Road trip: the Darling River Run

Start your adventure in Walgett, with an early morning stretch of the legs: take a stroll along the banks of the Namoi River, following the Tracker Walford Walkway, named after one of Australia’s last Aboriginal trackers. Have a look at the Jimmy Little water tower mural before you leave town. And if you can, squeeze in a quick dip in the artesian waters of Walgett Bore Baths. But don’t get too comfortable; you’ve got the Darling River Run to explore.

Your first stop is almost two hours away: the town of Brewarrina, where you should head to the Brewarrina Aboriginal Cultural Museum and join a one-hour tour that will introduce you to the remarkable Aboriginal fish traps on the Barwon River – a network of weirs and pools believed to be 40,000 years old.

Related content: Great Artesian Drive

Head west from Brewarrina, and you’ll pass the point where the Barwon and Culgoa rivers merge, forming the Darling, and after you’ve driven for about an hour, you’ll arrive at the legendary outback town of Bourke. You can learn all about the traditional owners, the Ngemba people, as well as the poets, bushrangers and Afghan cameleers who have made their marks here, at the Back O’ Bourke Information and Exhibition Centre.

Stay at Kidman’s Camp, just outside town, which offers everything from a variety of cabin accommodation to spots where you can throw down a swag. It’s also the starting point for a Darling River cruise aboard the paddle vessel Jandra.

You could take the 126km west route from Bourke to Louth, which includes the chance to drive a loop road through Toorale National Park, where there’s some great fishing. Or you could follow the 99km east route, to discover Aboriginal rock art in Gundabooka National Park.

Either way, you’ll end up in the town of Louth, population: 74 or so. This was once a town that “loved a drink, a party and a punt” wrote poet Henry Lawson, and if you time your visit to coincide with the famous Louth Races, held every August, you’ll see what he meant. Whatever time of year you’re there, make sure you call in at Shindy’s Inn for a cool drink and a bite to eat.

From Louth, we’re continuing south-west, along the western Toorale Road. Just upstream from the town of Tilpa, we’re going to call in at Kallara Station, a certified organic sheep and goat farm, and take our pick from fishermen’s huts, a room in the Coolabah Lodge, or camping by the river, to enjoy some fishing, swimming and birdwatching, amid some serious outback serenity.

After a quick stop in sleepy Tilpa (home to the classic Tilpa Hotel and the “shortest heritage walk in Australia” – two signs on either side of the one and only street), we’re going to take a scenic two-hour drive on the east road along the Darling River from Tilpa to Wilcannia. A thriving port in the mid-1800s with no fewer than 13 pubs servicing a population of a mere 3000, Wilcannia still has plenty of heritage sandstone buildings intact, including the post office, police station, courthouse, Athenaeum Pioneer Museum and the Queens Head Hotel, now home to an art gallery and cultural space. Don’t forget to stop by and check out our beautiful EV charger wrapped by Wilcannia-born-and-raised Indigenous artist Eddy Harris.

It’s about another two hours to the town of Menindee, beautifully situated on the spectacular Menindee Lakes. Time your arrival to hop aboard a sunset cruise with River Lady Tours and revel in the golden hour as the lakes and their majestic river red gums turn all shades of beautiful. Stay at the Burke & Wills Menindee Motel in town – there’s no website, but you can book by calling (08) 8091 4313.

A couple of hours south of Menindee, the old port town of Pooncarie is another settlement that once thronged with life as paddle steamers transported wool along the river. These days it’s a bit quieter, but well worth a stop for a bite to eat and a chat at the Old Wharf Cafe.

Another hour or so to the east, you’ll find Mungo National Park. Home to the famous Mungo Lady and Mungo Man, the remains of a man and woman buried here more than 40,000 years ago, this is a remarkable corner of the outback, with a rich Aboriginal history and some otherworldly landscapes. Take a self-guided 70km driving tour of the park, visit the Walls of China, guided by an Aboriginal ranger and stay at the Mungo Shearers’ Quarters.