Far West New South Wales - travel - vacations - tours - accommodation

New South Wales Far West

The Far West of New South Wales is a vast area stretching away to the Queensland and South Australia borders and the Riverina area in the south.

Sparsely populated, not many towns and a diverse region, ranging from the harsh, hot semi-desert north west to the lakes and rivers of the south west. This is the big country with huge horizons and great night skies....and the reason for the Aussie salute...flies!

Tibooburra - in the far north-west corner and not a destination for the faint hearted! The hottest place in New South Wales. Unusual granite formations. Sturt National Park with its emus, eagles, bearded dragons and the mighty red kangaroo.

Lightning Ridge - in the far north of New South Wales near the Queensland border. An huge opal mining centre noted for its black opals. Underground dwellings and showrooms.

Wilcannia - once a busy Darling River port for the wool carrying paddle-steamers. 100km up the road is White Cliffs, an opal mining settlement with underground dwellings where you can fossick the old diggings.

Broken Hill - a silver, lead and zinc mine that has been a major contributor to the New South Wales coffers for a very long time. A major centre for artists drawn to the harsh landscapes and environment. Mootwingee National Park north of the town is popular and worth a visit for the wildlife and Aboriginal art.

Visits to the Royal Flying Doctor Service Base as well as School of the Air. Silverton is a ghost town west of Broken Hill where many of the original buildings still stand. Vivid sunsets and camels in the main street.

Menindee - Lake Paramaroo, a part of the Menindee Lakes Scheme, site of a camp for the ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition. Swimming, boating, picnicking and birdlife.

Mungo National Park - a dry lakebed and site of the oldest archaeological discoveries in Australia, dating back 45,000 years to when the lake was a fertile centre of Aboriginal life.