Darling River Run - Walgett to Louth

The upper section of the Darling River Run is a journey through iconic towns like Bourke, with must-see attractions like the fish-traps at Brewarrina and the Celtic cross at Louth. There are also some great side-trips including Lightning Ridge and Gundabooka National Park.

Walgett:

Walgett is conveniently located at the crossroads of the Castlereagh, Kamilaroi and Gwydir Highways and as such is easily reached and incorporated into many other touring routes.

Brewarrina:

Brewarrina is 'must-see' destination and should be included in any journey through Outback NSW as it provides the visitor with a great insight into the indigenous connection to the land and the river in that it has always been one of the major inter-tribal meeting places within the Murray-Darling Basin.

Bourke:

"if you know Bourke, you know Australia" so wrote the famous Australian poet Henry Lawson in 1882. Set beautifully on the Darling River, it is not merely a town but a region of that is the figurative demarcation between Outback Australia and the east. Anything to the west is colloquially referred to as the 'Back o Bourke'; a term etched deeply in the Australian psyche allude that Outback Australia is a long way away from anything. On the contrary, it may be a distance from 'civilisation' but the further out you go the closer you get to the essence of this land. Maybe that is what Lawson was alluding.

Louth:

Louth is a small service town (Pub, fuel and general store) on the Darling River about 100km downstream from Bourke and 100km upstream from Tilpa. Normally a quiet and sleepy settlement, once a year it is the scene for an classic annual country race meeting in August each Year and attracts travellers from far and wide to the 7 race event.

Walgett to Brewarrina:

Darling River Run - Walgett to Brewarrina: The first downstream sector of The Darling River Run follows The Kamilaroi Highway along the Barwon River before crossing the river just before Brewarrina.

Brewarrina to Bourke:

Darling River Run-Brewarrina to Bourke: The Brewarrina to Bourke section of The Darling River Run is an easy drive along the Kamilaroi Highway with not much access to the river. There is an alternate route via the Culgoa River that follows its path down to where it joins the Darling River.

Bourke to Louth: 

Darling River Run-Bourke to Louth: Travelling the Darling River Run from Bourke to Louth is normally via the Bourke Wilcannia rd on the east of the river past Gundabooka NP. An alternative route is possible on the west as it passes through some wonderful red soil country and across the Warrego River.