KamilaroiT h e HIGHWAY Quirindi Gunnedah Narrabri Lightning Ridge Brewarrina Bourke G r e a t D i v i d e t o Willow Tree t Breeza h e Curlewis G Boggabri r Wee Waa e a Burren Junction t Walgett O u t b a c k ...the endless road to adventure KamilaroiT h e HIGHWAY INDEX Introduction 3 Quirindi 4 Gunnedah 6 Narrabri 8 Lightning Ridge 10 Brewarrina 12 Bourke 14 Highway Maps 16 Places to Eat 18 Accommodation 20 Caravan/Camping 22 Events Calendar 23 Brochure Design By: DNA Graphics (07) 5532 1831 Copywriting By: Karen Ransome (07) 5538 7379 new south wales ...the endless road to adventure Introduction Running from Willow Tree, just south of Tamworth, straight out to the back of Bourke, the Kamilaroi Highway offers the most direct route from the Great Divide to the Great Outback. Along the way, you’ll discover the quintessential Australian bush experience – from street-strolling koalas to road- running emus and from country squires to colourful opal miners. The Kamilaroi Highway route In Narrabri, learn how the pubs, rustic bush cabins, to Bourke from the east coast Australian cotton industry well-serviced caravan parks takes you into the agricultural is leading the world by and peaceful camping spots heartland of NSW, cruising developing more sustainable on a riverbank. through golden fields of practices. wheat, sunflowers and You’ll fi nd more friendly faces canola; past the rugged In Lightning Ridge, you’ll at the Visitor Information mountain ranges of the love all the quirky, off-beat Centres in each main town Nandewars and Mt Kaputar; attractions and the equally where they can help you and on to the sunburnt plains colourful opal miners. make the most of your of the Outback grazing runs. Kamilaroi adventure by giving In Brewarrina, step into the you details on all the local Along the way, the Kamilaroi’s Aboriginal dream-time at attractions and mapping out iconic towns and settlements one of the oldest man-made a scenic detour along the give you every excuse to structures on earth. roads less travelled. extend your journey over several days, with each stop And in Bourke, relive the presenting its own unique glory days of the Darling slice of life in the bush. River trade on an old paddle steamer. At Werris Creek, near Quirindi, you can immerse yourself in Extending a warm Outback the history of the railways that welcome are the wealth of opened up the North West. accommodation operators offering the choice of historic In Gunnedah, keep an eye homestead farmstays, luxury out for the urban koalas that B&Bs, affordably priced regularly roam the streets. motels, traditional country 1800 659 931 www.kamilaroihighway.com.au THE KAMILAROI HIGHWAY 3 Quirindi Quirindi Visitor Information Centre Quirindi Arts and Craft - Railway Square Phone: (02) 6746 1096 4 QUIRINDI Did you know? The fi rst Australian polo club was formed in Quirindi in 1888. In 1893, the club hosted Australia’s fi rst polo carnival, which is still held here every year in August/September. The Duke of Edinburgh played at the Quirindi polo ground in 1968. Quirindi In the early STOP & SEEQuirindi days of Main Street Heritage Walk - Quirindi settlement, Follow the trail of sheep and cattle brands etched into the sandstone Quirindi was pavements of George and Station Streets, and admire the heritage t h e m a i n buildings, rose gardens, cafes and shops lining the beautifully landscaped town centre. service centre for the famous Liverpool Plains grazing runs. Whilst Australian Railway Monument & Rail Journeys Museum the sheep and cattle stations have - Werris Creek been replaced by vast fi elds of Featuring six large sculptures of railway workers set along a broadacre farms, the town’s rich landscaped walkway, the Australian Railway Monument honours all heritage is preserved in the brands those who died while working on our railways. Learn more about their etched into the town pavements contribution to the nation at the Rail Journeys Museum in the historic and the historic buildings that line train station. Open 10am – 4pm, 7 days a week. Cost: By donation the main streets. Rural Heritage Village - Gunnedah Road, Quirindi The neighbouring towns of Werris Wander for hours among this fascinating collection of old homewares, Creek, Wallabadah and Willow farm machinery, trucks, tractors and all manner of gadgets and Tree have also played a role in inventions. the area’s history. The impressive Open 10am – 4pm, Fri to Sun railway station and Rail Journeys Cost: $5 adults (children 16 & under – free) Monument at Werris Creek attests to its glory days as Australia’s fi rst First Fleet Memorial Gardens - New England Highway, railway town; Wallabadah was Wallabadah home to Australia’s fi rst country Set out around a landscaped garden walkway, this series of stone race club which still hosts the annual tablets records the names of every convict, passenger and sailor who travelled to Australia on the First Fleet. Wallabadah Cup on New Year’s Day; and, at Willow Tree, you’ll fi nd Quipolly Dam Birdhide - Borah Creek Road, Quipolly the Alan Cunningham Memorial not This dam is known worldwide as a birdwatcher’s paradise. The all- far from where the famous explorer weather hide nestled among the reeds offers a bird’s eye view of first crossed the Warrumbungle this pristine fl ora and fauna sanctuary which attracts both water and Range onto the Liverpool Plains. woodland birds. www.visitquirindi.com.au THE KAMILAROI HIGHWAY 5 Gunnedah Gunnedah Visitor Information Centre ANZAC Park, South Street Free Call: 1800 KOALAS (1800 562 527) Email: [email protected] 6 GUNNEDAH Did you know? The infamous bushranger Ben Hall was born at Breeza Station between Quirindi and Gunnedah in 1837. His birthplace is marked by Ben Hall’s Wall which features a mural and the Ballad of Ben Hall, telling the story of those ‘wild colonial days’. Gunnedah Gunnedah is known STOP & SEE as the Koala CapitalGunnGunnedah Waterways Wildlife Park - Oxley Highway,ed Gunnedahah of the World. It is Enjoy a close encounter with Gunnedah’s famous koalas. Owner Nancy home to Australia’s Small has been caring for the town’s orphaned and injured native animals for more than 20 years and now has a collection of some 520 largest and healthiest emus, kangaroos, wombats, lizards, possums, birds and more. population of koalas Open 10am – 5pm, 7 days a week walking along the residential streets Cost: $5 adults; $2.50 children 5 to 15 years and bush tracks. Town Drive - Gunnedah Visitor Information Centre The black soil plains surrounding Pick up a touring map from the Visitor Information Centre and follow this thriving centre comprise the signposts to most of the town’s main attractions. Allow 45 minutes some of the richest agricultural driving time or a lot longer if you take time to explore sights like the land in NSW and the farming Rural Museum, Water Tower Museum, Cumbo Gunnedah Gallery and economy is showcased each year at the various lookouts and walking tracks. the Ag-Quip fi eld days which attract Bindea Walking Tracks- Apex Road, Gunnedah more than 100,000 people from all From Porcupine Lookout enjoy 360° views over the town and beyond over Australia. to the Nandewar Ranges and Mt Kaputar National Park. Walking tracks of various lengths start here and are a favourite place to see This land of sweeping plains and Gunnedah’s koalas. the rugged mountain ranges beyond also served as the Rural Museum- Oxley Highway, Gunnedah inspiration for Australia’s best One of the most comprehensive of its kind in Australia, the Rural loved and most quoted poem, ‘My Museum displays farm machinery, equipment, photography and other Country’. Poet Dorothea Mackellar curios, as well as locally made pottery, woodwork, lavender products came to ‘love a sunburnt country’ on and jams. Open: 9am – 3pm, 7 days a week visits to her brothers' properties in Cost: $5 adults; $2 children the area and the town pays homage to its favourite adopted daughter at Lake Keepit State Park - Oxley Highway, Gunnedah the Dorothea Mackellar Memorial Two-thirds the size of Sydney Harbour when full, Lake Keepit is a Wing in the Visitor Information favourite spot for fi shing, boating, swimming, water skiing and sailing. Centre and through the trail of poetry Accommodation is available in cabins, permanent tents and camping plaques set throughout the town. areas by the water’s edge. www.infogunnedah.com.au THE KAMILAROI HIGHWAY 7 Narrabri Wee Waa & Boggabri Narrabri Shire Visitor Information Centre Newell Highway Ph: 1800 659 931 Email: [email protected] 8 NARRABI Did you know? There must be something in the water: More than 100 sporting champions were either born in Narrabri Shire or started their athletic careers here. Notable names include tennis star Jason Stoltenberg and golfi ng great Steve Elkington. Narrabri, Wee WaaNarrabriNarr & Boggabriabri Narrabri Shire STOP & SEE is the heart Australian Cotton Centre of Australia’s Newell Highway, Narrabri cotton industry Trace the history of the cotton industry through interactive with vast fi elds of snow-white blooms displays, giant cotton picker and the 3-D theatrette. Open: 8.30am – 4.30pm, 7 days a week blanketing the countryside through Cost: $7 adults, $5.50 children 6 to 17 yrs; $18 family; $6.30 Boggabri, Narrabri and Wee Waa in seniors summer and autumn. Mt Kaputar National Park The industry’s short but fascinating 56kms north-east of Narrabri history can be traced through the This ‘ecological island’ is home to an amazing diversity of plants, interactive exhibits at the Australian animals and geological formations, not to mention the views from Cotton Centre in Narrabri, the main the summit.