From Sydney to Birdsville

Sydney to Narromine (6hrs 49mins)

• If you are wanting some sweet treats for the journey be sure to stop at Marsden Park and visit the Lindt Chocolate Factory Outlet. There is a café located on site for you to pick up a morning coffee to get you ready for the journey ahead.
• Take a trip up to the Bilpin Cider Farm and indulge your senses with a visit to their Cellar door. Here is the place to buy the best cider to enjoy when you arrive at the Big Red Bash.
• Down the road is Bilpin Springs Orchard where you can pick your own apples for a tasty snack along the way on your road trip.
• When you get to Lithgow you will have the opportunity to visit the Glow Worm Tunnel, which is situated in a disused railway tunnel (remember to bring a torch to help you find your way- but these will need to be turned off to see the glow worms!). Whilst you are in Lithgow be sure to visit the Blackfellows Hand Cave, this was a meeting place for the Aboriginal tribes of the area. The rock overhang features a number of hands and weapons painted onto the cave over a number of years.
• A short drive away and you will arrive at the stunning Marrangaroo National Park. Here you can enjoy swimming or relaxing while platypus spotting on the river banks, explore Lake Lyell by canoe or walk to the top of Mount Walker and enjoy the 360 degree views of the Lithgow area.
• Alternatively if you prefer a slightly more remote place head to Turon National Park for bushwalking, trout fishing, birdwatching, swimming, mountain biking or canoeing.
• If wine is your drink of choice then make sure you visit Logan’s Wines for a wine tasting located in Mudgee.
• When you reach Dubbo, head to Western Plains Zoo for a safari style experience, cycling along the roaming animals. If you fancy a stop over you can stay the night in tents within the zoo itself.
• The Narromine Aviation Museum houses nearly a century of aviation as told through photographs, records, artefacts and aircraft.
• Get a selfie with cricket legend Glenn McGrath in Narromine- Here lives a statue of Glenn who is a former Australian cricket player and a leading contributor to Australia’s domination of world cricket from the mid-1990s to the early twenty-first century. He holds the world record for the highest number of Test wickets by a fast bowler and is fourth on the all-time list.
• If you are a fan of museums Nyngan is home to the Nyngan Musuem and the Mid-State Shearing Shed Museum, both were established by the local peoples of the area.
• Head to Nyngan Riverside Tourist Park, which offers camping facilities with beautiful surrounding areas to ensure you have a good night sleep or carry on for a couple of hours and stay in Bourke.

Nyngan to Eulo (5hrs 39mins)

• When visiting Bourke head to The Back O’Bourke Exhibition Centre which brings to life the story of the Outback. If you visit on Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Saturday at 11am don’t miss out on Luke Thomas Back O’Bourke Outback Show featuring camels, clydesdales and trick horses.
• You can also sit back and relax on a Paddle Vessel as you cruise down the Darling River to learn about the regions rich river boat history
• If you have decided to stay overnight in Bourke on a Tuesday, Thursday or Sunday then you must dine out under the stars and attend Poetry on a Plate – listen to Australian poetry, local stories and music around a campfire whilst sharing a delicious meal.
• Call in for a thirst quencher at the hundred-plus year old Barringun Pub
• There is plenty to do once you reach Cunnamulla, the largest outback town in the Paroo Shire – kayak down the Warrego River, go sandboarding on the Cunnamulla sand dunes and hike the Cunnamulla Heritage Trail to discover the towns unique character and history.
• Set your camp up for the night at the Warrego Riverside Tourist Park that offers a wide variety of camping options located right next to the Warrego River.
• Before you leave town, grab an obligatory ‘selfie’ with the Cunnamulla Fella statue heading down the Adventure Way towards Eulo, a small town just 67km’s from Cunnamulla located next to the Paroo River.
• Treat yourself to a relaxing, outdoor Artesian Mud Bath accompanied with a plate of nibbles and some local wine.
• If you fancy some extra time in Eulo, head to the Eulo Queen Hotel and Caravan Park for a beer and a good night’s sleep.

Thargomindah to Innamincka (Approximately 9 ½ hours)

• Thargomindah was the one of the first towns in Australia to run its streetlights using hydro-electricity by using water pressure from the Great Artesian Basin from 1898 to 1951.
• Head to Coffee on Dowling café located next door to the Visitor information Centre for a bite to eat before the long drive towards Innamincka.
• Make sure to stop by the historic sandstone Noccundra Hotel, the only remaining building in the town of Noccundra. If you want to stay longer, you can set up a campsite by the waterhole for only a gold coin donation to the RFDS and wet your whistle before carrying on into the back of beyond.
• The Burke and Wills Dig Tree is located at Cooper Creek on the way to Innamincka. This is where supplies were buried for Burke and Wills with the instruction to ‘dig’ on their renowned Australian expedition. Don’t forget to check out the ‘face tree’ as well which is just 30metres from this iconic landmark.
• Stop by the Innamincka Hotel for a meal before setting up camp for the night in or around the small town. If camping in the Innamincka Regional Reserve be sure to buy a Desert Parks Pass that will cover entry and camping costs through the Simpson Desert and Witjira National Park.

Innamincka to Birdsville (Approximately 6 hours)

• The Corellas will wake you up early so that you can get started on the long trip up the Cordillo Downs track towards Birdsville.
• Cordillo Downs is a pastoral lease, currently operating as a cattle station. The property is owned by Anthony Brook, the son of David Brook who owns Adria Downs on which the Big Red Bash is held.
• Stop by the Cordillo Downs historic woolshed, Australia’s largest, where a record 85,000 sheep were sheared in the 1880s. The heritage-listed building is built out of stone as timber was hard to find on the flat gibber plains, a unique trait when compared with similar sheds of the time.
• The Cadelga Ruins is the old homestead of the Cadelga Station, which was taken over by Cordillo Downs back in 1903. The building would have been quite impressive for the time, despite the isolation and hardships faced from living so remotely.
• When you reach Birdsville grab a cold one from the famous Birdsville Hotel. This iconic outback pub is full of character and local memorabilia, including the hats of past Birdsville residents lining the beams of the front bar.
• Before heading to the Big Red Bash campsite make sure to stop by the Wirrarri Visitors Centre in Birdsville, grab a camel pie from the Birdsville Bakery and stock up on supplies at the Birdsville Roadhouse.

A PDF copy of this itinerary is available to download and print HERE.