The Darling River Run – Iconic outback NSW adventures
And the best way to see it all is by heading off on a Darling River Run adventure.
“The Darling River Run, it's a golden mile of smiles every step of the way,” fellow overland traveller and good mate Graeme exulted me following his recent travels along the Darling. It was easy to take in Graeme’s excitement as I looked forward to my sixth trip along the Darling River Run.
Sixth time? Yes, the first was in 2008. Needless to say, the Darling River Run provides me with my explorer holiday fix in different ways every trip. The farm stays, the national parks, the outback pubs, the Indigenous history and of course, the mighty Darling (Baaka) River and its ever-changing faces. There are walks into the wilderness, birdlife on a Ramsar scale, about 65,000 years of Aboriginal history to absorb and places to exhale a big deep Back O’ Bourke exhale.
“If you know Bourke, you know Australia,” is a famous quote from Henry Lawson. Well, Mr Lawson, and we love your work, it would be fitting to add that if “you know the Darling, you know New South Wales.” It’s been intrinsically linked to NSW and Australian history and conjures up debate and argument today, whether it's the Murray-Darling Basin water licences, fish kills or lack of flow during drought. One thing that is not up for debate, however, is that it appeals to any traveller looking to escape, adventure and explore.
Let’s look at the highlights that will have you coming back repeatedly.
Travelling the Darling River Run
All the roads along the Darling River Run are dirt and can be closed due to wet weather. They dry out pretty quickly but if the road is closed, it's closed. Fines apply if you travel along a closed dirt road as wheel ruts cut up the roads significantly. Check with local police before travelling.
There are many places to stay along the way, including farm stays, caravan parks and national parks.
Warrawong on the Darling at Wilcannia is a brilliant jump-off point for the Darling River Run northward. Grassed areas with fantastic amenities and a great camp kitchen that overlooks the billabong make this a great place to get you ready for what's to come. There’s a dump point in Wilcannia, and the local supermarket has supplies if you need to top up on anything.
At the other end of the run at Bourke is the Mitchell Caravan Park, which has ensuite sights, powered sites and unpowered sites. It is pet-friendly and is right in Bourke (2–4 Becker Street, Bourke). Kidman’s Camp, 8km north of Bourke, is a destination in its own right with a large number of powered sites and an amenities block that includes hot showers and toilets (with accessible stalls), laundry and kitchen. There’s also a couple of swimming pools, barbecue areas, short walks and amazing big-sky sunsets. The Darling River is a short walk from the park and the famous Jandra Paddleboat operates seasonally and launches from the dock near the park. There are few better ways to enjoy the beauty of the Darling than taking a paddle boat cruise along the water, surrounded by the towering river red gums and listening to the birds fly overhead.
Farm stays are well sorted along the Darling. A great resource to help you plan your trip is The Darling River Run website. This guide looks at travelling north from Wilcannia. We’ll cover the southern run in an upcoming issue.
Stations that are very well sorted for caravanners include Kallara, Trilby, Dunlop and Mount Oxley. These working farms have embraced the farm stay culture and are places to unhitch and embrace all that the Darling and central western NSW have to offer. If you like camping beside a river or billabong, listening to the world of birds and letting the days pass you by, these places have you sorted. The facilities vary from place to place but you can choose from river campsites to powered sites on some properties, toilets and amenities and camp kitchens.
We’ve stayed at Trilby a few times now and it can get very busy but there’s always plenty of out-of-the-way places to stay. There’s a great mud map provided by your host Liz Murray which guides you through the back blocks of the property to the old homestead. Dunlop Station hosts tours and morning tea during peak times. It's amazing to see the grandeur of the homestead and hear the history of what was once NSW’s largest sheep property with up to a million sheep on it at one stage.
It’s good practice to contact the stations and book ahead, especially in the travelling season.
National parks along the Darling River
The Paroo-Darling National Park stretches across the region north of Wilcannia. It's broken up into different areas and has limited stopover places. Peery Lake is a great day visit but a little out of the way west of the Darling River Run. It does make for a nice day trip from Wilcannia through to Peery Lake picnic area and then onto Tilpa (247km). You can stay (free) at Tilpa opposite the pub, and it has amenities so you can freshen up before you grab a meal and thirst quencher from the famous outback pub.
The real jewels are up towards Bourke with Gundabooka and Toorale National Parks straddling the Darling River.
On the way into Toorale National Park you pass by Mount Talowla lookout which is a great pitstop and the short walk to the top has views in all directions, including the Gundabooka range in the distance. You can explore the old Toorale Homestead area and see an example of a country homestead that had incredible glory days. NSW National Parks does tours of the homestead, otherwise it's fenced off, but you still learn the history of the homestead from the well-signed walk around. From the homestead, it is a short drive across the floodplains to the Darling River campground, perched on a magnificent part of the Darling River. You need to be self-sufficient but there is a toilet onsite. Toorale National Park feels like an incredibly remote place, though Bourke is only 130km away. It's a place with prolific birdlife and a walk along the river leads you to the reef where there’s always a menagerie of black shags, ibis and pelicans hanging around collecting dinner.
The Warrego Floodplain picnic area is close by (it's on the southern side of the park) and has eerie-looking river gums poking out of the water. There’s a short walk to the Warrego Floodplain lookout that has abundant birdlife as well.
Gundabooka National Park is on the eastern side of the Darling and has a totally different atmosphere. The park features fantastic walks for all abilities and Aboriginal rock art to view at the Yapa (Mulgowan) art site lookout. Staying at Dry Tank campground means you will have red dirt underfoot. The facilities are great with new toilets and an impressive camp kitchen within the campground. There is plenty of space so your time at Gundabooka will feel private and the local emu family may wander through camp to say g’day.
Yanda campground is in Gundabooka State Conservation Area, on the Louth Road, approximately 43km from Bourke. You are right beside the Darling River and the facilities include toilets, picnic tables and free barbecues.
Local history
The Darling River Run offers a wide variety of things to do. For starters, exploring the twin towns of Wilcannia and Bourke offers fascinating insights into the history of the Darling River. Bourke was once a massive inland port and paddle steamers plied trade up and down the river helping to transport wool and wheat to market. Wilcannia was also an important port on the Darling in the days of paddleboat power.
Nature walks and birdlife
Walks that we highly recommend include:
- Along the river at Toorale, you can explore the river and soak in its incredible wildlife. The Homestead Walk at Toorale Station is well worth doing.
- The Little Mountain walking track at Gundabooka is a 5km flat walk through the bush to Little Mountain lookout, overlooking the Gundabooka range.
- The Yapa (Mulgowan) Aboriginal art site walking track is a short 1.5km walk but as with any walk in this region, wear sturdy shoes and pack some water and snacks. The viewing platform allows you to see the Aboriginal rock art of the Ngemba and Paakandji people. It's a tranquil experience and there’s a lovely picnic area with toilets at the start of the walk — a perfect place to reflect and rest up after your walk.
- Not for the faint-hearted, the Valley of the Eagles Walk in Gundabooka is epic in many ways. Starting at the Bennetts Gorge picnic area the walk explores the Gundabooka Range. You'll be rewarded with breathtaking views as you rise 500m above the park. NSW National Parks rates this as a Grade 5 walk which will take approximately three hours. It's steep and rocky so prepare yourself by wearing a hat, sturdy shoes and sunscreen, and pack water and snacks. Also, pack your camera to capture the 360-degree views from the summit. If that sounds a bit much there’s a less intense 1km walk from the picnic area which provides a beautiful view and a beautiful wooden seat to take it all in from.
Outback pubs, visitor centres
‘It’s un-Australian to drive past an outback pub’ was on a sticker at Tilpa Hotel and again on the wall at Shindy’s Inn, Louth. Both are iconic pubs sitting on the Darling River. Tilpa has signatures from thousands of visitors and yours can adorn the wall for a donation to the RFDS. Out the back, you can peruse the Darling and tuck into a hearty feed.
Shindy’s Inn has bounced back after COVID-19 with a mighty spring clean and provides cold beer and meals. The inn is very welcoming and there’s a shower and toilet block across from the pub. A gold coin donation at the inn helps keep the amenities in tip-top shape. You can free camp over the bridge in a nice spot overlooking the river.
The Back O’ Bourke Visitor and Exhibition Centre is a wonderful place to absorb Bourke’s history, get a great coffee and check out the many exhibitions hosted. The Back O’ Bourke guide booklet is free from the centre and contains a handy map section, dump point locations (Bourke) and information about the history, events and facilities. Contact the centre to arrange a copy to help plan your trip.
The Darling River Run provides travellers with a golden authentic Australian experience. Its history and stunning natural attractions provide travellers with everything they could want, including great places to stay and walks for any ability. I’m already planning my next trip out — Wilcannia to Wentworth.
Travel planner
Distances between towns
Wilcannia to Tilpa — east of the Darling Road — 143km, Western Road — 129km
Tilpa to Louth — east of the Darling Road — 89km, Western Road — 91km
Louth to Bourke — east of the Darling Road — 101km, Western Road — 226km
RV Dump Points
Wilcannia — Barrier Hwy, on the western outskirts of town
Bourke — Back O’ Bourke Information and Exhibition Centre, Kidman Way
Contact Details
Back O’ Bourke Information and Event Centre
P: 02 6872 1321
E: info@backobourke.com.au
National Parks and Wildlife Service, Bourke office
P: 02 6830 0200
Outback Beds
A great resource for finding farm stays on the Darling River
Caravan Parks
Warrawong on the Darling, Wilcannia
P: 0437 010 105 / 1300 679 688
Kidman’s Camp, Bourke
P: 02 6872 1612
Mitchell Caravan Park, Bourke
P: 02 6872 2791
Farm Stays
Trilby Station
P: 02 6874 7420
Dunlop Station
P: 0458 472 698
Kallara Station
P: 02 6837 3964
Pubs
Tilpa Hotel
P: 02 6837 3928
Shindy’s Inn, Louth
P: 02 6874 7422
Fast facts
Louth has a fascinating history. A nod to that history is the famous Mary Mathews Monument Celtic Cross in the cemetery. The story of Thomas Andrew Mathews, Louth’s founder, is fascinating. An Irishman from Louth County, Mathews was a shipwright and wheelwright before the lure of the Bendigo gold fields. The story of the cross is equally fascinating. Shipped up the Darling River and erected as a monument to his first wife Mary, the cross reflects the setting sun's light (on her birthday) across town to where she used to live. The cross is an impressive seven metre (24ft) polished granite piece and was shipped up to Louth only after a two-year wait at Tilpa when the Darling dropped to very low levels. Talk to Kathy at Shindy’s Inn for some ‘local’ knowledge about the cross.
If you missed the first stage of our journey through iconic NSW outback towns in the far north of this beautiful state, head here.
