SIDE TRIP— WHITE CLIFFS

The trip from Wilcannia to White Cliffs takes you through the Paroo Darling National Park and delivers you into one of the most amazing opal havens of Australia. White Cliffs is famous for its crystal opal and is home to many miners who live in underground homes called dugouts. Pick up a self-guided map of town.

SIDE TRIP— CORNER COUNTRY

Where three states meet- the biggest side trip for the Darling River Run takes in the Corner Country including Milparinka, Tibooburra and Sturt National Park. Tibooburra to White Cliffs is 265km so you can re-join the Darling River Run at Wilcannia or Tilpa. Broken Hill to Tibooburra is 335km or about 4 hours.

WILCANNIA TO MENINDEE

West Route: West Wilcannia Road( Unsealed) 153km

The western side is the more frequently used road and will extend your trip by only a few kilometres.

East Route: Wilcannia-Menindee Road East( Unsealed) 145km

Menindee is a great base for enjoying the natural attractions and regional history. Dine in Maidens Menindee Hotel- the second oldest pub in NSW, visit Kinchega National Park, Kinchega woolshed and the Old Kinchega Homestead. The mesmerising Menindee Lake system has a wonderful array of birdlife and haunting river red gums rising from the water. Kinchega National Park offers visitors a unique experience of the Australian outback. With its ever-changing colours – the green lake bed as the water retreats and beautiful reflections in the flood – and rich pastoral and Aboriginal history, a visit to Kinchega will restore your sense of wonder. Enjoy one of our self- guided tours or take a cruise on the River Lady along the Darling River and Lake Wetherell. Come and spend a couple of nights to really take

in what we have and our history as the first established town on the Darling River.

MENINDEE TO POONCARIE

Pooncarie Road( 85Km Unsealed) 123km

The Burke and Wills expedition camped in the area in 1860 after their trek from Swan Hill via Balranald. By 1889 Pooncarie boasted a General Store, Post Office, Police Station, School, two Hotels and a number of houses. Although land was set aside for a church it was never built. Paddle steamers brought supplies to Pooncarie and other towns along the Darling and transported wool onto major ports.

The old wharf is an interesting reminder of the past paddle steamer times which ended in the 1920’ s with the move to trains and trucks.

SIDE TRIP— MUNGO NATIONAL PARK

The village of Pooncarie is located on the eastern side of the Darling River and is the ideal location for a visit to wonderful Mungo National Park part of the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Area( 88 km). The breathtaking Mungo is one of the world’ s most significant national parks with archaeological finds including an extensive collection of fossilised human footprints.

Artefacts have been found from this ancient culture dating back 40,000 years across the expanses of the last ice age. This makes Mungo one of the oldest places outside of Africa to have been occupied by modern humans since ancient times. Booking a guided tour with an Aboriginal guide to see the extraordinary Walls of China is highly recommended.

POONCARIE TO WENTWORTH

West Route: High Darling Road / Low Darling Road( Unsealed) 123km East Route: Pooncarie Road 118km

The meeting of the waters- situated at the confluence of the Darling and Murray Rivers, Wentworth is the region’ s oldest town, with a fascinating history that includes explorers and the colourful river-boat trade. Captain Charles Sturt arrived at the confluence on the 23rd of January 1830, and named the Murray River after recognising the end of the Darling. He had in 1829 renamed the Darling River after Governor Ralph Darling.

WENTWORTH ATTRACTIONS

Say‘ Hello, Darling’ from the observation tower, where Australia’ s two greatest rivers – the Darling and the Murray – meet.

Climb the red dunes of the prehistoric Perry Sandhills, the backdrop for many films and commercials.

Stand beneath the canopy of‘ The God Tree’, an ancient river red gum that has survived the centuries, now stranded amid rolling red sand dunes.

Experience a cruise on the PS Ruby that reminds us of the colourful past of the riverboat trade. Discover Thegoa Lagoon with its proximity to the river junction was a natural‘ meeting place’ where indigenous people gathered for Corroborees.

Visit Lock 10 which is one of 13 locks and 15 weirs situated along the Murray River.

See the first tractor monument in the world that was established by the people of Wentworth. Built in honour of the TEA20 Harry Ferguson tractors’ involvement in the building of the massive levee banks that protected Wentworth against the devastating 1956 floods.

Learn about a man called“ Possum”.

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Brewarrina Visitor Information Centre Bathurst St, Brewarrina NSW 2839 P: 0268305152 vic @ brewarrina. nsw. gov. au www. brewarrina. nsw. gov. au

Back O Bourke Exhibition Centre Kidman Way Bourke NSW 2840 P: 02 6872 1321 E: info @ backobourke. com. au www. visitbourke. com. au

Bourke National Parks and Wildlife Office 51 Oxley St, Bourke NSW P: 02 6830 0200 www. nationalparks. nsw. gov. au