14 Dec, 2023

Gems of Far North NSW: Exploring iconic outback destinations

by Ian Bellert

If natural beauty, fantastic places to unhitch and exploring places steeped in history are high on your travel experiences, then Far West NSW has something for you.

We started our western New South Wales adventure by taking the Escort Way out of Orange and heading through open farmland and then onto Henry Parkes Way toward the centre of NSW, Condobolin. On the way you pass through Manildra, where the Manildra Flour Mill dominates the town. A current (October 2023) upgrade to the Mandagery Creek bridge heading into town see’s it only three metres wide, so check conditions before you travel along Henry Parkes Drive.

Riverview Caravan Park in Condobolin is a perfect spot to pull up after a long haul. Located right beside a beautiful stretch of the Barwon River, you know you’ve hit a different part of the world as you relax. The birds are plentiful, the dirt underfoot is red sandy soil and the river is well worth a cast or two if you’re an angler. The park has great amenities, easily accessible van sites, and the local RSL has a courtesy bus to pick you up if you feel like a meal and a cool drink to wash away the day’s travel. All of which help make it a Caravan World favourite spot.

The road from Condobolin to Cobar is 90 per cent dirt. Easy enough if you drive to conditions. Like with any dirt road, avoid it if it’s been raining and check with locals on the condition before setting out.

Riverside bliss

Our next stop for an overnight stay was Warrawong on the Darling, just outside Wilcannia. This is a delightful park with the property bordering the Darling River. You can spend plenty of time exploring the 688ha property which has 16km of river frontage and easy to follow tracks. The park has a ton of campsites along the river — Pelican Point, Bondi Beach and Big Red are standouts. The park itself has grassy sites and a great camp kitchen overlooking a billabong which is teaming with birdlife and fish. The dominant fish species is carp, and it was lovely to see a young lad land a few while dinner was on the barbecue. They were not released! The amenities block is a credit to good planning with each shower having its own wash basin, mirror and so on. It was a bit of a novelty having a quasi-ensuite in the bush. Brett and Sharon are your hosts and they run a ship-shape place, making sure all guests are happily catered for while they stay. An absolute gem and a place you can truly unwind for a few days.

Wilcannia is a stone's throw from Warrawong (2.5km) and has significant cultural history for Australians. Its Indigenous presence is about to get a boost with the BAAKA Cultural Centre under construction in the middle of town. The local supermarket has had an upgrade, and its sliding glass door is much more welcoming. The town itself has a lot of new buildings popping up, and when we visited was enjoying its usual buss of activity with locals and tourists getting an early morning coffee and travellers topping up their fuel and getting supplies. Tune in to the local FM radio station, 103.1FM, for some great music and to enjoy the vibe of being in town.

To help explore local towns, the Central Darling Shire Council has developed the very handy The Central Darling Shire Heritage Trail Tourism App. Covering Wilcannia, Menindee and White Cliffs, the app has audio narration of tours of each town. Wilcannia has two tours, a walking and driving tour, all of which are fantastic for finding out more about the place you are exploring. Download it (Wilcannia has 4G coverage) and the narration plays as you uncover each of the stop points. It is a great initiative which helps you get the most out of your time exploring the mighty town of Wilcannia.

Outback NSW immersion

The run to Mutawintji National Park, located in semi-arid lands near Broken Hill, is an easy three-hour drive. You turn off the Barrier Highway 86km west of Wilcannia (big brown sign around 9km before Little Topar, you can’t miss it) and then it's easy dirt roads all the way through the large Waterbag Station property then to Mutawintji National Park. The park has a great campground with plenty of space to unhitch. The camp shower and amenities are a welcome relief considering how far you are from the rest of the world and the ambience of the park makes it feel even more so. Homestead Creek campground requires you to book in advance like all national parks (nationalparks.nsw.gov.au). There’s sheltered picnic tables and free barbecues provided. The best time to visit is autumn, winter and spring. Summer heat here can be very hot.

The park has a heap of walks which can take from an hour through to a big day trekking. Recommended walks include the Rockholes Loop walking track which takes you past some Aboriginal rock art, then to the beautiful, rugged gorges of Mutawintji. You climb up to the top and the sights over the plains are breathtaking.

On this trip we joined Mutawintji Heritage Tours for a few hours exploring the Mutawintji Historic Site. This area has restricted access via the guided tour (Kulluwirru Dreaming half-day tour). The tours are owned and operated by the local Mutawintji Land Council in conjunction with NPWS. Our guide for the morning was Mark, a local man with proud heritage to this country. He shared stories and history with the group and his passion for the land and its protection was paramount in every conversation. The recent history of how the land’s cultural significance has been protected and now shared via the tours is worth the tour price alone. As Mark delved deeper into the stories covering the rock art styles, the flora and fauna and the Indigenous cultural connection to the land, it made this humble writer even more appreciative of Mutawintji. It's a place to unwind, explore incredible walking tracks, see amazing sunrises and sunsets, and immerse yourself in a very special place. The Mutawintji Heritage Tour is a crowning jewel in time spent here.

Even as we bade farewell to Mutawintji, we all knew this would not be the last time we would visit and certainly not the last tour we’d enjoy.

Wonderful White Cliffs

Our travels had us heading to White Cliffs, just over 130km from Mutawintji National Park. The last 60km has some rough patches and plenty of dips and floodways. Use caution, as some of the causeways need to be taken at a slower speed.

Along the way the range that pops up on your right is the Coturaundee Range and offers scenic relief to the otherwise barren, ancient landscape.

White Cliffs is a town also featured on The Central Darling Shire Heritage Trail Tourism App. White Cliffs has 140 underground structures that tell the tale of this opal mining town. If the surface doesn’t show you, then digging a bit deeper tells tales of this town which was booming in 1899 with a population of 4000 — dwarfing today’s 100 or so permanent residents.

The White Cliffs Opal Pioneer Reserve caravan park enjoys the wide, open landscapes of the local area, and has an amenities block for showering, laundry and toilets. The camp kitchen is indoors and offers great facilities and a swap-a-book library. The park is RV friendly, and also has a portable toilet dump point.

If you’re looking to dig a bit deeper into White Cliffs, then White Cliffs Hotel provides everything you could want. A cold beer, friendly locals and place to watch the sunset douse the town with its colours. The outside wall of the pub has a stunning mural being painted by Jenny Hayes. The artwork covers the history of the area, from the White Cliffs opalised plesiosaur (swimming reptiles that lived in the late Triassic Period into the late Cretaceous Period), to the Indigenous culture, through to the opal boom. The mural is due to be finished by Spring 2024 and adds a lovely visual timeline to White Cliffs.

Back to Wilcannia

Our last stop was a visit to Peery Lake Picnic Area, part of the Paroo-Darling National Park and Paroo River Wetlands, an easy hour trip (56km) from White Cliffs. The lake is fed by the Paroo River and is an ephemeral lake and can disappear seasonally or when there’s drought. The lake was about 2km from the picnic area, which has sheltered tables and free barbecues, plus toilets. The walking track takes about 20 minutes and from the top of the ridge you get a better view of the lake. The sand dunes on the lake’s eastern side would be very picturesque in the afternoon setting sun. We were treated to a flush of wildflowers and the walk showed some diverse rock formations along the edge of the lake. Good sturdy shoes are recommended for the walk and take a water bottle so you can take your time seeing the sights. If you’re a twitcher, visiting when the lake is full will guarantee you a bounty of birdlife flocking to the area.

The final leg of our journey saw us heading back to Wilcannia. The trip is 110km and on easy red dirt roads. Our trip unearthed some magical moments and places to stay. Far West NSW is definitely an adventurer’s playground.

Travel planner

Distances between towns

Orange to Condobolin via Manildra — 201km

Condobolin to Wilcannia via Nymagee — 507km

Wilcannia to Mutawintji National Park — 192km

Mutawintji National Park to White Cliffs — 132km

White Cliffs to Peery Lake Picnic Area — 56km

Peery Lakes to Wilcannia — 111km

Caravan parks and amenities

Riverview Caravan Park
Diggers Avenue
Condobolin NSW 2877
RV friendly, amenities, riverside ambiance, 10-minute walk to town where you can find a bakery, supermarket, pubs, shops.
P: 02 6895 2611
E: riverview@lachlan.nsw.gov.au

Warrawong on the Darling
Barrier Highway
Wilcannia NSW 2836
Grassed camping area, great camp kitchen and amenities block. Hosts are Brett and Sharon. Head into Wilcannia for 24/7 fuel (card only) and a dump point.
P: 0437 010 105
E: info@warrawongonthedarling.com.au

White Cliffs Opal Pioneer Reserve Caravan Park
Johnson Street
White Cliffs NSW 2836
Shower and laundry amenities, indoor camp kitchen, flat blocks.
P: 08 8091 6688 / 0487 466 218
E: wcopr@hotmail.com

Mutawintji Heritage Tours
Tours operate Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Bookings are essential.
P: 0448 708 878