First settled in the 1840's when a store was opened on the banks of the Maquarie River by Jean Emile de Bouillon Serisier it became a stopping point for settlers heading out in search of a "better land" and for cattle mobs being herded south to the Victorian markets of the day.
One of the main attractions of Dubbo is the world renowned Western Plains Zoo which presents over 800 exotic and native animals in large open exhibits, landscaped to recreate their natural habitat. The Western Plains Zoo is located on Obley Road, 5km south of town off the Newell Highway (daily 9am–5pm $16; keeper talks Sat, Sun & school holidays at 10.30am, 11.30am, 1.30pm, 2pm & 3pm; 2hr zoo walks Sun at 6.45am; $2.50 plus zoo admission).
If you’re planning on visiting more than one attraction in Dubbo, then a “ZooPlusII” pass ($22) available from the Visitors Centre is a worthwhile investment, allowing you entry to three sites. The vast, open-range zoo features expansive landscaped habitats, through which many Australian animals are free to roam; other animals from five continents are kept in natural surroundings, separated from the public by moats or creeks rather than fences wherever possible. The zoo is crisscrossed by walking and cycling paths: especially during the hot months, the best idea is to get up early in the morning and set off early – by noon, the temperatures can become unbearable and the animals sometimes slink off out of sight into the shade. There is no public transport to the zoo, so cycling there, and around the zoo itself, is a good option: Wheeler Cycles, 193 Brisbane St (tel 02/6882 9899), rents out bikes; electronic carts and bikes can also be rented at the zoo itself ($8 for 4-hour bike hire). If you prefer to walk, there’s a pleasant cycle track following the river which takes around an hour on foot from the city centre. Otherwise, Langley’s Dubbo Day Tours (tel 02/6884 5333) do pricey escorted bus tours (Wed & Sun 9.30am–1.30pm; $40 including pick-up from accommodation), or you can take a taxi (Radio Cabs tel 13 1008).
The state’s largest Livestock Market, 3km north out of town on the Newell Highway, auctions sheep and cattle every Monday, Thursday and Friday (unloading from 8.30am). It’s worth a visit just to see the local farmers decked out authentically in their Akubra hats and Drizabone coats, and to get the authentic smell of country life. The YHA gives lifts to the market to its guests on request.
If you have another hour to spare, head for the Old Dubbo Gaol on Macquarie Street in the centre of town (daily 9am–4.30pm; $5). A hundred years ago, this fortress-style building housed some of the most notorious criminals of the west, and today it glories in the details of nineteenth-century prison life, with loving attention to the macabre: the gallows, the hangman’s kit and the careers of some of those who were executed here. In the cells, life-size (and convincingly lifelike) animatronic models of convicted criminals tell the stories of their lives and condemned futures.
The Dubbo Museum at 234 Macquarie St (daily 10am–4.30pm; $5) has an extensive and somewhat chequered collection of items of regional history. There are agricultural and transport exhibits, a colonial kitchen, musical instruments, a dentist’s surgery and the re-creation of a village square complete with drapery store, bootmaker, barber and blacksmith. Also worth a look-in is the National Trust property Dundullimal Homestead (daily 9am–5pm), 2km past the zoo on Obley Road. An 1840s slab house with stone stables, it now houses a craft shop and mini farm, and you can sometimes see the odd cowboy riding oxen rodeo-style. A visit here is best combined with a “hayride” on a truck and cruise on the Macquarie River, stopping in at the property for afternoon teas. Tours cost $15, bookable through the visitors centre.
The Dubbo Regional Gallery at 165 Darling St (Tues–Sun 11am–4.30pm) has a kitsch collection of animals represented in art, including, suprisingly, an exceptional painting of a fox by the noted Australian artist Arthur Boyd. They also have a rotating cultural programme, including indigenous works at times.
Practicalities
As you’d expect, there are plenty of motels, with the majority on the Mitchell Highway (called Cobra Street as it passes through town). A couple of the better-value ones are the Merino Motel, 65 Church St, 200m south of the city centre, and the Across Country Motel, on the corner of the Newell Highway and Baird Street. The most salubrious pub-hotel in town is the Amaroo Hotel, 83 Macquarie St, which has renovated rooms and includes a cooked breakfast. Mayfair Cottage, 10 Baird St, is a good choice, and has a separate guest wing and a pool.
Campsites include Dubbo City Caravan Park on Whylandra Street, 2km west, and Poplars Caravan Park, overlooking the river near the city centre on Lower Bultje Street.
Dubbo has developed a bit of a café society. The self-consciously trendy Echidna Café, 177 Macquarie St, serves expensive contemporary Australian cuisine, but you can just drop in for an excellent coffee. The Grapevine Café, 144 Brisbane St, is more low-key – a relaxing place with generous portions and breakfast served until noon at the weekend. For fresh bread and cakes, try the Village Hot Bake on Darling Street, by the railway station, a bustling bakery on two levels, also serving pies, fries and pizzas. If you crave the usual country-town fare, the Amaroo Hotel has the best bistro in Dubbo. There are also several restaurants at the bottom end of the main shopping area, including the recommended Darbar at 215 Macquarie St (tel 02/6884 4338), a tandoori house located in an old sandstone basement.