NSW Outback Loop

This week our focus continues on revealing the best drive this country has to offer in the hope of encouraging our readers to seek out a true Australian adventure.  As we delve deeper into this topic, the realisation is that there are memorable drives to last a lifetime. Two aspects that we have not discussed thus far which are exceedingly important to planning such a trip safely are distance and vehicle type. The one fact that becomes all too obvious is the vast nature of this island continent. An average of 350 kilometers per day is a comfortable distance that will allow you to absorb the natural sights and sounds along the way. If you have a time constraint considering shorter itineraries is advisable to consider this daily average however for those with the luxury of time on their hands, tackling the bigger drives would take your trip to the next level. Another important aspect is the kind of vehicle that you are considering. Whilst most roads across the country are safe for a standard vehicle, numerous stock routes do require four wheel drive vehicles. In addition it is important to ensure that the vehicle is reliable, recently serviced and adequately supplied with spare tyres, fresh water and some food supplies. If in any doubts about your vehicle you can contact a reliable rental car operator, in Sydney for assistance. Our trip in focus this week takes the adventurer through a desert experience however is relatively straightforward to negotiate. The drive takes you along a majority of sealed roads however there are sections of flat dirt road to contend with as well. It includes enroute towns/areas such as Broken Hill, Tibooburra, White Cliffs, Menindee Lakes and Wilcannia. Sights and attractions along the way include:
  • Broken Hill: Culgoa National Park, Silverton Goal Museum, West Darling Machine Preservation Society. Broken Hill would also provide a good base with ample accommodation and stores to replenish supplies.
  • Tibooburra: Tibooburra Aboriginal Keeping Place and Sturt National Park. The Sturt National Park is named after the explorer Charles Sturt and covers more than 340,000 hectares. Whilst the park is mainly arid, it is known to bloom during rainy spells. It also contains Aboriginal middens, stone relics, large populations of red and grey Kangaroos and numerous walking trails.
  • White Cliffs: Mutawintji and Paroo-Darling national Parks, Self guided heritage walk
  • Wilcannia: Visit the 1883 Athenaeum Library, now the Pioneer Museum and Paroo-Darling national Parks
Unlike some of the stock routes that we have discussed, driving conditions are of an easy level and standard vehicles will do the job. If you love driving and want to take the opportunity to visit more of this amazing country then take the time to learn more about the many diverse and historic routes that criss-cross the country, if you are in need of a vehicle, or your personal vehicle is just too small, then consider car rental in major cities, like Sydney, as an affordable means of transport.