Fast facts
- Edge of the Outback and beginning of the Barrier Highway to Broken Hill
- Small town on the banks of the Bogan River
- 585 km north-west of Sydney, population 2100
Why go there
Nyngan lies at the junction of the Mitchell and Barrier highways, near the geographical centre of New South Wales. It is at the centre of a prime agricultural and wool-growing region.
History
Explorer Thomas Mitchell camped at the site of the present-day town in 1835. The town site was surveyed in 1882 and buildings from an earlier settlement, Canonba, 30 km to the north-west, were relocated to form part of the early town.
In 1990, the entire town was evacuated when floodwaters engulfed the region. Some $50 million worth of damage was reported.
Things to do
- Wander the self-guided heritage trail to see many fine 19th-century buildings.
- Take a drive through Cobb & Co country past Duck Creek, the Eenaweena Plains and Monkey Bridge. See if you can spot the ruins of the old pub at Monkey.
- When there's good rain, go bird-watching at the Macquarie Marshes, 64 km north.
Events
- The Nyngan Show in May highlights the produce of the area.
Don’t miss
- The Heritage Centre in the old railway station.
- The helicopter in Vanges Park, which commemorates the 1990 flood.
- The Mid-State Shearing Shed, which celebrates the area's sheep and wool industries.
- A walk and picnic on the banks of the Bogan River.
