darling river towns

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Darling River Towns

Some Darling River are large while others are little more than a pub and general store;  so whether you travel to Broken Hill or drop into the Tilpa Hotel while driving the Darling River Run; you can be assured of that reassuring country hospitality.

Dotted along the river, these towns are not only service centres for local farmers and travellers but are also character-filled frontier towns where legendary Outback characters reinforce the pioneering sprit that opened up this country over a century ago.

Outback NSW is a vast area covering 527,648 km2 (about 7% of Australia) and to facilitate the best possible experience for those visiting the area, we have grouped together towns, National Parks, attractions, experiences, etc into regions of Outback NSW.

Walgett

Walgett likes to describe itself as 'The Gateway to the Opal Fields' because it is an ideal place to stay before heading off to the famous opal mining settlement of Lightning Ridge (76 km away) and the smaller opal fields at Grawin, Glengarry and the Sheepyard, all of which are located north-west of Walgett.

Brewarrina

Brewarrina is ‘must-see’ destination and should be included in any journey through Outback NSW as it provides the visitor with a great insight into the indigenous connection to the land and the river in that it has always been one of the major inter-tribal meeting places within the Murray-Darling Basin.

Lightning Ridge:

"Though you've roamed the whole world over, seen most all there is to see, there are scenes you've never dreamed of, in the stone of mystery." Laurie Hudson, Cumborah Postmaster 1947-1965. There are many 'must see' destinations in Australia and Lightning Ridge is certainly that; home of the beautiful Black Opal and like the wonderful gem, Lightning Ridge shows its varying colours depending on how you look at it. Images of Lightning Ridge

Bourke

“if you know Bourke, you know Australia” so wrote the famous Australian poet Henry Lawson in 1882. Bourke is not merely a town but a region that is the figurative demarcation between Outback Australia and the east. Anything to the west is colloquially referred to as the 'Back o Bourke'; a term etched deeply in the Australian psyche meaning to be a long way away from anything. Images of Bourke

Louth

"a place that loved a drink, a party and a punt.."  So wrote Henry Lawson about Louth. Louth is a small service town (Pub, fuel and general store) on the Darling River about 100km downstream from Bourke and 100km upstream from Tilpa. Normally a quiet and sleepy settlement, once a year it is the scene for an classic annual country race meeting in August each year.

Tilpa

"Tis said the land out west is grand!, do not care who says it", Henry Lawson: 'The Paroo River' 1893. Located on the western banks of the Darling River, the very welcoming town of Tilpa is a must for a stopover, whether you have a few hours or a few days for camping and fishing on the Darling River.

Wilcannia:

If there is one great, and largely undisturbed, port on the mighty Darling River it is Wilcannia. Cross the bridge driving from Sydney to Broken Hill and turn either to your right or left when you enter the town and you will be amazed at the richness of the architecture. Here are the remnants of a once-important inland port.  

Broken Hill

Broken Hill, known as 'The Silver City', is the largest centre in Outback New South Wales and is often referred to as its “Jewel". Located 1,160 km from Sydney, the city came into existence in 1885 after Charles Rasp had recognized the mineral potential of the area two years earlier. Today Broken Hill sits on one of the world's largest known silver-lead-zinc lodes – a deposit which is 7 km long and over 220 metres wide.

Menindee

"There was Harrison, who made his pile when Pardon won the cup...." so penned Banjo Paterson in the immortal poem 'The Man from Snowy River'. The 'Cup' actually refers to the Presidents Cup at Menindee and not the Melbourne Cup as many people have assumed. Menindee is a town steeped in Legend and History for Indigenous and European culture. 

Pooncarie

The famous explorers Burke and Wills reached the Darling river at nearby Tarcoola Station and made camp at what is now Bilbarka Park in September 1860 one way to their ill-fated expedition to the north west.

Wentworth

"Magnificent trees droop like willows to the waters edge with evening's mildest radiance in their foliage, throwing a soft haze over the distance..." Charles Sturt 1844. Wentworth is located at the junction of Australia's two great rivers - The Murray and The Darling. Originally named Hawdon's Ford, it was surveyed in 1858 and named Wentworth in 1859 after the Australian explorer, journalist and politician William Charles Wentworth. Before the Darling River was opened up, Wentworth was the hub to which much of the wool clip was brought for shipment to either Echuca (for transport to Melbourne) or Morgan (for transport to Adelaide).