The Australian Bucket List

New South Wales

Outback NSWUnroll a swag and camp beneath the stars, jump aboard a paddle steamer and cruise the mighty Murray or get adventurous and explore one of the many national parks dotted throughout the region.

Rugged landscapes rich in Aboriginal culture and history, ancient World Heritage wilderness’ and breathtaking wetlands home to an abundance of wildlife. Outback NSW is the perfect place for an adventure! From paddle-steamer towns, to camping beneath the stars, day-long treks and landmarks rich in history.

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Things to do

Mutawintji National Park

The ancient landscape of Mutawintji National Park, northeast of Broken Hill, is rich in Aboriginal history. Explore bushwalks and camp under the outback night sky. Visiting Mutawintji National Park in the NSW outback is a uniquely Australian experience. You’ll find a ruggedly beautiful desert region showing evidence of continuous use by Aboriginal people for thousands of years. Dominated by the Bynguano Ranges, whose vibrant red colour dramatically captures changes in the light, this outback park is home to the famous hand stencil art of local Aboriginal communities as well as many other important cultural and historic sites.

Moree

Moree sits in north-west NSW and is the country's most productive agricultural area. Reliable rainfalls and rich productive soil result in high-quality grain and cotton crops. The landscape offers panoramic views of the countryside with paddocks of golden wheat, cotton crops, cattle farms and homestead gardens. Beneath the Moree Plains lies the Great Artesian Basin giving Moree the title of Australian Artesian Spa Capital. Discovered in 1895, the natural artesian hot springs are reputed to provide health and healing benefits, guaranteed to leave you feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. Experience tranquillity on the grassy banks of the Mehi River that meanders through the town. Enjoy bird watching or fishing under the shady canopies of river red gums or swim and picnic in its weirs. Visit its art galleries featuring contemporary Australian artists or take a guided tour of the largest Pecan Nut Farm or cotton gins. Moree is also apart of the Great Artesian Drive and is an RV Friendly Town

Paroo-Darling National Park

Discover Paroo-Darling National Park's rich history on an excursion or camping trip to explore the Murray-Darling Basin. Enjoy kayaking, canoeing, fishing and picnicking opportunities. At Paroo-Darling National Park, you’ll find the Paroo Overflow, the only unregulated river in the Murray-Darling Basin and an area of outstanding conservation value and natural beauty. Spend a couple of days exploring the park. Paddle or walk around Peery Lake, you'll be amazed by the birdlife – 60,000 birds were recorded in a recent survey. There are heaps of informal spots for a picnic – choose your own scenic place – and camping is available at Coach and Horse campground in the Wilga section of the park. Be sure to bring your fishing rod along to this popular fishing spot. With its frequent floods, this area is also the traditional home to the Ngiyeempaa and Paakantyi people and since European settlement has been an important pastoral area. The area’s rich history is waiting for you to discover.

Visit Mungo National Park

Visit World Heritage Mungo National Park, home of the famous Mungo Lady and Mungo Man, and explore a place rich in Aboriginal history. Enjoy a walk or picnic, or camp near Lake Mungo. Wander the sands of time in ancient Mungo National Park at the heart of the NSW Willandra Lakes World Heritage Area. This extraordinary place is of great significance to the Ngyiampaa, Mutthi Mutthi and Southern Paakantyi people. The remarkable archaeological finds of Mungo Lady and Mungo Man, the world's oldest human cremations, represent the early emergence of humanity's spiritual beliefs. These fascinating 42,000-year-old ritual burials, along with past human footprints, tell an incredible story about the long history of Australian Aboriginal people and led to the establishment of Mungo National Park. Take a guided tour to the incredible Walls of China, where erosion has sculpted sand and clay into fragile yet imposing formations; or explore on wheels with cycling or drive tour through the stunning landscape.

Red Earth Opal Mine Tour, White Cliffs

Since the 1890s, people have flocked to White Cliffs in the hope of finding their fortune. With Red Earth, you can go more than 13.5m beneath the ground into a working opal mine within the historic diggings. See how miners are still searching for these glittering gems using modern equipment. You’ll even have a chance to dig at the mine face yourself and may be lucky enough to discover a piece of opal. Operating hours for the shop and tours are below, however, please check with Red Earth for any changes. Opal tours: • Season runs 1 April to end November each year • During this time, tours run seven days a week at 3 pm Shop and gallery: • Season runs 1 April to end November each year • Closed Monday/Tuesday, open the rest of the week from 10 am - 3 pm

Willandra National Park

Cycle, walk or drive through the various wildlife habitats of Western Rivers in Willandra National Park and discover remnants of the area’s rich pastoral history. Europeans were first attracted to the Willandra area by the river system and native grasses and ran cattle and sheep, but by the second half of the 19th century, grazing sheep for wool predominated. Willandra eventually became the largest pastoral station in the area. The old bush song, Flash Jack from Gundagai, boasts about having “shore at Big Willandra”. Over 100 years of grazing and pasture have modified the natural environment, yet the plants and animals are gradually being restored. The wetlands, woodlands and grassy plains of the park house 23 species of reptile and over 195 different types of bird including emu and the endangered plains-wanderer. See kangaroos graze and play on the plains at dusk and dawn, look out for bearded dragons as you cycle the Merton trail, and spot a harmless carpet snake near the historic buildings. At the end of the day when you’re ready to relax, sleep in historic men's quarters and keep an eye out for the ghost of Flash Jack during shearing season.

Willandra Lakes Region

Covering over 24,000 square kilometres in size, the World Heritage-listed WIllandra Lakes Region is home to a range of stunning dried saltwater lake beds rich in history and beauty. Located in the far south-western corner of NSW, the area holds great ancestral importance to the Aboriginal community. The Willandra Lakes Region is popular among geology and history lovers alike due to its remarkable past. The semi-arid conditions experienced in the region are a direct result of the weathering that dates back to the Ice Age. The Willandra Lakes Regions was previously occupied by ancient indigenous communities, with some dating back over 50,000 years ago. The region is said to host the world’s oldest cremation site, in which the famous sedimentary remains of Mungo lady and man were found in and around Lake Mungo in 1969 and 1974. The remains date back to at least 40,000 years ago. Aboriginal Discover Rangers offer fascinating guided walking tours through the region. Take in the incredible geological and ancestral history of the Willandra Lake Region and enjoy expansive desert views of the outback.

Broken Hill

Take a real break in Broken Hill, discover the nationally-significant heritage, meet colourful characters and enjoy authentic 'silver city' experiences in the heart of the accessible Outback. Striking, robust and powerfully real, Broken Hill has drawn generations of pioneers and helped define the nation through the remarkable work of some of Australia's most influential social advocates and mining entrepreneurs. This grand dame of the Outback also became the muse for generations of artists, filmmakers, publicans and restaurateurs. Today it is easy to become part of the unique atmosphere of Broken Hill. Listen to inspiring stories told in lively bar side conversations and experience the city's vivid character through a range of walking and driving tours. Enquire at the Broken Hill Visitor Information Centre for more information or visit their website.

Mutawintji Eco Tours

Operated by Broken Hill based Tri State Safaris tour company, Mutawintji Eco Tours runs small group tours to Mutawintji National Park and to other areas of cultural and ecological significance. Many of these tours are led by accredited Aboriginal guides to provide a more authentic experience. The tours focus on the local wildlife and plants, bush tucker and bush medicines, with an opportunity to enjoy several easy and interesting bushwalks on most of the tours. Their most popular tour is the one day tour to Mutawintji National Park, which includes an interpretive walk through the historic site. Travel is in air-conditioned four-wheel-drive vehicles. Their tours have Advanced eco-certification which means you can expect a genuine eco-tourism product, with a guide who is passionate about sharing their knowledge of the outback with you. For information on other outback tours, visit the Tri State Safaris website.

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