New South Wales (Western NSW)
Tibooburra
A remote Outback settlement in the far northwest corner of New South Wales, 337km from Broken Hill, TIBOOBURRA can be reached by normal vehicle on a well-maintained dirt road from Broken Hill – the Silver City Highway. You can also reach it from Bourke, 454km southwest along various unsealed and mostly deserted roads. After rain, roads may become impassable, and it’s important to find out about road and weather conditions before you set out; it’s also crucial to carry extra food, water, fuel and spare vehicle parts in case you get stranded later on. (Refer to the tourist information office in Broken Hill or Bourke for advice before leaving.) tibooburra1.jpg (53509 bytes)
This tiny, remote township, the hottest in Australia on most summer days is perfect to experience what the outback is all about. Surrounded by the Sturt National Park there is an abundance of wildlife and wildflowers (in a good season).and many attractions including the old courthouse, Mt Stuart Aboriginal Artifact Collection and Tiboora Outback School of Air Distance Education.

Tibooburra has been settled for over a hundred and ten years: several stone buildings from the 1880s still remain, the result of a flurried goldrush, which add a bit of architectural charm to the tiny township. The nearby granite outcrops – worthy of a sunset stroll – from which the stone was quarried, gave the town its former name of Granites. Outback institutions are well-represented here: there are some classic pubs (the Family Hotel and Tibooburra Hotel are detailed below), a hospital serviced by the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and a School of the Air similar to the one in Broken Hill; visitors can witness the on-air education service on schoolday mornings from 9am ($2). The NPWS office in the town (tel 08/8091 3308), attached to the old courthouse (with a display about the town’s history) provides visitor information, including the latest on the roads and weather, and camping permits for the national park.

There are a couple of pleasant hotels, with welcome air-conditioning, on Briscoe Street in Tibooburra: the Family Hotel is marginally the fancier with a wall mural by the Australian artist Clifton Pugh, while the Tibooburra Hotel vies for attention with its wall full of old hats. Both also serve decent counter meals. The Granites Caravan Park, at the corner of Brown and King streets, has a refreshing pool.