an ancient dry lakebed on the plains of western New South Wales. During the ice ages, Lake Mungo was one of a chain of fresh water lakes strung along Willandra Creek and then the main channel of the Lachlan River flowing to the Murrumbidgee.

Visitors to Balranald can see spectacular sunsets, the oasis in the great Cumbungi Swamp, a vast variety of birds, flora and fauna providing a smorgasbord of opportunities for professional and amateur photographers and birdwatchers alike. Balranald offers some of the best fishing in Australia with five rivers all within 30 minutes drive of the main street.

Balranald is also on the Doorstep to Yanga National Park which is the latest National Park to be opened.

Pick up a Mud Map Tour brochure and discover a variety of ways to navigate the area in and around Bourke ­ one of New South Wales' most important inland towns. Wool, cotton and citrus growing map out this area, located almost 800 kilometres from Sydney on the Darling River.

Amongst the many historic buildings worth a visit in Bourke are the Court House, Police Station and the old Carriers Arms Hotel on the Mitchell Highway where, it is alleged, bush balladeer Henry Lawson penned some of his stories.

Aboriginal history-early settlers history-modern progressive town with low rain fall. Visit the aboriginal fisheries - low stone-walled fishtraps in the bed of
the Darling River. Shearer's monument -dedicated to out back shearer's, located in front of Shire Building. Extensive landscaping and the inclusion of
unusual plants and shrubs have enhanced this beautiful setting.

Broken Hill is situated 508 kilometres North-East of Adelaide, 50 kilometres across the New South Wales / South Australian border into the semi-arid desert
of Far Western New South Wales.

Founded in 1883 by a Boundary Rider named Charles Rasp who discovered the first deposit of Silver which at that stage he believed to be tin, has one of
the biggest deposits of Silver in the world today. Broken Hill is known for its large population of artists with galleries totalling more than 30. Broken Hill
plays host to the famous St Patrick’s Race Day meeting, which attracts visitors from far and wide.

Motels, Hotels, Guest Houses, Cottages, Units, Caravan Parks, and Backpackers are all available here with prices to suit all travellers. There are numerous
Tour companies which conduct fully guided coach and four wheel drive tours in and around the Broken Hill area. Places to visit include the local museums;
mine tours; Royal Flying Doctor Service; School of the Air; The Sculpture Symposium; nature walks; heritage drives and five national parks.

Broken Hill is surrounded by the outlying towns of White Cliffs (Opal Mining Town), Menindee (Lakes System on Darling River), Silverton (Hollywood of the
Outback), Tibooburra (Once a thriving Gold Mining Town) are all worth a visit.

Noted explorer Captain Charles Sturt and his party were almost certainly the first white men to pass by the future site of Buronga during their historic exploration of the Murray River in the 1830s.

After that, an increasing number of Europeans passed through, the majority overlanders (drovers) taking stock to the Adelaide markets, but others were pioneering graziers taking up the 'vacant' Crown Land between the Murray and the Lower Darling Rivers.

Buronga, as we know it today, was part of the huge Tapio run, formed when the Federal Government decided to formalise lease rights to the land in the 1840s.

Venture just a short way from the main streets of Cobar and you'll discover a small town with a wealth of charming attractions. The Cobar Regional Museum is regarded amongst the best in New South Wales, thoroughly covering the area's fascinating past. Old mining remnants and historic buildings also mark out the area and Aboriginal rock paintings provide a glimpse into the storytelling traditions of the country's native population.

Coombah is a roadhouse on the Silver City Highway situated approximately halfway between Broken Hill and Mildura. At the Coombah roadhouse you can fill up with fuel and gas, have something to eat, use the toilets or stack up on those snacks and soft drinks for your continued trip.

Dareton is the centre of the Coomealla Irrigation Area, best known for its superior dried fruit and wine grapes. The irrigation area was once known as 'Nine Mile' and owes its existence, in part, to the visionary 'The Million Farms' scheme that flourished following World War One.

The cornerstone for Coomealla's ambitious horticultural development was laid in 1922, when Murray Lands Advisory Committee members inspected the area and recommended an irrigation scheme be established. The town is named for Water Conservation and Irrigation Commissioner Henry Harvey Dare, a staunch proponent of the proposal.

The Darling River Run is a trip through time and the heart of Outback NSW. Best done by four wheel drive it runs between Brewarrina in the North and Wentworth in the South, taking in Broken Hill, Lake Mungo, Kinchega and Mount Gundabooka National Parks which are just astonishing, and classic outback towns like Wilcannia, Menindee, Pooncarrie, Tilpa and Louth.

The drive more or less tracks along the Darling River before it joins the Murray at Wentworth in the south. When you tour this route, you'll be re-tracing the steps of explorers Sturt, Mitchell, Dowling, Burke and Wills and the history and heritage of the run are matched by the vastness of the landscape.

The historic highlights are partly man made, as in the mines of Broken Hill and White Cliffs, partly born in the Aboriginal cultural and spiritual sites and partly just the land itself. Unique places such as the ' Walls of China' geological formation at Lake Mungo in the World heritage Listed Willandra Lakes area are simply stunning. Nature lovers will find plenty of wildlife through the region and a bird watching tour of the vast Menindee Lakes system is recommended.

After a big day's drive meet the locals in the country pubs for an insight into life in the Outback today.

The mighty Murray River is great for Boating and Water Skiing and Euston has the convenience of a Boat Ramp in front of the Euston Club. There are several Sandbars with access Roads that are great for Camping and Fishing. The Murray is very wide and usable, so try hiring a Houseboat for a Weekend or a week to travel on the Murray.

The Euston Club stands on the site of the original Shailer Hotel. Prior to the opening of the old Lift-bridge in 1924, a Punt ferried People across the Murray River from this Location.

Weir Lock 15, located downstream from Euston, includes a Fish Ladder and can be reached via Bush Tracks from Euston and through a Parkland Setting from the Robinvale southern side of the River. The Lock was built in 1934 and allows passage for Paddle Steamers and Houseboats and the Murray is approximately 130 Metres wide at this point.

Gol Gol was proclaimed a township in 1866; however, the village allotments did not begin to be occupied until the late 1870s.

Located on the Murray, not far from the now thriving regional centre of Mildura across the River in Victoria, the town is historically significant because it was once an important coach stop.

Coaches were vital for communication and transport in the Wentworth Shire, and were also the carriers of the Royal Mail. During the dry months they compensated for the loss of navigable waterways for the riverboats by putting on extra services for passengers.

The Gol Gol Inn was an important change and up to 200 horses could be found on the common at any one time.

It was around the inn that the town grew. A wharf also added vitality to the township.

Today, Gol Gol has a rapidly expanding residential area.

Welcome to the Outback and the Kidman Way which traces the vast length of the stock routes developed by Cattle King Sir Sidney Kidman to move his herds to and from major markets through the middle of New South Wales between the Victorian and Queensland borders.

The major towns north and south are Bourke and Jerilderie and, while agriculture and history are major themes, the indigenous history, natural environment, wildlife, food and wine also feature in things for visitors to see and do along the way.

Try hot air ballooning over the Riverina and, back on land drive to taste the wines of the Griffith vineyards. Visit the Aboriginal heritage site at Mt Grenfell which has more than 1300 examples of rock art. If you happen to be visiting at the right time you can join in with some of the fun at the Festivals out here in the country and there's history around most corners linked to the producers of the area - Hillston Cotton Gin for example and the gold and copper mining history around Cobar.

Lake Benanee is a large freshwater lake 13 kilometres east of Euston. Euston and its sister, the Victorian border town of Robinvale, straddle a particularly scenic stretch of the Murray as Australia's most important river twists and turns through a mosaic of citrus orchards and vineyards.

Lake Benanee has a beach area and public toilets and is easily seen and accessed from the Sturt Highway.

Menindee Lakes have the capacity to hold three and a half times more water than Sydney Harbour and is seven and a half times the area. This makes the town of Menindee, on the banks of the tree-lined Darling River an oasis in the outback and the sunsets are gorgeous.

This is one of the finest freshwater fishing spots in NSW, with Murray cod, golden perch, silver perch, European carp, crayfish and catfish in abundant supply. The lakes and rivers are great for water sports, too - water-skiing, sailing and safe swimming. Copi Hollow, an artificially constructed lake developed for speedboats, sailing, swimming and water-skiing. Bring binoculars the lakes and surrounding wetlands are an important breeding habitat for over 170 different bird species many of them are waterbirds.

The dry sand-dunes around the lakes have given up some of the most prolific and consistently early remnants of human existence anywhere in the world - with fossils and marked stones of the Barkindji people and their ancestors dating back 26,000 years.

Menindee was the first town on the Darling, be sure to find the two historic trees - one marked by a survey team in 1882 and one in Yartla Street that marks the height of the 1890 floods. Take a heritage walk past 19 historic sites to uncover a colourful past featuring local characters.

Mildura is a vibrant and exciting border town that makes the most of its position on the mighty Murray River. Known for its produce, the town has a
thriving cultural scene and many festivals that attract visitors. The town supplies 80 per cent of the State's dried fruit. Mildura is a diverse landscape
of mallee scrub, red desert and rich irrigated farmlands.

In the late 1800s, Canadian irrigation pioneers William and George Chaffey put Mildura on the map when they set about making the area arable, in the
same way they had done in the Californian desert. Although the scheme experienced many ups and downs, a dried fruit industry was established by the
mid-1890s.

Milparainka A boomtown...brought back to life. The first proclaimed Albert Goldfields Township. Milparinka is sited on the edge of Evelyn Creek.

Charles Sturt had camped nearby at Preservation creek for six months in 1845 and it was he who named a nearby gum creek, Evelyn Creek. Later, Mount Browne Goldfields miners camped on the banks. They chose this spot as a waterhole in the creek gave them much-needed water.

At first this was a shanty town of several hundred souls huddled in huts and tents. Before long, though, civilisation Caught with the gold boom. By the mid-1880s the town boasted a police office, newspaper, chemist, blacksmith, photographer, two butchers, four hotels, a school, a hospital and a general store. But by the mid-1920s the golden years were only a memory.

In the 21st century Milparinka has brought its boomtown years alive again with a heritage centre in the courthouse, a native plants park and a heritage walking trail.

White settlers moved into the area in the 1840s and established the village of Canonba on the banks of Duck Creek. The village thrived for some forty years until it was bypassed with the extension of the railway to Bourke. In 1882, the people of Canonba packed up and moved south to the railway, establishing Nyngan on the banks of the Bogan River. Nyngan has always been prone to flooding and temporary levees were built as the need arose over the years. Severe floods in 1976 led to the construction of a more permanent levee, but it was not enough to contain the Bogan when it flooded in 1990 - the entire town was airlifted to safety in one of the State's biggest rescue efforts. Evidence of the flood remains today, in the form of markers, memorials, a higher levee and in one of the town's nicknames, 'Flood Town 1990'.

Nyngan is an important centre of Australia's Wool Industry. Nyngan boasts many world famous sheep and cattle studs, it is a wealthy pastoral district with wool, wheat and cattle.

Outback New South Wales provides a unique Australian experience that brings the visitor in contact with the ancient and spectacular landscape of the Outback. Discover a network of rivers and lakes, astonishing wildlife and meet the Aussie characters who are the spirit of this red land.

Here you'll find rugged beauty, vivid red earth, bright blue skies, endless horizons and prolific native wildlife. Of equal interest are the mining towns of Broken Hill, Cobar, Silverton and White Cliffs

Follow the Darling River for a touring adventure from Brewarrina or Bourke to Wentworth where the Darling meets the Murray.

Packsaddle is 172 kilometres north of Broken Hill on the Silver City Highway, halfway to Tibooburra. The Packsaddle Roadhouse offers accommodation, fuel and a public bar with counter meals for the weary traveller driving to or from the Corner Country. Accommodation starts from AUD50.00 for a single and includes air-conditioning, heating, television and tea/coffee.

Pooncarie is a pretty township on the Darling River, midway between Wentworth and Menindee. Pooncarie is a great place to stop on your outback visit,
you can go fishing or explore the Mungo National Park. The park contains the oldest Aboriginal burial site and where you will see the Walls of China which
are spectacular crescent shaped dunes. Any spot beside the Darling River is a pleasant place to stop for a picnic.

Pooncarie to Mungo National Park is 88 kilometres of which 29 kilometres is unsealed. This unsealed section can be prone to bulldust and corrugations and
closes after rain. Not recommended for caravans.

This outback ghost town is the location of more than 140 films and commercials and was once a vibrant and busy mining town.

You've already seen Silverton – on the silver screen. It has appeared in films including Bryan Brown's Dirty Deeds, Mad Max II, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert as well as the Castlemaine XXXX beer advertisements and the Royal Flying Doctor television series.

Cinematographers are attracted by the clear light, the haphazardly placed colonial buildings full of character, the wide streets, the famous pub and the magnificently evocative scenery. Silverton is the ideal image of an outback town.

Prospectors began working in the area in 1867. They'd heard a tale of a gold find by a local station hand – unfortunately, his claim turned out to be a pretext for stealing a horse. Some years later though, two men drilling a well on Thackaringa station to the south hit a lode of silver.

The perfect place to discover what Outback Australia is all about. Tibooburra is a tiny community 335 kilometres north of Broken Hill. With an abundance of wildlife and wildflowers (in a good season).

The town's main historic buildings, built of local stone, are the courthouse, and the two pubs, The Family Hotel (1882), famous for murals and paintings by some of Australia's most renowned artists, and the Tibooburra hotel (1882), with its wall of old hats.

Family Hotel Murals - a few decades ago some artists, fascinated by the desert, came to the town to paint. Any flat surface was fair game and there are still original works by Clifton Pugh, Russel Drysdale, and Rick Amor on the hotel's walls.

Tibooburra Keeping Place- the main attraction: perched on poles, a replica sculpture of the 27-feet long whaleboat Charles Sturt hauled across inland Australia on a wagon.

Walgett is the gateway to the opal fields of Lightning Ridge, Glengarry and Grawin, and is situated at the junction of the Namoi and Barwon Rivers, an excellent fishing retreat. Walgett is a rich sheep, cattle and wheat producing region.

With a population of approximately 1,600, Wentworth is an attractive historic town at the confluence of Australia's two greatest rivers the Murray and the
Darling. The town boasts a strong and fascinating aboriginal heritage and the best way to experience this aspect of the local history is to take a guided tour incorporating Mungo National Park (World Heritage listed), the river system including the meeting place of the rivers, native bush plants and birds,

View the local wildlife or hit the famous waterways near Wentworth for river boating, fishing or a lazy paddle in your canoe.

This is a pioneer's opal town of genuine eccentric character
White Cliffs was born through the discovery of opal in the 1890’s and is a pioneering town with genuine character.

To escape the summer heat, houses are built underground in mine shafts, where the temperature is a constant 23 degrees. The sun does have its uses - much of the town' electrical power now comes from a massive solar generation plant. Fourteen parabolic multifaceted mirrors concentrate the heat of the sun.

Kangaroo shooters first found the fiery white crystal opals on the ground in 1889 and a year later the rush was on. By the turn of the century about 4000 people were digging and sifting for treasure, creating the lunar landscape that remains. There are more than 50,000 abandoned mineshafts, and the ground looks as if it is covered with anthills.

Take this opportunity to stay the night underground. It's a fantastic unforgettable experience. Be sure to take the heritage trail and try your luck noodling for opal or potch. Visit Joc of Joc's Place underground home and mine.

Above ground and below ground accommodation is available in bed and breakfast, motel, hotel, Caravan Park and camping sites.

Petrol and diesel, meals and refreshments, sealed airstrip and avgas are all available.

Once, home to over 4000 hardy souls White Cliffs offers visitors a glimpse of the tough early days of opal mining. Tour through dugout homes, opal showrooms and historic opal fields which create a lunar landscape effect. Visit the photographic gallery, have a drink at the local hotel, have a go at the dirt golf course or just enjoy the unique atmosphere of White Cliffs. For further options you could combine a visit to Mutawintji or Paroo-Darling National Parks.

The Romance of Opal
Shakespeare called opal the 'queen of gems'. The Roman historian, Pliny wrote that opal had the fire of the carbuncle, the brilliant purple of the amethyst and the sea- green colour of the emerald, all shining together in incredible union.

The Romans considered opal a symbol of hope - a gem with a rainbow locked inside it. The Arabs loved opal, and believed the gemstone fell from heaven in flashes of lightning.

Opal is an October birthstone. The famous French actress, Sarah Bernhardt, born in October, never considered herself well-dressed unless she was wearing opals.

The Science of Opal
The opal phenomenon is called 'play of colour'. It is caused by the diffraction of light set up by the layers of silica spheres in its composition.

The traditional Aboriginal population of the Paakantji people have been calling the area in and around Wilcannia home for some 40,000 years. Since white settlement, the town has been filled with interesting buildings constructed from locally quarried sandstone, including the Knox and Downs Store, Athanaeum Library and the Club Hotel (all dating from the late 19th Century). Wilcannia has a strong mining history, with both gold and opals discovered in the area.

The township reached its height in the 1880s when it boasted 13 hotels, a population of 3000, and a local newspaper - the Wilcannia Times. In 1879 the Red Lion brewery (it is no longer standing) was built at the northern end of Reid Street. Its great claim to fame was that it was the first brewery which the famous beer baron Edmund Resch built in Australia.

At this time Wilcannia became the third-largest port on the Darling River. In 1887, for example, 222 steamers stopped there. Known as 'Queen City of the West' there was a time when most of the wool from northwestern NSW passed through the port. The town was also at the centre of a number of coach routes which traversed Western NSW. Some of the coaches were built here.