Take a red dirt road trip through NSW from Dubbo to the Outback: an epic trip through NSW
A road trip through Outback NSW is the very definition of an epic adventure. Driving through vast landscapes, countryside turns to red dirt and towns get farther between. But the stories you’ll hear, the people you’ll meet and the experiences you’ll have will be like no other. We’ve mapped out an unforgettable road trip from the Great Western Plains to the farthest reaches of Outback NSW.
Notice the skies open up and the horizon appear as you leave behind the city and enter the Great Western Plains, a five-hour drive from Sydney. It’s a rugged landscape of volcanic mountains carved by rivers, lakes and caves – a playground for adventurous pursuits. Your first stop is one of the state’s largest inland dams, Lake Burrendong. Reflections Lake Burrendong is an ideal base for aquatic adventure-filled days – wakeboarding, kayaking, SUP-ing, boating and fishing for yellowbelly.
The lakeside park has a range of dog-friendly sites and cabins for camping and caravanning, as well as a swimming pool,skate park, golf course and tennis courts. The region was part of the gold rush, so you can also try your hand at fossicking for the elusive metal. Stop at the 164-hectare Burrendong Botanic Garden and Arboretum, a conservatory of Australian flora on your departure.
Next stop Dubbo: a city that radiates small-country-town hospitality. Settle in at NRMA Dubbo Holiday Park, which takes up prime position beside the Mitchell River, a gentle stroll to town. This pet-friendly park has a wide range of options, from drive-through to ensuite sites, luxury safari tents, and a variety of cabins, some with a fenced-in yard for your doggo.
The city is packed with fun-filled experiences for families. Lock in a day at Taronga Western Plains Zoo, which houses more than 350 species of animals in open-range exhibits explorable by safari truck, bike, or electric cart. You can also learn about the incredible work of the Royal Flying Doctors Service or take an eerie twilight tour of the 19th century Old Dubbo Gaol.
Unwind at the end of the day in the park’s swimming pool, watch the kids leap into the wide-open sky on the giant bouncing pillow or play a friendly game of basketball. Book a table at local diner Down The Lane to soak up the buzzy community vibe and enjoy pizza, pasta and live music on weekends. As the sun melts away, get cosy around the communal campfire and keep an eye out for shooting stars.
Continue north to Moree, driving through country towns such as Coonabarabran and Narrabri to Gwydir Thermal Pools Motel and Carapark or Moree Tourist Park. You’ll notice the earth turning red as you edge closer to the outback.
A swimming pool is often a holiday park’s crowning glory, and these two destinations exceed expectations in the pool department. Moree sits above the springs of the Great Artesian Basin – the largest and deepest in the world – which fills the pools with therapeutic, mineral-enriched water that’s naturally heated at varying temperatures up to 39 degrees. A long soak will have you feeling refreshed and reenergised.https://www.caravancampingnsw.com/holiday-parks/
Explore the historic town resplendent in Art Deco architecture and stop by Yaama Ganu Gallery, which displays works from artists of the local Kamilaroi Nation and Aboriginal-managed art centres around Australia. Feel a connection to land as you head out on Gamilaraay/Gomeroi country to gather bush foods and medicine with an Aboriginal guide on a Yinarr-Ma Bush Tucker Tour.
Head west now along the Great Artesian Drive to Lightning Ridge, which is also blessed with subterranean mineral-rich waters. The town’s thermal bore baths reach temperatures of 41.5 degrees throughout the year and sit just down the road from BIG4 Opal Holiday Park.
The town was really put on the map in the late 19th century when rare black opals were discovered here. Join an Outback Opal Tour to get an insight into the life of an opal miner and go underground into a mine; learn more about the town’s history at the Lightning Ridge Heritage Cottage; and pay a visit to the Australian Opal Centre – a new state-of-the-art centre.
BIG4 Opal Holiday Park has a dedicated doggy daycare, which allows pet-owners more freedom to explore these local attractions. Come evening, cook up a barbecue then gather round the communal fire pit with fellow campers for a drink and a yarn.
Drive along the famed Kidman Way through ‘the Back o’ Bourke’, the historic outback town on the banks of the Darling River. In Cobar, you’ll feel somewhat insignificant as you stand at the top of enormous open-cut gold mine, Fort Bourke Hill Lookout.
Make your way to The Great Cobar Museum to delve into the history of this town, which was once Australia’s largest producer of copper. Nearby Mount Grenfell Historic Site comprises three significant Aboriginal rock art galleries, which you can view on a short walk past towering mallee and cypress pine trees. The more challenging Ngiyampaa Walk leads to the summit of Mount Grenfell – the scenic vistas from the top may be shared with resident red and grey kangaroos.
Cobar Caravan Park offers a variety of accommodation, including simple pet-friendly and modern two-bedroom cabins, and sites shaded by tall gum trees. Cook in the camp kitchen or grab a pub favourite at the Great Western Hotel. You might even get lucky and win the meat raffle.
Deep in Outback NSW, Broken Hill was thrown into the spotlight thanks to ’90s cult flick The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert. You can visit filming locations such as The Palace Hotel and nearby Silverton, a charming outback village best seen from the back of a camel with Silverton Outback Camels.
Broken Hill was founded in 1883 upon one of the world’s richest deposits of silver, lead and zinc. Its unique desert landscape has been immortalised by artists such as Pro Hart whose
Broken Hill Tourist Park and Outback View Holiday Park are both dog-friendly and have a swimming pool, which is a welcome antidote to the sizzling sun, as well as a large array of sites and well-equipped cabins. Come night-time, join the experts for a sky show at Outback Astronomy. With no cities within hundreds of kilometres, the dark sky here regularly allows for spectacular viewing of the galaxy.
A few hours north of Broken Hill and you’ve reached Corner Country, a region of endless landscapes and as far west as you can go before crossing the border – an epic conclusion to your Outback NSW road trip. The drive back towards Sydney is around 12 to 13 hours, so break it up with another stop in Cobar and/or Dubbo and return home with memories you’ll never forget.
