Cameron Corner Country with Mungo Lightning Ridge Dig Tree Innamincka Cooper Creek Eromanga Dinosaurs Macquarie Marshes, Hay, Darling River Tibooburra Bourke Darling River cruise Brewarrina Fish Traps Silo Art Outback NSW Tour 10 days from Sydney return Outback NSW Tour 12 days.

This is our poular 10 day tour with Mungo National park and Lightning Ridge overnights added

Note tour runs reverse of below

Small group (max. 4 per 4WD) to explore the Far West of NSW, South Australia and South Western Queensland.

Highlights

Sydney to Broken Hill and return to Sydney
Follow the Indian Pacific Rail route
Parkes Radio Telescope – The Dish
Lake Cargelligo central NSW
Menindee Lakes & Burke & Wills Campsite
Packsaddle & Milparinka historic sites
Tibooburra granites, pastoral, art and mining history
Sturt National Park
Cameron Corner Country - NSW SA QLD borders
Innamincka overnight
Burke and Wills Dig Tree and grave sites and Cooper Creek walks
Dog Fence & SA/QLD/NSW State border
Darling River via Menindee Lakes, Wilcannia
Macquarie Marshes - great bird spotting and special extra time here
Gulgong historic village
Mudgee winetasting
Silo Art Trail
Blue Mountains

Itinerary -

add Mungo NP and Lightning Ridge2 nights + in reverse

Day 1 – Depart Sydney for the Blue Mountains with morning tea at stunning views from Govetts Leap over the Grose Valley. Moving on via Lithgow to Bathurst and the fascinating history of the gold rush and Cobb & Co coaches. We travel via Orange to near Parkes to visit The Dish Exhibition Centre at the giant CSIRO operated radiotelescope that brought the 1st moon landing images to Earth. Back in Parkes, and less famous is the King's Castle, Australia's very own Elvis Presley museum created by the original yellow Wiggle Greg Page.

Heading west we travel beside the Indian Pacific railway route and visit Manildra, Bogan Gate and Condobolin, in extensive Murray Darling Basin wheat, grain, sheep and cattle producing areas with a taste of the far west of NSW. Arrive for overnight at Lake Cargelligo.

Day 2 - We depart for Hillston, once an important stop for the stagecoaches of Cobb and Co. then on via Ivanhoe on the Cobb Highway, part of the Kidman Way. Arriving in Menindee we visit Kinchega National Park, to view the birdlife of Menindee Lakes then to nearby Burke and Wills camp on the banks of the Darling River. It's now a short hop to Broken Hill for dinner at the famous & delicious Mario’s Palace Hotel (full of the original murals from Priscilla Queen of the Desert fame) Overnight Broken Hill.

Day 3 – Explore Broken Hill highlights (your choice) options include Pro Hart Gallery, The Line of Lode Lookout, a mine tour, and Miners Memorial plus Desert Sculptures or Lake Mungo or Mutawintji National Parks (optional extra day tour) for exceptional rock art rich in Aboriginal history.

Day 4 - Depart Broken Hill through the Barrier Range on the Silver City Highway via Packsaddle for Milparinka Appreciate this once thriving gold mining town at the restored Milparinka Heritage Precinct withh impressive new displays of early life and Sturts expedition. This area has been extensively mined for tin, lead and gold and operated large sheep stations.

We can also visit Poole's Grave and Depot Glen, where explorer Charles Sturt spent 6 months in 1845 with a team of men, waiting for rain and cooler conditions. T. Time to explore Tibooburra, and the Outdoor Pastoral Museum. Flat-topped mesas and fantastic views characterise the central Jump-Up country while 450 million-year-old granite tors surrounding Tibooburra form part of the southern boundary of the Sturt National Park. We check out the impressive National Parks display and explore the nearby Granites walking track at the Dead Horse campground, and considerable town and mining history before overnight here at the Family Hotel or Granites Motel BLD

Day 5 - Heading into the Sturt Desert we cross the Grey Range with a stop and walk to the lake at Fort Grey. The park protects an enormous arid landscape of space and solitude. The rolling red-sand dunes of the Strzelecki desert ripple through the western section, graduating past surprising wetlands surrounded by white sands. After some great opportunities for photos, and to explore the work of the Wild Deserts project reintroducing locally extinct mammals to Sturt National Park in the far corner of outback NSW.

We cross through the dingo fence (Earths largest man made structure) to arrive at Cameron Corner on the 3 states corner (NSW, SA & QLD). After some refreshments at the "Corner Store" we travel via Bollards Lagoon, the Yellow Bus and Merty Merty station, crossing the sand hills of the Strzelecki Desert, and Strzelecki Creek as we head up the Strzelecki Track through the uncanny Moomba oil & gas fields. We pass the location of the now decommissioned geothermal power plant / hot rocks project of Geodynamics where Australia has the hottest rocks on Earth, outside of volcanic areas.

Geologists think that 10 million years ago, the granites in the Cooper Basin, South Australia, were exposed at the surface. Since that time they have been covered by a sedimentary layer, four kilometres thick, that acts as an overlying blanket; trapping the heat and preventing it from escaping to the atmosphere.

The heat is created by naturally occurring radiogenic decay that heats the granite to more than 250 degrees Celsius. The granite temperatures in Europe are only 180 degrees Celsius. The granite belt in the Cooper Basin is fractured in horizontal layers and these fractures naturally contain water at very high pressures – up to 5, 000 pounds per square inch.

Check out the birdlife at sunset on the flooding Cooper Creek before dinner at the Innamincka Hotel, adjacent the famous old Mission station, restored as National Parks offices.Overnight in Innamincka by the Cooper Creek

Day 6 - A chance for an early walk and look at creek side birdlife - and quirky Innamincka - before we visit Burke's Grave site. We then drive approximately 70km further upstream crossing the SA/ QLD border and Nappa Merrie Station (once owned by S Kidman & Co) to the Burke & Wills Dig Tree.

Here Burke & Wills support team waited 4 months before departing, even though intsructed by Burke to wait 3 months. Provisions were buried for the northern explorers before the support group left only hours before Burke & Wills return, who were so weak they chose not to pursue. Lots of history, and birdlife here on the infamous Cooper Creek.

After a reflective look around here, we head for Eromanga and the Eromanga Natural History Museum where nearby Australia’s largest dinosaur was carefully excavated from the dirt and a raft of other dinosaurs followed, all species that had never been seen before. The discoveries made southwest Queensland the country’s newest palaeontology frontier. We take a museum tour and meet the discovered remains of dinosaurs "Cooper" and "Zac" and many other species.

Day 7 - Today our destination is Bourke, back in NSW via Thargomindah, Lake Bindegolly National Park which conserves one of the most important wetland systems in south-west Queensland and is often home to prolific birdlife. Then on via Yowah and Eulo with unique Boulder opals. Cunnamulla is next where we learn of the Cunnamulla Fella (a song of a drover written by Slim Dusty) We cross the border to NSW and follow the Warrego River south for our overnight and dinner in Bourke.

Day 8 - In Bourke we take a cruise along the Darling River on the Jandra, a rebuilt historic paddleboat to recall the river boat history. In recent years Bourke has undergone a remarkable revitalisation and is now a shining light in the remote west of NSW. The impressive ‘Back O’Bourke’ centre showcases the early days of Bourke and beyond. Discover the Outback life of Henry Lawson, and the search for an inland sea. Hear the stories of the ‘women of the west’ including Nancy Bird Walton, who flew an air ambulance here in the 1930’s. Stop by the 110 year old Morrall’s bakery for a pie or pastry, follow the Heritage Trail through town, or visit the grave of Fred Hollows. Overnight Bourke.

Day 9 - We head for Brewarrina on the Barwon River, and the 40,000-year-old Aboriginal Fish Traps - still working. The Brewarrina fish traps are one of the oldest man-made structures on earth. This elaborate network of rock weirs and pools stretches for around half a kilometre along the riverbed and was built by ancient tribes, to catch fish as they swam upstream. Heading south to Macquarie Marshes a UNESCO registered site of outstanding value as one of the most important wetland areas in the world. It is one of the most crucial breeding sites for waterbirds in Australia, with 77 species, along with over 150 other birds, as well as fish, turtles, frogs, snakes and mammals. We travel on via silo art in Coonamble then take the scenic road to the beautiful Warrumbungles for a delightful bush walk with wonderful views of The Breadknife.

The Warrumbungles is Australia’s only Dark Sky Park, meaning it is our only Internationally recognised park with an exceptional quality of starry nights and an environment specifically protected for its scientific, natural, educational, cultural heritage, and public enjoyment. Tonight you can book a Star gazing session with local expert and high powered telescopes Overnight Coonabarabran

Day 10 - In Coonabarabran view the Diprotodon fossil remains discovered at nearby Tambar Springs. Back in the 'bungles take a tour of Siding Springs Observatory, home to Australia’s largest optical telescope. Since opening in 1964, The Australian National University has operated the observatory site hosting research telescopes from the ANU's Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics (RSAA), Las Cumbres Observatory (LCO) and many other institutions from around the world. Research is varied, from probing the depths of the cosmos in search of "Dark Energy" to searching the Milky Way for other planets and signs of life. We tour inside the dome of the largest telescope and learn of its workings plus visist the adjacent astronomy exhibition centre.

We depart the region mid morning and drive through Dunedoo, known for its poetry, hospitality, and name, or alternatively via Coolah, one of several towns to claim bragging rights as the home of the legendary Black Stump. It was here that the colloquial saying ‘Beyond the Black Stump’, meaning ‘beyond the limits of civilisation,’ is said to have originated.

On the way to Gulgong - the town that was on the way to Gulgong - the town that was on the $10 note. This small village from the gold rush days is a delight to take in the regional history and historic buildings. We are now a short drive to Mudgee where we’ll taste some local wines and have lunch in a vineyard. Travel via Lithgow and the Zig Zag railway and back to Sydney via spectacular Grose Valley views and Mt Tomah on Bells Line fo Road to Sydney and tour completion.

All tours require a minimum of 2 passengers for departure. If you require a booking for 1 person please call us direct to confirm minimum numbers have been met prior to booking online.

Inclusions –

11 nights Hotel Motel Accommodation - twin share or single supplement available - see booking link
Genuine small group tour vehicle - usually 2-4 per 4WD Landcruisers
Professional Driver Guide
All meals except 3 meals 1 day in Broken Hill
Wild wildlife!!
National Parks entry fees.
Eromanga Museum entry
Dig Tree Entry fees
Tour price supports Outback Kids & Nature Care projects.

BOOK HERE Or Call 0417 244 600 or 1300 763 188