Silver City Highway Menindee to Tibooburra

We left Menindee Lakes and headed to Tibooburra. We would have liked to stay another night or two at Menindee, we liked it a lot. Had to pull over before hitting the bitumen to put air in the tyres. First stop was in Broken Hill to get fuel then off along the Silver City Highway to Tibooburra.

The Silver City Highway

The Silver City Highway is a good bitumen road with a pretty desolate view of rocky plains and in some places sand hills all the way to Packsaddle Roadhouse. It took us a couple of hours or so to get to the Packsaddle Roadhouse and then the road changed to dirt. We pulled over to lower tyre pressures and a nice old bloke pulled over to check that we were ok and warned us off the upcoming road conditions. He mentioned corrugations and lots of bulldust holes and sandy stretches. Was nice of him to stop and give us an update. To be honest though the road wasn’t too bad. There were some stretches of absolute garbage but for the most it was ok.

There were also quite a few stretches that had been sealed fairly recently. I am guessing the sealed bits were where they were having troubles maintaining the dirt to a decent standard. Later on as we got closer to Tibooburra roos and emus by the side of the road kept us on the lookout, there was a LOT of roadkill lying about.

Packsaddle Roadhouse

Tibooburra Caravan Park

We checked in to the Tibooburra van park for a few nights. More of a bush camp than a proper van park but the showers were nice and clean and after roughing it in the outside shower tent with minimal water a nice hot shower was very welcome plus we needed to catch up on a few loads of washing. While unhooking the van I noticed that we had lost or Anderson plug from the van on the road. It had fallen out and been dragging. I had a spare so it was no big problem. We’d been having a few problems keeping the fridge cool so I had run the van with the fridge switched to DC and it must have cut over to the battery after the plug fell out so the battery was down to 12v. We spent the evening around the fire talking to some people from Newcastle.

Tibooburra Caravan Park Supreme Getaway

The Long Paddock – Carrathool to Menindee

An early start took us through Hay, refueling before heading north on the Cobb Highway, along the famous “long paddock.” We packed up early and headed off towards Hay. We stopped in at Hay for fuel then headed north on the Cobb Highway towards Ivanhoe.

The Long Paddock

The road north is part of the “long paddock” where drovers would walk their cattle in search of feed alongside the road or when on their way to market. Must have been bloody hard travelling in those days with all your food for the journey strapped to your horse inside saddle bags. Every so often there is a tank for watering of stock. We stopped in at the One Tree Hotel for a look around and also at the Jumping Sandhills. Everywhere you look while travelling this road you see reminders of our early pioneers, some of it from not that long ago.

One Tree Hotel On The Cobb Higway Long Paddock

Ivanhoe Menindee Road

After reaching Ivanhoe we stopped in to fuel up for the trip to Menindee. Ivanhoe is a quiet old bush town with a pub, caravan park and a few small general shops with fuel bowsers out front. Then after airing down the ute and van tyres we hit the Ivanhoe Menindee Road. Now that’s a rough old dirt road! Corrugations, washaways, bulldust holes and heaps of roos, emus and wandering stock. Was a hell of a fun ride. Amanda got out of the ute at one point to pluck a few feathers from a recently splattered emu, she’s wanted some emu feathers for a while now! At various points along the road we saw impromptu get togethers with what we assumed were farmers where they just stop on the side of the road and have a chat. Be cool to know what they were talking about. Probably laughing at the morons driving past down their road for “fun”.

The Ivanhoe Menindee Road

Anyway we eventually got to Menindee Lakes and set up camp at the Burke and Wills campsite at Lake Pamammaroo for the night. We were treated to an absolutely spectacular sunset over the lake.

Burke And wills Campsite Sunset At Menindee

Belanglo State Forest Camping At Dalys Clearing

We drove down to Dalys Clearing in Belanglo State Forest to have a look at the free camp site. We are thinking of going camping there over the Australia Day long weekend next year.

Dalys Clearing is only about 60 kilometres from southwest Sydney, about 40 minutes driving time. It is only about 5 kilometres off the Hume Highway. It’s absolutely perfect for a quick weekend getaway . If you are in Sydney it’s about 135 kilometres, 1 hour and 35 minutes driving time.

The campground if free, as are all state forests in NSW. Dogs are allowed. There is a long drop toilet but otherwise there are no facilities. Fires are allowed but only at certain times of the year.

In Belanglo State Forest there are many 4wd tracks and there are plenty of places to go for a bushwalk. If you can find it there is also a monument to the backpacker murders.

Belanglo State Forest Sign

About Belanglo State Forest Camping

Just five kilometres west of the Hume Highway, an old cottage once stood in Daley’s Clearing. The site is a good level camp spot surrounded by exotic pines and a great place for a picnic year round. From the Hume Highway, turn west into Bunnygalore Road and follow the signs to Daley’s Clearing.

Dalys Clearing Camping In Belanglo State Forest

Belanglo State Forest is predominately a pine plantation with some areas of native forest around the edges. Just over an hour from Sydney, it is a popular recreation spot. Forests in this area are a mixture of pine plantations and native forests. The first radiata pines were planted in this area in Belanglo State Forest in 1919. Today there are around 3,500 hectares of commercial pine plantations in the southern highlands with timber being processed at a local mill.

Plenty Of Room In Belanglo State Forest Camping At Dalys Clearing

Yadboro Flat Free Camp

Yadboro Flat free Camp is inland from Ulladulla on the NSW South Coast. It’s approximately 200ks from where we used to live in South West Sydney, about 3 hours driving time. From Sydney it’s about 260ks or 3hours 45 minutes driving time. There is plenty of room in there for a heap of trailers along the back fence. In addition there are plenty of spots available in the middle and along the creek.

We drove down to Yadboro Flat to have a look at the free camp. A potential spot for a NSW State Muster with the Mars Enthusiasts Facebook Group.

Free Camping At Yadboro Flat

Being a free camp I can see this place getting absolutely packed out at peak times such as Christmas and Easter. However the good new is it’s a free camping area and dogs are allowed.

Yadboro Flat Heaps of Room Along Back Fence

The road in is a bit rough but we could get the van in there no problem at all so long as it was dry. Motorhomes and normal onroad vans need not apply. It would be a lot more difficult if not impossible in the wet. It’s 20ks of typical state forest logging trail with a few corrugated stretches and washed out bits either side of timber bridges. If you’re careful getting off and on to the bridges they pose no problem. Hit one at speed and you’ll be calling for a tow truck.

Yadboro Flat Road In

Facilities are limited. There are a couple of composting toilets and that’s it. Make sure you bring your own drinking water as none is provided. Fires are allowed but I am guessing they’d only be permitted at certain times of the year.

Yadboro Flat Composting Toilets

For the self contained camper suitably equipped to get in to Yadboro Flat it’s a great free camping spot. We will come back and camp here for sure, most likely during the winter months when I anticipate it being a lot quieter.

Carnarvon Gorge National Park Walk Out To The Art Gallery

We headed off early for our walk in Carnarvon Gorge National Park. I really don’t know what to say about this walk other than wow! It was the best bushwalk I have ever done and I have done more than my fair share of them in a large range of places. The range of different features to stop and have a look at or walk out to off the main track is mind blowing.

Carnarvon Gorge National Park Walk Out To Art Gallery Moss Gallery

Carnarvon Gorge National Park Walk Out To Art Gallery – The Moss Gallery

Carnarvon Gorge National Park Walk Is Impressive

Usually when you go on a walk there is one standout feature that you are going to look at, if you are lucky there might be two. This walk has so many it’s not fair to all the other walks. Everything you look at is different to or more impressive than the last.

Carnarvon Gorge National Park Walk Out To Art Gallery Ladder To Ampitheatre

We Made It To The Art Gallery

We made it as far as the Art Gallery. On the way out to the Art Gallery we stooped and looked at the Moss Garden, the Amphitheatre and Wards Canyon. We would have loved to have gone further but Amanda’s knee was playing up massively and to be honest I was pretty well buggered myself! All up we did about 25 kilometres in total and given the heat and humidity it was enough. Keep in mind that it was in May, I wouldn’t want to be doing the walk in February as the heat and humidity would make the conditions overly oppressive.

Carnarvon Gorge National Park The Art Gallery

Something to keep in mind, make sure you carry PLENTY of drinking water with you. We had four litres each and it was only just enough. We’d take at least double that if doing the full Carnarvon Gorge walk out to Big Bend.

Carnarvon Gorge National Park Walk Out To Art Gallery Crossing Stream

Next time we go to Carnarvon Gorge we want to be a bit fitter so we can make it all the way to Big Bend. It’s an out and back walk so you have to be careful with how far you go out, as you always have to come back the same way. That or sleep in the bush, which would have been ok too!

We Drive From Moree To Lightning Ridge Via Walgett

We drive to Lightning Ridge via Moree and Walgett. Moree looked like a much nicer town than I had imagined it would be. We saw cotton plantations and huge bales of cotton in some paddocks, the paddocks and scale of everything out here is completely enormous.

Paddocks Stretch To The Horizon

Pack up was easy as we had no annexe to deal with today. Drove to Lightning Ridge via Moree and Walgett. Moree looked like a much nicer town than I had imagined it would be. We were very surprised, it goes to show that you should go and have a look at these places yourselves and not just listen to the rubbish people say about them. We saw cotton plantations and huge bales of cotton in some paddocks, the paddocks and scale of everything out here is completely enormous.

Welcome To Lightning Ridge

Paddocks stretch to the horizon. We saw emus on the side of the road when we got nearer to Lightning Ridge, neither Amanda or myself have ever seen emus in the wild before. They are massive birds, bigger than they seem to be in zoos. We arrived at Lightning Ridge and set up camp at the Black Opal caravan park. It’s unusual in that the surface of the entire park is some kind of pea gravel that is compacted so hard that the office lend you a huge hammer drill so you can drill holes for your pegs.

MARS Extremo Set Up @ The Opal Caravan Park Lightning Ridge

The camp has a couple of comedian/bush poets called Mel and Susie doing evening shows so we went and watched. They are both awesome. They are a couple of ladies who travel the country doing shows out of their travel bus. They are excellent > http://www.melandsusieontour.com.au/.

Mel and Susie

If you’re looking for ideas of things to do in Lightning Ridge thene check out this post 33 Things To Do In Lightning Ridge That We Enjoyed

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