ACT and NSW camping: We are back from the outback

I mentioned in earlier posts that we were heading off for a two week trip through outback New South Wales. Well after about 4800 kilometers of driving we have made it home. Over the next couple of weeks I will post some of the photos and some of the stories of the trip. There were some great 'lessons learned' for future remote area travel and I'll share those as we go along.

For the folks who regularly read the blog you will know (sort of) that our intention was to travel to Cameron Corner, where New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia meet. (Yes - you did read that correctly!) We were then planning to head to Tibooburra, then across to Bourke via Wanaaring. The recent flooding in the region however put paid to that plan and we decided to head up to the Noccundra Hotel and across the 'bottom' of Queensland, to Moree then toward the coast at Grafton to meet up with family before heading south for home.

We had an absolute blast - from the slopes and plains around where we live to the red dust of the outback, lakes that are normally dry, roads that have washed away, roads closed due to flood waters or flood damage, the desert, the coast, a beach, some mountains and some waterfalls, the trip had it all.

Our first two days saw us put some serious distance between us and home.

Night 1 we spent at Nyngan - from our place the route took us through Forbes, Trundle and Tottenham. Ultimately we had traveled some 460-odd kilometers and had positioned ourselves at the junction of the Mitchell and Barrier Highways. We set up at a caravan park and were due to head off the next morning into the outback!

Interesting stories are revealed as you pass through these townships - Forbes is said to be named after Sir Francis Forbes, the first Chief Justice of the New South Wales Supreme Court. The story goes that the name was supposed to go to Hill End, near Mudgee, but a government administrative error meant that the declaration was made for the current Forbes. I don't think Sir Francis will be too bothered - Hill End is now a 'historical site' according to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service - Forbes is a township of some 8000+ people.

Trundle - population about 400 boasts the pub with the second longest balcony in NSW - more on this later.

Then there was Tottenham - population about the same as Trundle, where 33km west nor-west of the town is the geographical centre of New South Wales.

We arrived at the van park in Nyngan and settled in for the night - excited about the prospect of heading into the outback proper the following day.