9 Days Cameron Corner Country Macquarie Marshes Menindee Lakes Broken Hill Tibooburra Darling River NSW Outback Tour

Cameron Corner Country with Innaminka Cooper Creek Macquarie Marshes, Lake Cargellico, Darling River Broken Hill from / to Sydney Outback NSW Tibooburra, Silo Art Outback NSW 9 days. Small group (max. 4 per 4WD) to explore the Far West of NSW & South Australia

Highlights

• Sydney to Broken Hill and return to Sydney
• Follow the Indian Pacific Rail route
• Parkes Radio Telescope  – The Dish
• Lake Cargellico central NSW
• Menindee Lakes & Burke & Wills Campsite
• Packsaddle & Milparinka historic sites
• Tibooburra granites, pastoral, art and mining history
• Cameron Corner Country - NSW SA QLD borders
  
• Innamincka overnight
• Burke and Wills Dig Tree and grave sites and Cooper Creek walks
• Dig Tree access if QLD border open to NSW visitors
• 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
• Blue Mountains

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 Cargellico.

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 X – OPTIONAL EXTRA DAY (please ask) to 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. Please ask if wanting this option.

Day 3 - Depart Broken Hill through the Barrier Range on the Silver City Highway via Packsaddle for Milparinka and Depot Glen, where explorer Charles Sturt spent 6 months in 1845 with a team of men, waiting for rain and cooler conditions. This area has been extensively mined for tin, lead and gold and operated large sheep stations. Appreciate this once thriving gold mining town at the restored Milparinka Heritage Precinct. Time to explore Tibooburra, and the Outdoor Pastoral Museum.  Flat-topped mesas and fantastic views characterise the central Jump-Up country. Remnant gidgee woodland, the catchment system of the ephemeral Twelve-Mile Creek and gibber and grass-covered plains dominate the east, while 450 million-year-old granite tors surrounding Tibooburra form part of the southern boundary of the park. We check out the Tibooburra pubs and considerable town and mining history before overnight here at Family Hotel or Granites Motel BLD

Day 4 - Today we are heading into the Sturt Desert & Sturt National park, crossing the Grey Range with a stop 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, we pass through the Dog Fence and into South Australia to arrive at Cameron Corner on the 3 states corner (NSW, SA & QLD) for a thirst quencher and souvenirs and check out the "Corner Store" (conditional on the border being open).

Travel on via Bollards Lagoon, the Yellow Bus (now buried) and Merty Merty station, crossing the sand hills of the Strzelecki Desert, and Creek as we head for the Strzelecki Track and the uncanny Moomba oil & gas fields. We pass the 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 a delicious meal at the Innamincka Hotel, adjacent the famous old Aboriginal Mission Hospital restored as National Parks offices. Overnight Innaminka

Day 5 - A chance for an early walk and look at creek side birdlife - and quirky Innamincka - before we head for the SA/QLD border. This is providing the Queensland border is open to NSW travellers - if not we see Burkes and Wills grave sites (in SA) and enjoy a Cooper creek river walk, then return to Tibooburra via the scenic Old Strzelecki Track

If QLD border open we travel to Nappa Merrie Station (still owned by S Kidman & Co) to the Burke & Wills Dig Tree. Here Burke & Wills their support team waited 3 months and provisions were buried for the northern explorers. The support left 1 day before Burke & Wills return, and the supplies were not found leading to their demise. Lots of history, and birdlife here on the infamous Cooper Creek. Heading south we travel through picturesque desert then sand hill country via Orientos, Santos and Sullivans Tank before crossing the border into NSW at the Warri Gate on the Dingo fence, and once again into the Sturt Desert. 

Taking in vast stony plains, the towering red-sand hills of the great Strzelecki Desert and the unusual flat-topped mesas around the Olive Downs, this park covers 340,000 hectares of classic outback terrain. Thanks to the protection of the dingo-proof fence, there are large populations of western grey and red kangaroos. We arrive at Tibooburra for dinner & overnight at the local hotel in this most remote NSW desert town.

Day 6 - Return to Broken Hill via Sturt's original route via Pincally Station and fascinating geology to Broken Hill.

Day 7 - Now to Wilcannia, with once a bustling port on the Darling River for the wool trade of paddle steamers, now with its beautiful and historic sandstone public architecture. Heading east we visit the Aboriginal rock art site of Mt Grenfell, before Cobar where we check out the mining museum, before overnight in the historic flood town of Nyngan, close to Macquarie Marshes.

Day 8 - A short drive for the wetlands for the birdwatchers at Macquarie Marshes a UNESCO & Ramsar 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. After a good look at different locations of the wetlands, and a tasty lunch we travel on to a spectacular silo art site in Coonamble then take the scenic road to the beautiful Warrumbungles for a delightful bush walk with wonderful views of The Breadknife. We have a tour of Siding Springs Observatory, home to Australia’s largest optical telescope.

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. Overnight. Coonabarabran Meals: BLD

Day 9 - Travel via historic Gulgong and the Mudgee vineyards for a wine tasting. Travel the scenic Victoria Pass via Lithgow, see the Zig Zag railway before arrival back in Sydney around 6 pm

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 –

• 8 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
• Wild wildlife!!
• National Parks entry fees.
• Tour price supports Outback Kids & Nature Care projects.
• Cameron Corner overnight if QLD border is open in lieu of Tibooburra overnight.

BOOK HERE Or Call 0417 244 600 or 1300 763 188