Outback NSW

• Summer

  Dec—Feb

  40°C Avg. High

  30°C Avg. Low

• Winter

  Jun—Aug

  25°C Avg. High

  15°C Avg. Low

Broken Hill

The legendary outback city of Broken Hill is rich with history, a vibrant artistic community and cast of colourful characters. Discover amazing galleries, famous sculptures, cool cafes, palatial federation heritage and towering mining landmarks in Australia’s first heritage-listed city. Learn about the city’s fascinating history on the Broken Hill Heritage Walk Tour. A stroll down Argent Street reveals many great shops, galleries and historic buildings such as the magnificent 1905 Trades Hall, as well as restaurants and cafes including The Palace Hotel. You might recognise this iconic hotel from the cult Australian movie The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

Menindee

Famous as the last stop for ill-fated explorers Burke and Wills, the tiny town of Menindee is the oldest European settlement in western NSW and the first town to be established on the Darling River. Once an important trading hub in the 1800s, Menindee now draws visitors to its stunning inland lakes and natural wonders. Menindee was founded in the 1850s and the first business to open its doors was the Menindee Hotel, now known as the Maiden’s Hotel. It’s the second oldest hotel in NSW and you can still call in for a meal or a drink. Burke and Wills stopped here in 1860 as they made their way north, searching for a route across the continent.

Silverton

Famous for its role in silver mining history and on the silver screen, the historic town of Silverton perfectly captures the charm of the outback while feeling instantly recognisable – possibly because it has starred in many iconic Australian films. Discover a colourful past as you explore the museums and chat with local artists. Silverton is home to impressive colonial buildings, including the Silverton Gaol Museum, where you’ll find collections of photographs, household items, and mining and medical equipment – including a ‘coroner’s bath’, where bodies were once preserved before the arrival of the Sydney coroner. Take a guided underground tour through a former silver mine at Historic Daydream Mine, and get an insight into the harsh realities of mining a century ago. The mine opened in 1882 and operated for almost a century, employing close to 200 people at its peak, some as young as eight.

The Mad Max 2 Museum is a tribute to the movie Mad Max 2, showcasing a huge display of props, life-size characters and photographs from the film. Learn about the movie’s impact on Silverton, and see original and replica costumes and action vehicles, including two Interceptors. Stop for a drink or a meal at The Original Silverton Hotel, where you can see a display of photographs from movies shot in the area including Razorback, Mission Impossible II, Mad Max 2 and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. This classic outback pub has enjoyed a starring role in several of these movies.

Bourke

Once a major 19th-century river port and trading post, today Bourke is a historic outback town on the banks of the Darling River, famed for welcoming travellers. Take some time to relax here and discover heritage landmarks and Indigenous culture, as well as thrilling outdoor adventure in the nearby national parks. Follow the Bourke Town Trail to see historic landmarks from the Cobb & Co stagecoach days, including the blacksmith’s workshop, Carrier’s Arms Hotel and Bourke Courthouse. The heritage-listed courthouse is where bushranger Captain Starlight was charged after his capture in 1868.

White Cliffs

Tucked away in one of the most remote and spectacular corners of NSW, the White Cliffs area is famous for its opal fields, underground living, colonial heritage and striking desert landscapes. Discover the nearby towns of Wilcannia, Tilpa and Louth, and explore the beauty of the Paroo-Darling National Park. The town of White Cliffs is home to Australia’s oldest commercial opal field. Mining began here in the 1880s and people have flocked here ever since hoping to find their fortune. Go underground into a working mine with the Red Earth Opal Mine Tour and try your hand at uncovering these glittering gems.

Wilcannia

Wilcannia was once a thriving river port on the edge of the Outback, transporting wheat and wool by paddle-steamer along the Darling in the 19th century. Today, its dusty streets are still lined with a remarkable collection of heritage buildings and there’s an emerging movement of local artists. The 140-year-old Queens Head Hotel has been reborn as an art gallery and cultural space, with regular exhibitions from members of the local Indigenous community. Local Indigenous man and renowned artist, Eddy Harris has a gallery and studio at Warrawong, a hidden gem on the Darling, just outside of town.

Tilpa

Tilpa is a small town with a big heart. A fascinating stop on the legendary Darling River Run, this historic town sits on the western bank of the Darling River and was once a bustling trade port for paddle-steamers. Today, it’s known for its charming Outback pub and welcoming community. The Tilpa Hotel is a classic, character-filled pub made of corrugated iron and timber. Established in 1894 to service the river boat trade, today you can chat to the friendly locals as you tuck into a meal or enjoy a cold drink. The pub also offers comfortable accommodation if you wish to stay the night.

Brewarrina

Home to ancient Aboriginal fish traps, you’ll discover incredible Aboriginal heritage, fascinating colonial history and outdoor adventure in the tranquil and historic town of Brewarrina. Take your pick of activities, from exploring museums and heritage trails to fishing and swimming in the Barwon-Darling River.

Stretching half a kilometre along the Barwon River, the heritage-listed ancient Aboriginal Fish Traps at Brewarrina date back over 30,000 years. Today you can take a tour of this extraordinary system of rock weirs, on a site where neighbouring Indigenous nations gathered for thousands of years for ceremonies and trade. To learn more about the original custodians of the land and their history, visit the Brewarrina Aboriginal Cultural Museum, overlooking the fish traps. The collection of authentic Indigenous artefacts and artwork tell Creation Stories through to colonisation and recent history.

Cobar

This beautiful stretch of Outback NSW is home to ancient Aboriginal rock art, fascinating museums, gorgeous wetlands and historic architecture. Learn about Cobar’s rich mining history and the sheep shearing heritage of Nyngan, and cool off with a drink at a classic outback pub. Since copper was discovered here in 1871, Cobar has been known as ‘Copper City’. Today you can marvel at vast open cut mines and learn about the area’s history at the Great Cobar Heritage Centre. Take a dip in the Great Cobar Open Cut, an old quarry and popular swim spot with locals.

Nyngan

Home to rich agricultural heritage, the tongue-in-cheek Big Bogan statue and fascinating colonial history, Nyngan sits on the edge of the tranquil Bogan River (and the ‘Great Outback’ beyond) and the start of the Barrier Highway, which runs west to Cobar and onto the heritage-listed city of Broken Hill. The Cobb & Co Heritage Trail runs through Nyngan between Bathurst and Bourke, following the routes the historic stagecoaches took transporting mail and passengers between remote outback towns in the 1800s. Keep an eye out for relics of 19th-century inns, changing stations and homesteads along the way.

Corner Country

There are some Australian landscapes so epic and endless, it’s hard to believe they are real. Welcome to Corner Country at the far edge of western NSW, where three states meet, and the magnificent Outback stretches left and right as far as the eye can see. In addition to dramatic scenery, fascinating history, exhilarating drives and the tiny goldfield towns of Tibooburra and Milparinka, you can look forward to locals who deliver plenty of swagger. Be prepared for an adventure.

Lightning Ridge

From fossicking for opals to admiring sculptures in an underground cave and relaxing in naturally-heated springs, the Lightning Ridge area offers a bounty of memorable experiences against the backdrop of the majestic Outback. Explore the Darling River and enjoy all the wonders this unique and colourful region has to offer. The star of Australia’s opal mining history, Lightning Ridge is also famed for its elusive black opal. See these rare gems at the Opal Bin, where raw opals are polished into shimmering gemstones. Tour an opal mine at The Big Opal and try your luck fossicking or visit the world-class underground Australian Opal Centre.

The Lightning Ridge Opal Festival is a four-day celebration of Lightning Ridge and its luminous opal and gem industry, held every July. Browse over 150 stalls selling gemstones, jewellery and collectibles. The opal and gem expo culminates with the unmissable Red on Black Opal Queen Ball and the crowning of the Opal Queen. Visit the amazing Chambers of the Black Hand to see fabulous underground carvings, or browse vivid landscapes by local artist John Murray at his art gallery. The Lightning Ridge area is also well known for its soothing artesian bore baths, where naturally-heated water springs from the Great Artesian Basin below.

Walgett

Near the junction of the Namoi and Barwon Rivers in remote northwest NSW, Walgett is a friendly Outback town full of charm and adventure. Once a busy paddle-steamer port, the village marks the northern gateway to the opal fields of Lightning Ridge and the epic Darling River Run road trip. Walgett’s most famous resident, renowned Aboriginal country music legend Jimmy Little, lived here in the 1950s and is buried in the town cemetery. You can visit his gravesite and see the impressive memorial mural painted in his honour on the Walgett Water Tower as you arrive in town, now part of the Australian Art Silo Trail.