Nettleton’s First Shaft Lookout at Lightning Ridge
Miriam Blaker travels to Lightning Ridge and discovers many gems along the way in the big sky country of northwestern NSW.
Our destination was Lightning Ridge, famous for its black opals, vast landscapes and unique outback charm, however there’s plenty of other gems to be found. Along the way we discovered tiny towns with big personalities, outback pubs and huge horizons blending into a surprisingly green landscape while colourful characters and artwork made us feel as though we’d stepped into a cartoon caravanning western.
Going to Gilgandra
For us it was a familiar route from Melbourne to Dubbo (check out our travel story on Dubbo here). From there it’s 65km north to Gilgandra along the Newell Highway. Gilgandra was in full show mode when we visited. The 10 designated free spots beside the Coo-ee Heritage and Visitor Information Centre were full, however there’s more free parking for caravanners across the road at the Gilgandra Bowls Club. It’s close to the Gilgandra Museum and the 4km return Windmill Walk which leads into town. In 1948, it was reported there were more than 300 windmills in Gilgandra.
The windmill walk leads into the main street of Gilgandra
Today the walkway passes many of these windmills, an easy stroll along the banks of the Castlereagh River. In early October Gilgandra will be in full swing with three days of live music under the gums, markets, street food and festival action in the annual Goin’ to Gil Weekend Festival (3–5 October 2025).
Northeast is Tooraweenah, a small village nestled at the foot of the mountains. You can walk the historic trail through town and see the Returned Soldier Sculpture at the GK Rohr Warrumbungle Viewing Platform. Drop by Emu Logic, to see how things happen on a working Emu farm.
The Returned Soldier sculpture from Tooraweenah Lookout
Gulargambone
From Gilgandra we continued 50km along the Castlereagh Highway to Gulargambone. Gular, as it’s known by the locals, is a small village filled with an art scene that could rival a capital city, albeit very rural. It was in 2019 that John Murray, along with Peter Browne and eight other renowned artists, gave Gular the wildest of makeovers. Twelve buildings, one water tower and two footpaths were chosen for murals including 3D interactive artworks.
Artwork by John Murray is everywhere in this part of NSW
‘Ghosts of Bullocks Past’ welcomes visitors to town — impressive sculptures of wire bullocks created by local sculpture artist Brian Campbell. There are corrugated iron galahs and emus, colourful murals and painted walls with quirky artwork, much of it by Lightning Ridge artist John Murray.
‘Ghosts of Bullocks Past‘’ greets visitors to Gulargambone
Cafe Two Eight Two Eight, named after the town’s postcode, boasts a cafe, art gallery and craft shop in a colourful Tuscan style setting. It’s also the visitor centre and the locals’ choice for a cuppa. Close by the Gulargambone Bowling Club has the best Chinese food in the area.
Everything is within walking distance in Gular. There’s free camping beside the pub and around the corner is the Gulargambone Caravan Park, formerly run by husband-and-wife team Dave and Bernadette. They were in the throes of handing over the reins after 11 dedicated years of ownership and we arrived during their last week.
It didn’t take long to find out the huge camp kitchen they built many years ago is the hub of the park. By 4pm the campfire was crackling, hot complimentary snacks were being handed around the group, and another Happy Hour was underway, amid reminiscing from return regulars. It’s no surprise that, in this massive yet cosy shed, caravanning clubs and grey nomads come from far and wide.
We wished Dave and Bernadette well the next day, as we found ourselves at Cafe Two Eight Two Eight for morning coffee and cake. The new park owners will keep the tradition going, I was assured. Happy Hour and a fire lit at 4pm daily, in what might be the best camp kitchen in Australia.
Happy Hour at Gulargambone (Image Peter Bellingham)
Coonamble and Nakadoo Farm Stay
Distances between towns are short around here and a good reason to travel slowly. From Gular it’s less than 50km to Coonamble and a night at Nakadoo Farm on the outskirts of town. Nakadoo is a working farm owned by Peter and Karren Kennedy. They’ve spent a lifetime here, working hard, raising cattle and training and providing animals for rodeos and other events.
Today, they’re just as passionate about helping tourism in their hometown and have created this friendly RV space that welcomes campers in all sizes of rigs. “Just set up anywhere around the shed,” Karren said when I rang beforehand. There was only one other couple when we arrived, and we were quickly acquainted around the fire pit that night. Rough timber log benches surround the campfire along with an assortment of old farm equipment. Close by is a spacious shower and toilet for those who aren’t self-contained. Farmyard animals add to the atmosphere. They even offer horse drawn tours. It’s peaceful and night skies are spectacular, as though you’re in the outback and not on the edge of a town.
A peaceful stay at Nakadoo Farm
The central point of Nakadoo for campers is the shed, and it’s both a museum and a tribute to early rural life in the Coonamble district. Karren is passionate about sharing its history which was evident on our highly enjoyable and informative morning tour with her. Camping at Nakadoo is free with a donation box to which we were happy to contribute. The shed tour costs $10.
It’s worth a tour inside the shed at Nakadoo
Walgett
From Coonamble it’s 115km to Walgett, the northern gateway to the Opal Fields and home to artesian bore baths as well as an impressive Jimmy Little mural on the water tower, part of the Silo Art Trail. For those staying overnight, the Alex Trevallion Park is a free RV rest area with level unpowered campsites, dump station and facilities. Heading out of Walgett we were amazed at how green the countryside was, clearly a result of the earlier Queensland flooding this year, making its way down south.
Walgett Water Tower Mural honouring iconic Aboriginal musician Jimmy Little
Reaching Lightning Ridge
Lightning Ridge is just under an hour’s drive north (75km) — quirky, unique and unlike anywhere I’ve been before. We loved our time there and spent three nights at Lorne Station Caravan Park, just out of town. Don’t miss a sunset at Nettleton’s First Shaft Lookout, the amazing Chambers of the Black Hand, a dip in the artesian bore baths and the self-drive coloured car door tours. Drop into the Lightning Ridge Visitors Information Centre to pick up maps and, if you’re heading there for the Opal Festival in July (23–26 July 2025), make sure you prebook your accommodation.
Whether you’re travelling north or south to Lightning Ridge, back at Walgett various roads intersect and lead to a myriad of adventures. Head out to Carinda 70km away and check out the pub that became famous when David Bowie filmed his hit single Let’s Dance there in 1983. With free camping out the back of the Carinda pub, it’s a good place to have a feed or a drink with the locals. In October each year this outback pub and quiet town comes alive with the Let’s Dance Carinda David Bowie tribute festival (4 October 2025).
Stanley the emu greets visitors to Lightning Ridge
Pubs in the Scrub
Taking our Lightning Ridge adventure further afield, the next base camp on our NSW road trip was Cumborah. Located 48km southeast of the Ridge, Cumborah is a tiny town devoid of shops but with a great free RV camp set off the road. It offers easy access to the Narran Lake Nature Reserve and is just 15km from the infamous Pubs in the Scrub of Grawin, Glengarry and the Sheepyard Opal Fields. Free camping is available at the pubs, however, if it’s been raining, ring ahead and check on road conditions. We unhitched the van at Cumborah and were glad as the dirt roads heading out were corrugated, muddy and full of potholes.
Cumborah is an excellent base to visit the Pubs in the Scrub
Grawin has had several opal rushes since 1908 when opal was first discovered at Hammond Hill. Each time it causes the population in this isolated settlement to swell with optimistic prospectors. Services now include a general store, airstrip, golf course with rocky fairways and the Club. The Grawin Club in the Scrub was built by volunteers in the mid-1970s in protest after another local pub increased the price of beer. The club quickly became the social hub of the area. We enjoyed a drink, chatted with a couple of locals and savoured the smell of dinner, a lamb on a spit.
The Club in the Scrub
Not to be outdone, the Glengarry Hilton — only a few kilometres away — was built by miners smack bang in the heart of the Garwin opal fields. Initially just a tin roof with open sides, these days in true Hilton style it offers accommodation (albeit rustic), great meals, an Opal bar and true community spirit. In November 2023 it became a hub and safe house for firefighters, open 24/7 when the area experienced its worse fires in 70 years.
Burgers and beers at the Glengarry Hilton
We enjoyed burgers and beer before heading on to The Sheepyard Inn. It’s more than quirky with its pink train carriage and Bra Tree and completely off beat with a jaw-dropping junkyard. Pull in for a cold beer or just wander the dusty streets. Close by is Coveted Bush Studio where we met owner and artisan Irene Reeney. Together with husband Joe she’s created a small oasis among the opal dirt mounds, a 20-year-old dream that’s become a reality. She said that, like many people in the area, they’re transient — prospecting and working through the winter months and relocating to the NSW coast during the hot summer.
The Sheepyard Inn
Irene from Coveted Bush Studio
The landscape is dusty and almost lunar like, threaded with dirt roads and miscellaneous opal mining equipment, the occasional ramshackle house or surprising studio like Irene’s. Stick to Lightning Ridge’s Orange Car Door map as it’s the safest way to avoid getting lost in this frontier style place.
Bore baths galore
Back at Walgett, our north-westerly drive continued as we headed towards Narrabri, but not before a few stops to enjoy more hot artesian bore baths for which the region is famous.
Burren Junction Bore Baths was the first, a massive RV area located directly opposite the hot pools on the outskirts of town. It’s just $5 for the night with excellent facilities, a dump point, water and of course the therapeutic 37-degree artesian waters. Get in early for a delicious pie at the local Cafe on Waterloo before heading on to Pilliga, 40km away. The Pilliga Artesian Bore Bath is a smaller bore pool but just as relaxing and the on-site RV area is a popular and spacious stopover.
Park your van around the artesian hot pool at Burren Junction
From Pilliga it’s 71km on a fully sealed road to Yarrie Lake, 35km from Narrabri. Thought to have been created by a falling meteor thousands of years ago, Yarrie Lake is a 3km saucer-shaped body of water right on the edge of the Pilliga scrub. There’s a handful of caravan-friendly powered sites and many unpowered, secluded ones scattered around this beautiful lake and each one has its own undercover area, seating, rubbish bin and tap. At $20 for an unpowered site and $30 for power it’s a brilliant base for exploring the area. Close by is the CSIRO Australia Telescope Compact Array, which is fascinating and completely free to visit.
Following the scenic route to artesian hot pools near Burren Junction
More gems await
Our road trip continued as we left Yarrie Lake and Narrabri and began the journey back along the Newell Highway to Coonabarabran. With awe inspiring sculptures in the scrub, sandstone caves and the Warrumbungle Range to explore, there’s plenty of surprises still to unearth in this beautiful region of northwest NSW.
Sandstone caves in the Pilliga Nature Reserve
Travel planner
Where to stay
Coo-ee Heritage and Visitor Information Centre
P: 02 6817 8700
E: tourism@gilgandra.nsw.gov.au
P: 02 6825 1666
E: gularcaravanpark@yahoo.com
P: 0428 221 861
P: 02 6829 1869
E: lornestationcaravanpark@outlook.com
Burren Junction Bore Baths and Campground
P: 02 6828 6139
E: tourism@walgett.nsw.gov.au
P: 02 6799 6760
P: 0427 666 105
E: tourism@narrabri.nsw.gov.au
Outback pubs
P: 02 6829 3810
P: 02 6829 3983
P: 02 6839 3932
Festivals
23–26 July 2025
3–6 October 2025
Let’s Dance Carinda: David Bowie Tribute Festival
4–5 October 2025
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Lightning Ridge Opal & Gem Festival: Opals, outback and so much more
Australia’s best hot springs, thermal pools and artesian bores
Caravanning road trip: Gilgandra to Lightning Ridge, NSW