Outback National Parks Drives
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Outback National Parks Drives nationalparks.nsw.gov.au TAKE A DRIVE THROUGH GUNDABOOKA NATIONAL PARK OPAL MINER’S WAY OUTBACK NSW Bourke <> Gundabooka NP <> Louth Wilcannia <> White Cliffs or Bourke A short side-trip along the sealed Opal The vast NSW outback covers Mt Gundabooka (500m) lies within the Miner’s Way will take you to White Cliffs 527,648 km2 (about 7% of magnifi cent rust coloured cliffs and gorges from Wilcannia in a little over an hour. White Australia). To help you gain the best of the Gunderbooka Range - a region Cliffs is a premier outback NSW destination, possible visitor experience, we have with great signifi cance to the Ngiyampaa and a wonderful 92 km drive along the grouped together towns, National people for ceremonial gatherings and sealed Opal Miner’s Way from Wilcannia will signifi cant rock art. Gundabooka National bring you right to this unique place. Parks, attractions, experiences, etc Park is idea for hiking and birdwatching An alternate route to/from Broken Hill on a into regions of outback NSW. and a small camping area is accessible by dry weather road is via Mutawintji National car. A new day-use area with barbecues, Park and Mutawintji Historic Site. • Corner Country toilets and picnic area has opened at Bennetts Gorge. • Upper Darling - Cobar – Bogan Broken Hill <> Mutawintji NP An excellent drive from Broken Hill north • Central Darling - Broken Hill along the Silver City Highway (about 55 OUTBACK TOURING - km) then eastward on an unsealed road • Lower Darling – Murrumbidgee CENTRAL DARLING to Mutawintji National Park. This park is a special place for the living culture and BROKEN HILL LOOP spirituality of indigenous Australians. The Mutawintji Historic Site has an extensive Wentworth <> Broken Hill <> Menindee history as an Aboriginal ceremonial place for OUTBACK TOURING - <> Kinchega NP <> Pooncarie <> Mungo UPPER DARLING groups from the immediate and surrounding and Mutawintji NP country and features amazing rock art which This drive leads you through Broken is accessible only through guided tours. LIGHTNING RIDGE Hill and on to a grand tour of the lower Walgett <> Lightning Ridge <> Grawin Darling, taking in Wentworth, Broken Hill, MUTAWINTJI NP – Opal Fields <> Brewarrina the town and lake of Menindee, Kinchega OPAL MINER’S WAY LOOP National Park and Pooncarie, with side This side-trip from the Darling River Run loops to Mungo and Mutawintji National Broken Hill <> Mutawintji NP <> White will take you to the iconic – and nicely Park. The main centre of outback NSW, Cliffs <> Wilcannia eccentric – Australian opal mining town of Broken Hill, has many great attractions, A short side-trip along the sealed Opal Lightning Ridge. You might want to try your cafes, restaurants, galleries, fascinating Miner’s Way will take you to White Cliffs hand at fi nding the elusive black opal. If luck architecture, and rich outback history. from Wilcannia in a little over an hour. White isn’t going your way, there’s art galleries to Cliffs is a premier outback NSW destination, explore, or simply take in the experiences The magnifi cent Menindee Lake a huge and a 92 km drive along the sealed Opal of a mining town, a place where much attraction for visitors and for local bird Miner’s Way from Wilcannia will bring you of even the non-mining activity happens and animal life. Maybe camp a night at right to this unique place. underground. It’s an easy drive to and from Kinchega, then from Menindee, rejoin the Walgett, or as an alternative meander via Darling River Run with Wilcannia upstream You could take the road less travelled and Cumborah to Brewarrina. and the historic Pooncarie downstream. meander back to Broken Hill via Mutawintji National Park and Mutawintji Historic Site. OUTBACK TOURING - MUNGO NP OUTBACK TOURING - LOWER DARLING Wentworth <> Mungo NP <> Pooncarie CORNER COUNTRY <> Menindee <> Kinchega NP PERRY SAND HILLS CORNER COUNTRY LOOP Mungo National Park is a remarkable <> Wentworth <> place, its international signifi cance Broken Hill <> Milparinka <> Tibooburra recognised with World Heritage listing. <> Sturt NP <> Wanaaring <> Bourke The awesome Perry Sand Hills are found It’s where you’ll fi nd the Walls of China, just outside of Wentworth. They’re a unique The largest loop off the Darling River Run, an icon not only for the sheer beauty land formation, over 160 ha of continuously Corner Country lets you explore the western- of dramatic formations but also for the shifting sand dunes, the result of an ancient most part of the NSW outback. Bordered amazing spiritual signifi cance of the ice age and many thousands of years by the dingo fence, this region covers an area. Mungo has evidence of continual of wind erosion. Visit Pioneer Museum amazing diversity of landscapes a huge human habitation over 40,000 years, and in Wentworth to learn about the mega- contrast to the grey-soil plains of the river is one of the world’s most signifi cant fauna that once inhabited the area, and its country. Ephemeral creeks and lakes are anthropological and archaeological sites. Aboriginal heritage. Today, the hills are a interspersed amongst the Barrier and Grey Around 110km from Wentworth on a dry premier visitor attraction and are used as Ranges and sand dunes of the Simpson- weather road. A loop to visit Broken Hill a backdrop for fi lming, as well as for the Strzelecki Dunefi elds, as sandstone mesas can be incorporated. Music Under the Stars festival in March. rise from ancient seabeds. Photography: David Finnegan / Courtesy OEH.