The Seven Wonders of Outback NSW? How is this possible, you may ask… Well, there is one World Heritage-listed site, two Australian National Heritage-listed sites, and so many more iconic places that it could easily be the seventy wonders of Outback NSW! And there’s one company that lets you experience them all: Silver City Tours.
For more than 45 years, Silver City Tours (Wanderer Tours prior to 1990) have been proudly operating unforgettable packaged tours in Outback NSW, all based out of Australia’s first Heritage-listed City, Broken Hill – the birthplace of the world’s largest mining company, BHP.
According to Silver City Tours Managing Director Wincen Cuy – who, as the former Mayor of Broken Hill is uniquely qualified to show you the hidden secrets of the region – by far the most popular package on the books is the immersive Broken Hill Wanderer. This seven-day, eight-night tour is designed around the arrival on a Monday morning of the historical Outback Explorer train, and then its departure the following Tuesday.
This package takes in all of the highlights of this fantastic area, which includes a viewing of The Big Picture (Broken Hill’s number one tourist attraction and the world’s largest acrylic painting by a single artist), a visit to the acclaimed Royal Flying Doctor’s Service headquarters, Miner’s Memorial, Pro Hart Gallery, Indigenous Art, Silverton, Menindee Lakes, White Cliffs, Palace Hotel (home of Pricilla Queen of the Desert) and a comprehensive guided tour by your local driver/guide who will explain why the City of Broken Hill played such a significant part in Australia’s growth, wealth and industrial importance.
Image: Menindee Lakes by Broken Hill City Council
You’ll also be given the opportunity to venture further into this vast country of ours on a Corner Country Adventure – a memorable trip that once again is designed to work in with the arrival and departure of the Outback Explorer.
This package, Wincen explains, also follows in part the footsteps of Captain Charles Sturt when he was looking for what was believed to be an inland sea.
You will journey into some of the most isolated outposts in Australia, Cameron Corner, where the South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland borders meet. Home to the famous Dingo Fence, red sand dunes, Sturt National Park, the Jump Ups and endless kilometers of open, uninhabited space, it really must be seen to be believed.
Image: Cameron Corner by Destination NSW
You’ll also spend two nights in the tiny town of Tibooburra; at 1200 kilometres from Sydney, it’s one of the furthest towns from the eastern seaboard, with a rich history that any one of the locals will be happy to share with you over a beer or two in one of the town’s two pubs. This package also enjoys some of the highlights in Broken Hill, White Cliffs, Milparinka and the Roadhouse of Packsaddle.
Water can be very scarce in the Outback, and with years of drought and the controversial management of the Murray Darling Basin it is naturally very important to the people of Far West NSW – but of particular importance is the Darling River and its catchment.
Wincen was one of the prime movers in putting the Darling River Run on the bucket list of Australians to discover – and now you can experience firsthand this ever-changing arterial vein that flows through this vast country on a Silver City Tours Darling River Run Package.
The unique package involves boarding a coach in Dubbo and travelling to Bourke for a two-night stay. The journey begins with a history lesson on the Australian Heritage-listed Fish Traps of Brewarrina, then on to the Back of Bourke Exhibition Centre and a trip on the Darling River.
Image: Australian Heritage-listed Fish Traps of Brewarrina by Destination NSW
The tour then heads south to the little town of Louth. From there it is just a short trip to Trilby Station where you are the guests of the Murray Family for two nights. The journey continues to the once-thriving river town of Wilcannia, where the accommodation is slightly out of town at Warrawong on the Darling.
Menindee and the Menindee Lakes is the next destination, where you join the River Lady for a leisurely cruise. The lakes system holds three times more water than Sydney Harbour, with more species of bird life than Kakadu.
World Heritage-listed Mungo National Park is our next stop on this discovery tour. The home of Mungo Woman and Man, subjects of the planet’s oldest ritual burials. Mungo Lady was cremated and Mungo Man adorned with ochre. They represent the early emergence of human spiritual beliefs and provide a glimpse into the care provided to kin through Australia’s deep history.
Image: Walls of China at Mungo National Park, by Destination NSW
Your overnight stay is at Wentworth, where Australia’s two great rivers – the Darling and the Murray – meet. Then it’s time to bid farewell to the Darling River and make your way back to Broken Hill in preparation for the journey back home.
Wincen has spent all his life in Broken Hill and has owned and operated Silver City Tours for 30 years with his wife Cheryl. He was also the CEO and Chairman of the Outback Regional Tourism Organisation for more than 15 years, which covered over 50% of NSW geographically with only .75% of the population.
There is no-one more qualified to show you just how special this region can be, so head on over to Silver City Tours and find out more about Wincen’s Seven Wonders of Outback NSW for a genuine Australian experience you won’t soon forget.
Images: Destination NSW and Broken Hill City Council
This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with Silver City Tours
