North-West NSW's Great Artesian Drive

Though technically not situated within the Great Artesian Basin region, the first leg of the road trip is filled with other natural wonders.

Past rolling hills and paddocks, Thunderbolts Way is the perfect touring road. Seeing plenty of water in dams and feed for stock makes a fantastic change from previous times.

Heeding the turn-off sign to Mount Yarrowyck Nature Reserve on an impulse is rewarded with a relaxing pit stop. Along with tables, barbecues and a toilet, there’s a pleasant 3km return walk to an Aboriginal rock art site featuring red ochre paintings with bird track motifs, though sturdy shoes are recommended as the trail can be uneven and inclined in places.

This small town’s name comes from the Kamilaroi word for the grey kangaroo and it’s host to the Long Evity Country Kitchen. Owner Christine Crago opened the café three years ago, which has serene garden surrounds that grow much of the produce it uses.

She says around 120 people moved to the town from metro regions in the last 12 months, but the stop-start impact of COVID restrictions on her business has been heartbreaking. “When the traffic is going and everyone is unlocked, we get really busy. There’s a lot of people that love staying here, they camp up near the river and this is a really popular area,” she says.

The Commercial Hotel Bundarra is also hard to miss on the town’s main street. Built in 1861, the grand pub is said to have been visited by the infamous bushranger, Captain Thunderbolt, and has a beer garden and reasonable lodgings – hopefully for those guests not hiding out from the law.

One interpretation of Moree’s name is the Aboriginal word for ‘long spring’, so it’s no surprise that many visitors come to the town to take a dip in the Artesian Aquatic Centre.

The hot artesian pool is at the site where the first bore in Moree was drilled in 1895 to tap the highly pressurised and mineral-rich waters of the Great Artesian Basin. Unfortunately, the centre is currently closed, but is looking to open up bigger and better in the future after the completion of upgrades.

Following the Newell Highway south for 53km takes you through the small village of Bellata. It’s then a choice between continuing on the highway down to Narrabri or turning off on the more adventurous route through farmland and over well-graded dirt roads, before joining back up with the Kamilaroi Highway and onto Wee Waa.

Known as the ‘cotton capital’ of Australia, another of Wee Waa’s claims to fame happened in April 2013 when it, of all places, hosted a global album launch party for French electronic music duo Daft Punk. Four-thousand tickets were sold, which tripled the town’s population.

Palmer’s Market Café on Rose Street has you sorted for lunch in Wee Waa. There, Tenneille Palmer suggests you should get in early for the sushi as it tends to get snapped up quickly every day. She also has a ‘secret spot’ recommendation for visitors to the area: “Yarrie Lake is absolutely beautiful. If you’re coming out here and you want to have a look at some birds and go for a nice walk, Yarrie Lake is my favourite.”

According to myth, Lightning Ridge’s name originated in the 1870s when the bodies of a farmer, his dog and 200 sheep were discovered, apparently victims of a lightning strike, though it wasn’t officially adopted until 1963.

The town is famous for its opal mining and the Lost Treasure Opal Mine Adventure, previously called the ‘Walk in Mine’, is the most accessible for underground tours.

Some of Lightning Ridge’s buildings are unusual, to say the least, such as the Bottle House and Mining Museum made from clay and bottles.

The town attracts its fair share of residents with a creative flair, including renowned Australian artist John Murray whose works can be seen at the John Murray Art Gallery. He also built the giant emu made from old VW Beetle car parts, affectionately named ‘Stanley’, who attempts to lure in grey nomads from the Castlereagh Highway 10km away.