Fast facts
- One of the most isolated towns in New South Wales
- Arid landscape with an expansive big sky beauty
- 1,498 km from Sydney, population 150
Why go there
Tibooburra is very often the hottest spot in New South Wales and for this reason always seems to get a mention on weather reports. It is considered part of Corner Country, the spot in north-western New South Wales adjacent to the Queensland and South Australian borders.
Despite its harsh desert climate, spring sees Tibooburra burst into life with bright wildflowers blooming in vast numbers across the plains. The Sturt National Park, close to town, covers 344,000 hectares with vistas that include red sandhills and stony desert.
History
Explorer Charles Sturt passed through in 1845 but it wasn’t until gold was discovered in 1881 that a small settlement started. Although the resulting goldrush attracted many prospectors, yields were low and the inhospitable conditions, high summer temperatures, drought and lack of water combined to restrict development.
Things to do
- Brush up on the murals painted by such notable artists as Clifton Pugh and Russell Drysdale at the Family Hotel.
- Camp amidst the desert mulga at Olive Downs within the Sturt National Park.
- Survey the panorama of the town from the Sunset Hill Lookout.
Events
- Tibooburra Gymkhana and Rodeo draws some of the region’s finest riders each October Labour Day weekend (first weekend in October).
Don’t miss
- The Tibooburra School of the Air - the most isolated school in New South Wales.
- The many indigenous artefacts at the Tibooburra Local Aboriginal Land Council Keeping Place.
- Pioneer Park with a replica of a whaleboat transported by explorer Charles Sturt.
- The surrounding region with its abundance of sites important to the local Malyangapa, Wadigali and Wongkumara people.
- The Old Tibooburra Courthouse, now a local history museum.
