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Central & Outback NSW 2021
  • McDermotts Travel Oz

Central & Outback NSW 2021

Making memories one road trip at a time - Cowra, Parkes, Bourke, Lightning Ridge & Coonabarabran (Warrumbungles NP) Read more
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  • Trip start
    April 4, 2021
  • McDermotts Travel OzCentral & Outback NSW 2021Traveler

    Cowra NSW

    April 4, 2021 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 27 °C

    Today we headed out over the Blue Mountains, detouring to complete a lap of Mount Panorama (caravan in tow!) to the charming country town of Cowra, where we’ll be staying at the Cowra Caravan Park for the next couple of nights. We have a lovely big site along the banks of the Lachlan River, complete with a family of curious possums.

    We ended the day with a stunning sunset happy hour and picnic dinner at Bellevue Hill Lookout and Fauna Reserve, with its panoramic views over the Lachlan Valley and town.    Read more

  • McDermotts Travel OzCentral & Outback NSW 2021Traveler

    Japanese Gardens & POW Camp

    April 5, 2021 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 29 °C

    Today we were moved by the essential decency of the country people who in 1944 were (and still are today) capable of reaching beyond racism and hatred and seeing the humanity and cultural differences which define Japan.

    First up, we stopped at the Visitor Information Centre to watch the story of the Prisoners of War (POW) outbreak as told by the hologram of a small girl, a resident of Cowra, who describes the events of 5 August 1944 when 378 Japanese POWs escaped from the camp over the hill from the town. The display is beautifully executed and well worth the time.

    Next up, we explored the actual site of the Cowra POW Camp and the Cowra Breakout. With four compounds of just six hectares each, it was hard to imagine how over 4,000 prisoners - mostly Italians, Germans and Japanese - once fitted in. A solemn but tranquil resting place.

    But the highlight of our visit to Cowra was the superb Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre, established with the aid of the Japanese Government in 1978-79 to honour both Australian and Japanese dead.

    Last but not least, we gave the World Peace Bell (a replica of the original which hangs in the United Nations Building in New York) a loud and proud ring to acknowledge how the dramatic trauma in the history of the district has led the town to focus on and promote the values of pacifism and internationalism.    Read more

  • McDermotts Travel OzCentral & Outback NSW 2021Traveler

    Parkes NSW

    April 6, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    On the road again, heading north-west.

    After a delightful bakery brunch in beautiful Forbes, we rolled into Parkes soon after lunch and quickly set up at the Spicer Caravan Park on a handy drive-through ensuite site. Without delay, we jumped back in the car and continued heading west to check out the Utes in the Paddock installation at Condobolin. More on that to come...

    Back in town, we explored the Henry Parkes Museum - named after Sir Henry Parkes, often referred to as the Father of Federation - showcasing a treasure trove of national and local heritage, and checked out the King’s Castle Elvis Exhibit, boasting the largest collection of Elvis Presley memorabilia in the Southern Hemisphere. Full of sequins, jumpsuits, vintage vinyl, and even a pink Cadillac, this was clearly a highlight. We'll have to come back one January for the iconic Elvis Festival!

    Fun fact: In 1981 Parkes locals, Bob and Anne Steel, opened a restaurant and reception centre, which they named Graceland in honour of 'The King'. In 1992 an Elvis themed party was held at Graceland for the editor of the local paper. Someone came up with the idea of turning the party into an annual event and so, in 1993, 200 people came to a festival which comprised Elvis movies, a Tribute Concert, Elvis Lookalike and Soundalike competitions, and a street parade. It has just kept on growing from those humble origins. Today it attracts over 18,000 people to the town for a 5-day festival celebrating all things Elvis.    Read more

  • McDermotts Travel OzCentral & Outback NSW 2021Traveler
    The best ute in the paddock LOL

    Condobolin NSW

    April 6, 2021 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 28 °C

    After setting up camp in Parkes, we made the hour or so long trip to check out Condobolin’s Utes in the Paddock - a unique and quirky display of Australian art on the iconic Holden Ute. There are currently nearly 20 Utes on display painted by some of the best outback artists.

    The story goes... While travelling Route 66 on a trip across the United States, Graham Pickles and his wife Jana were drawn to an unusually popular attraction named “Cadillac Ranch”, located in west Texas near Amarillo. Intrigued by the ranch’s popularity, the 'Utes in the Paddock' concept grew from a whimsical ‘what if’ and in August 2007 the Utes team began working on the project. Utes were donated by residents from the area who caught the ‘utes bug’ after learning that many of Australia’s most gifted outback artists were donating their time and talent to create this unique tribute to life in the bush.

    It was fabulous, I love this sort of outback quirk and ingenuity. Must say though, the trusty charcoal Hilux has to win best Ute in the paddock on the day, right? 😉    Read more

  • McDermotts Travel OzCentral & Outback NSW 2021Traveler

    The Dish

    April 7, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    Today we visited the iconic CSIRO Radio Telescope on the outskirts of Parkes (affectionally known as 'The Dish' thanks to the 2000 Australian historical comedy-drama film of the same name). Towering above the surrounding fields it’s hard to fathom that this enormous structure has been listening to the universe since the 1960s.

    The boys were amazed to learn that The Dish helped beam the Apollo 11 moon landing to Earth 52 years ago. Even more incredible, that most of the historic footage we’ve seen over the years was transmitted via this telescope right here in rural NSW.

    Inside the Visitor Discovery Centre, we explored interactive exhibits explaining how radio astronomy works and learned about how scientists use the dish to study galaxies billions of light years away. The boys particularly enjoyed 'listening' to space and contemplating whether aliens might be out there trying to contact us.

    After wandering around the grounds, we relaxed at the cafe where we watched on in awe every few minutes as the dish slowly turned and repositioned. An amazing piece of engineering! It is a must-see when travelling through this part of the country.

    P.S. The Dish remains a part of NASA missions to this day. And it's still in the middle of a sheep paddock.    Read more

  • McDermotts Travel OzCentral & Outback NSW 2021Traveler

    Bourke NSW

    April 8, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    We’ve made it to Bourke and I can officially now tick off two bucket list items:
    *The longest straight road in NSW
    *Being able to say I’ve been out ‘Back-O’Bourke’.

    At the Back O’ Bourke Discovery Centre we learned about the first inhabitants of the area alongside some of the resilient pioneers, through storytelling, multimedia exhibits and a wraparound theatre experience.

    The centre highlighted the significance of the river, reminding us that water is life, and as Henry Lawson once famously said, “If you know Bourke, you know Australia” we did feel connected to the cultural and environmental roots of this landscape.

    Tonight we’re staying at Kidman’s Camp on the northern side of town and we’re very pleased with this selection. It’s like a little oasis in the middle of nowhere and thankfully punching well above its weight for the area.

    We explored around town and down by the river with its huge multi- story wharf - a hangover from when the river was the main form of transportation and trade.

    The mighty Darling River was in flood and we nervously watched on as some local kids backflipped from the top deck into the very swiftly flowing water. That was our cue to the heck get out of there before we became key witnesses in a sad misadventure story.    Read more

  • McDermotts Travel OzCentral & Outback NSW 2021Traveler

    Cunnamulla QLD

    April 9, 2021 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 32 °C

    Given the direct route from Bourke to Lightning Ridge is closed at Brewarrina/Walgett due to flooding, we decided the best way around would be via Cunnumulla. And that's how we find ourselves in Outback Queensland!

    It does mean we've departed Bourke a day ahead of schedule, but that's no great loss. Sadly the last paddle boat ride was the day before we arrived. Today the river is too high and the boat won’t fit under the power lines.

    I think we are all comfortable we've seen enough of Bourke!

    I have to say there's not much at Cunnumulla, except of course the great Cunnumulla Fella - the fictional stockman immortalised in song by Slim Dusty, whose eponymous statue now sits proudly in the town centre.

    We set up in the Cunnumulla Tourist Park and after scraping the copious number of splatted bugs off the front of the car and caravan, retreated for a quiet night.    Read more

  • McDermotts Travel OzCentral & Outback NSW 2021Traveler

    Lightning Ridge NSW

    April 10, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    We came the long way, but we've made it to Lightning Ridge!

    We're staying the Opal Caravan Park, just 200m from the hot bore baths, and it's fabulous. We have a huge drive through site with our own ensuite.

    'The Ridge' is unlike anywhere else. As a town, it is a bizarre and compelling combination of rural sophistication vs wildly eccentric. On one hand, the main street is sealed, curbed and guttered and has rows of regular shops - and evidently there is a lot of money around. On the other hand, it seems perfectly normal that there's a house made from bottles and a rough cement 'castle' casually referred to as the Astronomer's Monument. And it's all surrounded by a moonscape of mullock heaps under which literally hundreds of obsessed miners search and dig for the black opals which have made the town famous.

    We love all the quirkiness that Lightning Ridge has to offer. Everywhere you look there's a little joke or dig at conformity to be found if you open your eyes.

    But perhaps the best part of the Lightning Ridge experience for me is sous-viding ourselves in the famous hot pool. The Lightning Ridge Bore Baths, which are the result of an artesian bore sunk by local graziers in the 1960s, provide a permanent supply of warm (more accurately described as HOT) mineralised waters bubbling up from 900m below the surface.

    It is definitely a special experience to sit in the hot pool, especially on a cool April night, and gaze up at the vast outback skies. I've never been so completely relaxed, nor slept better. I could do this every night ☺️    Read more

  • McDermotts Travel OzCentral & Outback NSW 2021Traveler

    Yellow Car Door Tour

    April 11, 2021 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    Today we followed the Yellow Car Door Tour, a self-guided driving trail that took us through some of Lightning Ridge’s quirkiest and most iconic sights.

    First stop was the Big Opal Mine and Jewellery Store where we braved the self-guided underground tour – let’s just say the rusty spiral staircase made things feel very authentic! Interesting, though not exactly WHS approved.

    We also stopped at Lunatic Lookout, where you can gaze out across the mining fields and spot the air vents that lead down into the maze of mines below. This is also the spot where the legendary (and never found) “Halley’s Comet” black opal is said to be buried.

    The Miners’ Cottages offered a glimpse into early settler life, made from local stone and full of character.

    A definite highlight was the Chambers of the Black Hand, where we followed a guided tour through an old opal mine filled with amazing wall carvings. From Egyptian gods to superheroes, the art carved straight into the sandstone is impressive, weird, and wonderful. Many say it's the best attraction in Lightning Ridge, and we can see why.

    We also visited the under-construction Australian Opal Centre, a two-storey building built entirely underground, with big plans to become a world-class opal museum. Nearby, the Black Opal Heritage Shed and the Graveyard of Rusty Treasures gave us even more glimpses into Ridge history and mining life, with a collection of vintage trucks and machinery slowly returning to the earth.

    And just when we thought the day couldn’t get any more random, we posed for a 'selfie' with Stanley the Emu – a towering 18-metre sculpture made entirely from recycled materials, standing proudly by the Castlereagh Highway.

    A day of dust, underground adventures, and one very tall bird. Classic Lightning Ridge.    Read more

  • McDermotts Travel OzCentral & Outback NSW 2021Traveler

    Orange Car Door Tour

    April 12, 2021 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    Today we conquered the Orange Car Door Tour which took us an hour's drive west of town to the famous Grawin, Glengary and Sheepyard opal fields. If you thought Lightning Ridge was in the middle of nowhere, you haven't been to Grawin!

    Unlike the native bush environment around Lightning Ridge, the landscape across this region is rugged, comparable to the surface of the moon, dusty and barren, just waiting to be unearthed. Here, most opals are discovered wedged between layers of opal bearing clay and stone, known as seam opals.

    First stop - Club in the Scrub, a fantastically quirky and authentic Miners Sports Bar, complete with 'Beer & Bullsh*t' area. Who would believe it's an actual RSL club, and you’ve got to sign in!

    Next up, the Glengarry Hilton. Apparently, the outback pub was built to satisfy the thirsty needs of those who came to try their luck on the ever-popular opal fields in the 1970s. With very low expectations we braved lunch from the shipping-container kitchen, only to be served up perhaps the most succulently delicious burgers ever - even if there's a high possibility the patties were mouse meat!

    Moving on the boys indulged their noodling fever in the many piles of white dirt alongside buildings and the sides of roads. Unfortunately, the giant mullock heaps that have been known to present surprise pieces are now off-limits to the general public for safety reasons.

    Last on the tourist trail was Sheepyard Inn (jokingly referred to as ‘the best baaaaa in the outback’) with its eclectic collection of historical memorabilia, including an old train carriage that came from Sydney’s Taronga Zoo. And who could forget the impressive 'bra-tree'. I'll leave it to the imagination as to whether I made a donation ;)

    Finally, we stopped at the War Memorial, built by local miners, many of whom are Vietnam Veterans.

    Grawin was definitely a highlight and worth the day-trip for a glimpse of how Lightning Ridge itself probably would have been in the early days.    Read more

  • McDermotts Travel OzCentral & Outback NSW 2021Traveler

    Blue & Red Car Door Tours

    April 13, 2021 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    This morning, we completed the Blue and Red Car Door Tours.

    First up - Blue Tour. We headed out through the opal mine fields, locally known as 'the suburbs', before stopping briefly to explore Bevan's Cactus Garden with over 2,500 cactus varieties and 48 Bougainvillea varieties. Interesting, but not really our thing.

    Next up was the Walk-in Mine Tour. This was pretty cool and being self-guided meant we could move at our own pace.

    Being one of the shorter Car Door Tours, we quickly moved on to the Red Tour. We passed the plaque sharing information on the first settlement in 1906 called Wallangulla or 'Old Town', which is where the first Opal Rush boomed. We then stopped to marvel at the Stone & Bottle House - an interestingly constructed private home made entirely of, would you believe, stones and bottles, and filled with collectables!

    Just a bit further along the road we stopped to explore the Ridge Castle. It was in fact an Airbnb property, but as with most things in Lightning Ridge, it wasn't your typical lodging.

    Moving on, we noted some other interesting sights including Sim’s Hill - the highest point in the district, astronomers' monument - a very cool homemade observatory, and a KFC Drive-thru (although it never seems to be open LOL).

    But the highlight of this tour was definitely Amigos Castle - a unique and fascinating private home. The castle was built by Vittorio Stefanato, also known as Amigo, who was born in Italy and moved to Australia in 1970. The castle is built with stones and planks, and Amigo has been expanding it since 1982. The castle sits atop dinosaur bones that are millions of years old - not officially catalogued but locally known as 'Amigosaurus'.

    The underground tunnels and secrets of the Castle were closed the day we were there as it turns out Amigo had been sentenced to at least 13 years and seven months in jail for murdering a local woman in January 2020. He shot her point blank with a rifle after she asked him for money and then hid her body in the bushland. He pleaded guilty to the murder in October 2021. I think I'm glad we missed his 'private' tour!    Read more

  • McDermotts Travel OzCentral & Outback NSW 2021Traveler

    Green Car Door Tour

    April 13, 2021 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    This afternoon we completed the Green Car Door Tour, with highlights including the iconic Opal Tree, Stone Labyrinth (reportedly made by just four people in six hours) and Beer Can House (look us up in the guest book in the fridge inside).

    It was at the Opal Tree that we stumbled upon Richard, an English-born eccentric (aka madman) who’s made this wacky corner of the outback home for more than 17 years. Next to his roadside Love Shack ‘Enlightning Ridge’, Richard’s pièce de résistance would have to be his towering milk crate robot covered in teddy bears, built as a tribute to his emotionally repressed great-grandfather - actually creepier than it sounds. Richard was equal parts fascinating, amusing and unsettling. But either way, a true character who fit right in with the wonderfully weird vibe of Lightning Ridge.

    As the sky faded into dusk, we headed to Nettleton's First Shaft Lookout for a magnificent sunset happy hour overlooking the vast desert plains of outback NSW. We all agreed you don’t just visit Lightning Ridge, you experience it.

    Fun fact: Lightning supposedly never strikes twice but one fateful evening in the 1870s, a beleaguered shepherd, his dog and a flock of more than 200 sheep were peppered with lightning strikes as they sheltered among trees, charring like minute steaks on a piping-hot barbecue. Folklore says this is how Lightning Ridge earned its name.    Read more

  • McDermotts Travel OzCentral & Outback NSW 2021Traveler

    Siding Springs Observatory

    April 15, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Known as the ‘Gateway to the Warrumbungles’ and the ‘Astronomy Capital of Australia’, Coonabarabran is a mix of natural beauty and science.

    The Solar System Drive, a scale model of the solar system that stretches for over 200 km, was a fun and unexpected way to track our journey through the cosmos as we made our way up the mountain to the Siding Spring Observatory. Starting from the Sun in town and ending at Pluto near the observatory, each planet has its own roadside sign and model, scaled both in size and distance.

    We explored the Visitor Centre, with its interactive displays and a short film, before joining a guided tour of the 3.9m Anglo-Australian Telescope, Australia’s largest optical telescope. The view from the top was fantastic, a full 360° panorama of the surrounding countryside, albeit deceptively chilly.
    An impromptu selfie in the car park with my own real-life superstar Liz Ellis, was definitely a highlight!

    As the sun set, we visited the Dark Sky Observatory for a 90-minute stargazing session, including a live astronomy presentation and the chance to look through up to six telescopes, including a 20-inch scope. The sky was perfectly clear, making the Milky Way feel close enough to touch.    Read more

  • Trip end
    April 17, 2021
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