Experience The Outback – The Whole Swag (TOWS)

15 days, 14 nights. Sydney-Broken Hill-Sydney

May-August

The Outback in New South Wales has it all – deserts, wetlands, famous rivers, outback stations as big as a small nation, Aboriginal art sites and sacred places, relics of Australia’s pastoral heritage, amazing wildlife, some of the world’s richest gold, silver and opal mines, and a plentiful supply of extraordinary people.

What You Get

Pick up and return from central Sydney, travel by air conditioned 4WD coach, 14 nights accommodation, all meals, morning and afternoon teas, entry and admission fees, local tours and cruises, individual trip kit including personal comfort pack, use of a netbook computer for the duration of the tour.

Itinerary

Day 1

Travelling west over the Blue Mountains – a World Heritage area – you’ll pause in Hartley for morning tea and a look at this historic village. Lunch is at Yuranigh’s Grave near Molong, a fascinating example of early black-white relations in Australia. Then a guided tour of the world-famous Wellington Caves - a mecca for the world's paleontologists, with 300,000 year-old bone fragments and fossils. Overnight accommodation is at Dubbo Country Apartments, with a celebratory dinner at Two Doors Tapas Bar.

Day 2

An early morning visit to the Terramungamine Reserve on the Macquarie River, with its ancient stone grinding grooves, before travelling through Narromine and Nyngan to Byrock, home of the Mulga Creek Hotel and the sacred Byrock Waterhole. Continuing along old Cobb and Co routes you arrive in Brewarrina for a guided tour of the 40,000 year-old Aboriginal stone fisheries and ochre beds. Overnight at Bokhara Plains, an inspiring outback station practising organic principles on a grand scale, where you’ll enjoy a specially prepared homestead meal.

Day 3

Bourke – a fascinating former inland river port and the place beyond which you are, as they say, “Back o’ Bourke” – boasts heritage buildings, notable graves, and your first glimpse of the Darling River proper. You’ll enjoy a guided tour in the nearby Gundabooka National Park to the beautiful setting of the Yapa Aboriginal Art Site at Mulgowan and the stunning scenery of Bennett's Gorge and the Valley of the Eagles (Ngama Mulyan), before travelling on to Louth and the vast Trilby Station for more outback hospitality and another delicious homestead meal.

Day 4

Your journey today takes you through the Paroo-Darling National Park - with a guided tour of Lake Peery - to the extraordinary opal town of White Cliffs, where most of the buildings are underground. You'll meet some fascinating characters, inspect old mines and opal galleries and maybe fossick for some "colour" to take home. Overnight at unique PJ's Underground B&B including a Prospector's Parcel dinner.

Day 5

Heading through the iconic outback towns of Milparinka and Tibooburra to remote Sturt National Park and your base at the historic Mount Wood Homestead, you can explore the fascinating Outdoor Pastoral Museum and enjoy a special dinner in the unique Shearers' Mess.

Day 6

Today you explore Sturt National Park and Corner Country, with stunning outback landscapes including the "Jump Ups", the eastern sections of the Strzlecki Desert and the ephemeral Ramsar wetland of Lake Pinnaroo, as well as the Dingo Fence (longest fence in the world) and the three-state boundary marker at Cameron Corner - a must-see for anyone venturing into the Australian Outback.

Day 7

Heading south again you visit Depot Glen and Poole's Grave and walk to the top of Mount Poole to see Sturt's Cairn - fascinating reminders of early explorers' expeditions into this remote region. In the afternoon you arrive at Fowler's Gap Research Station for the chance to learn more about this arid zone research facility (where David Attenborough filmed the kangaroo sequences for "Life On Earth"), and to walk along one of the property's fascinating Eco Trails.

Day 8

Heading across country to Mutawintji National Park, you take a guided tour of Mutawintji Historic Site, where your local Aboriginal guide will explain the significance of the remarkable rock art. After lunch you head into Broken Hill and enjoy a sunset tour of the unique Living Desert Sculpture Symposium. Overnight at the Duke of Cornwall Inn with dinner in the formal dining room.

Day 9

After a sunrise tour of the Living Desert Nature and Cultural Trails, you visit the Royal Flying Doctor Service's base - a unique Australian institution - and then enjoy a quiet morning to explore the sights of the 'Silver City'.  After lunch you take a tour down the historic Daydream Mine and explore the fascinating remains of the town of Silverton. As the day winds down you'll enjoy evening drinks at Umberumberka Reservoir and watch the sun set over the Mundi Mundi Plain. Dinner tonight is at Broken Earth, a unique restaurant on top of Broken Hill's "Line of Lode" with views over the city.

Day 10

Today you start the southern section of your tour, travelling to Menindee for a look at the Lakes system, and on to Kinchega National Park on the Darling River. There’s a locally-guided tour along the riverbanks and a chance to inspect the historic Kinchega shearing shed, before travelling on to your overnight accommodation at Bindara Station - once the centre of a million-acre Darling River sheep station.

Day 11

Travelling along the old Darling River road to the former river port of Pooncarie you then head into Wentworth, junction of the Murray and Darling Rivers and a place of considerable historic interest. You have the opportunity to tour the town before travelling to the nearby Perry Sandhills – a popular natural feature and place of great indigenous significance. Overnight at the historic Avoca Homestead on the Darling River.

Day 12

Today you’ll travel to the Willandra Lakes World Heritage region and go on a guided tour of the Walls of China in Mungo National Park, for an absorbing look into the natural and human history of these extraordinary formations. You’ll also see the famous Mungo Woolshed, other pastoral relics and nature trails, and you’ll stay in the renovated Shearers’ Quarters in the National Park.

Day 13

From Mungo you travel to historic Yanga station, once one of Australia’s largest freehold properties, before a visit to Hay’s fascinating Shear Outback Museum for an insight into outback pastoral heritage and a sheep shearing display. Then it’s on to the historic Riverina town of Narrandera and an overnight stay at the Historic Star Lodge.

Day 14

Another day filled with sights and experiences as you travel to Cowra, home of the Cowra POW Cemetery and Memorial and the Japanese Gardens, to see the site of the infamous Cowra Breakout of Japanese POWs during WWII. Tonight you’ll stay at the Old Vic Inn in the charming village of Canowindra.

Day 15

Your final day starts with the option of a sunrise hot air balloon ride in Canowindra (Australia’s ballooning capital) and a visit to the Age of Fishes Museum, before travelling to Carcoar for lunch in one of the town’s delightful cafes and a look round the museums and galleries in this historic village. After lunch you ascend the scenic Blue Mountains once more, with a stop at the Explorers’ Memorial at Mount York, before ending your journey in central Sydney.