In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
From the vineyards around Mudgee via Gulgong and Dunedoo to Coonabarabran, under the telescope of Siding Spring and up onto the Grand High Tops of the Warrumbungles, through the sand and ironbark of the Pilliga and via Coonamble and Gilgandra to the zoo and the gaol in Dubbo and the caves of Wellington: around 850 km between hill country and plain.
The spirit of the route
Beyond Mudgee the hills flatten out, the rows of vines give way to wheat fields and sheep paddocks, and then suddenly a mountain range appears on the horizon that seems not to belong here: the Warrumbungles, the remains of a volcano whose vents rise out of the bush as spires and walls. In the evening kangaroos hop between the campsites, the heat of the day rises from the red earth, and when the light goes out it gets so dark that the Milky Way seems to cast a shadow – it is no accident that the country’s big telescopes stand on the neighbouring mountain. To the north lies the Pilliga, the largest continuous forest west of the Great Dividing Range in New South Wales: quiet, resinous, full of birdsong. After that the land opens up: emus run beside the road, silos mark the towns, and in Dubbo lions roar behind the caravan park. This route depends on early starts, full water tanks and the discipline to arrive before dusk.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Mudgee to Mudgee (wine loop) (approx. 40 km)
- The drive
- Mudgee lies in the valley of the Cudgegong River, around 3.5 hours’ drive north-west of Sydney via Lithgow and the Castlereagh Highway. The wineries are spread within a tight radius around the town, mainly to the north and east along narrow, mostly sealed country roads; a few access roads to cellar doors are gravel. For a loop taking in three or four wineries, 30 to 50 km is enough – plan the day so that nobody behind the wheel drinks.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Winemaking since the mid-19th century: Mudgee is one of the older wine regions of New South Wales, known for full-bodied Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon; many cellar doors are small family operations with tastings at the counter.
- The centre of Mudgee, with wide streets, churches and colonial-era buildings around Church Street – easy on foot, with bakeries, delis and regional honey, olives and cheese.
- A detour to Eurunderee north of town, where Henry Lawson spent part of his childhood: a small memorial commemorates the poet of the Australian bush.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Mudgee Riverside Caravan & Tourist Park on the Cudgegong River, within walking distance of the centre: powered and unpowered sites, amenities, suitable for caravans and motorhomes. Ask in advance about facilities, waste disposal and weekend rates (wine festivals, public holidays); book early on long weekends.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Within the Mudgee town area, overnighting in vehicles on streets and in car parks is not provided for; the Mid-Western Regional Council does not designate any free camping areas there. Wineries only allow overnight stays if they explicitly offer them – don’t simply stay put in the car park. If you want to stay outside town, check WikiCamps for sites at Lake Windamere south-east of town and check the rules and fees that apply there.
- Insider tip for campers
- Leave the camper parked for the wine loop: guided wine tours with pick-up are offered in Mudgee, and some wineries are close enough for a bike ride. The limit in NSW is 0.05 blood alcohol – after several tastings you can quickly be over it. Don’t leave wine in the vehicle in the heat; in summer interiors quickly get hotter than 50 °C.
2Stage 2: Mudgee to Coonabarabran (via Gulgong and Dunedoo) (approx. 185 km)
- The drive
- Take the Castlereagh Highway (B55) north through grazing land to Gulgong, then continue via Birriwa to Dunedoo, where the Golden Highway crosses. From here the land becomes wider and drier, and the road runs long and straight through wheat and sheep country before the first spires of the Warrumbungles appear to the west. Around 2.5 hours’ driving time to Coonabarabran, mostly in good condition but two-lane with few overtaking opportunities.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Gulgong: a gold rush town from the 1870s with narrow, crooked streets, timber verandas and the Pioneers Museum – Gulgong appeared alongside Henry Lawson on the first, still paper, ten-dollar note of 1966.
- Gulgong’s historic opera house from the gold rush era and the Henry Lawson Centre in Mayne Street.
- Coonabarabran Visitor Information Centre, with the skeleton of a Diprotodon, the largest known marsupial, and information on observatories and dark skies.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Coonabarabran, the John Oxley Caravan Park is on Dalgarno Street (Oxley Highway), a few minutes’ walk from the centre: drive-through sites, powered and unpowered, amenities, dogs allowed; according to available information the park has no dump point of its own, but there is a public one nearby. There are other caravan parks in town; ask at the Visitor Centre about facilities and waste disposal. If you want to get into the national park sooner, drive straight on to Camp Blackman (stage 3).
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Warrumbungle Shire and Mid-Western Regional Council do not allow camping in town centres. There are rest areas along the highways for driving breaks; whether an overnight stay is tolerated is shown by the signs on site – keep truck bays clear, no camping behaviour. Highway rest areas are often right next to the carriageway and noisy at night because of heavy traffic.
- Insider tip for campers
- In Gulgong the centre is tight and twisting – park large vehicles on the edge of town and walk. Dunedoo is a good spot for a coffee and fuel stop. In Coonabarabran, shop, fill up with fuel and fill all water tanks before heading into the national park: there is no reliable drinking water in the park.
3Stage 3: Coonabarabran to Warrumbungle National Park (Camp Blackman) (approx. 50 km)
- The drive
- Head west on the sealed John Renshaw Parkway (Timor Road), through grazing land and then into the hills; the road is suitable for caravans but has bends, crests and wildlife crossings. A turn-off leads steeply up to Siding Spring Observatory at around 1,150 m – winding, so drive slowly with large rigs and make sure there is enough turning space at the top. Continue to the Warrumbungle Visitor Information Centre and the campgrounds. A good hour’s driving time.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Siding Spring Observatory: Australia’s largest optical observatory, with the dome of the Anglo-Australian Telescope and a visitor centre with a café; the summit offers the best view over the entire volcanic landscape of the Warrumbungles.
- The “World’s Largest Virtual Solar System Drive”: the dome of the big telescope is the sun, and scale models of the planets stand along the roads around Coonabarabran – on the way you are, as it were, led past Mercury and Venus.
- Whitegum Lookout: a wheelchair-accessible path of around 1 km to a lookout with views of the Breadknife, Belougery Spire and the Grand High Tops – at its best in the evening light.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Camp Blackman (NSW National Parks): the park’s large campground with 107 sites, powered and unpowered, for tents, caravans and motorhomes; toilets, hot showers, accessible amenities, gas barbecues. NPWS does not provide drinking water – the water available is untreated, so bring your own supplies. Book online or through the National Parks Contact Centre; powered sites are scarce in the school holidays, at Easter and on the October long weekend. Quieter and simpler is Camp Wambelong (unpowered, basic facilities), which also has to be booked.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In the national park, camping is only allowed at the designated campgrounds; overnighting in picnic-area and walking-track car parks is prohibited. Dogs are not allowed in the park, generators are banned at the campgrounds, and collecting firewood and chainsaws are prohibited. In addition to the camping fee there is a daily vehicle entry fee (annual passes for NSW parks are valid); check the amounts on the NPWS website in advance.
- Insider tip for campers
- The park is an International Dark Sky Park (since 2016, the first in Australia): in the evening use dimmed light, red if possible, and switch off awning lights and LED strips – the Visitor Centre has a guide to dark-sky-friendly camping lights. The kangaroos at Camp Blackman are used to people; don’t feed them and don’t leave food out in the open.
4Stage 4: Camp Blackman to Camp Blackman (Grand High Tops) (approx. 10 km)
- The drive
- A walking day: a short drive from the campground to the Camp Pincham car park, then on foot from there. The road is sealed or in good condition; be at the car park early, as it fills up in the holidays.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Breadknife and Grand High Tops (Pincham Trail): a loop of around 14.5 km from the Camp Pincham car park (a good 12 km with the Dagda Shortcut), about 5 to 6 hours, with a steep climb over steps and rock slabs to the foot of the Breadknife, a narrow rock wall around 90 m high – a solidified lava dyke. Up on the Grand High Tops you have a panoramic view of Belougery Spire, Crater Bluff and Bluff Mountain.
- Fans Horizon: a steep, short walk (around 3.6 km return) from the same car park to a lookout with views of the line of peaks – good for the evening or as an alternative in the heat.
- After the Wambelong fire of January 2013, which burned most of the park, the forest shows how eucalypts recover through epicormic buds; kangaroos, wallaroos and emus graze in the open areas.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Second night at Camp Blackman or Camp Wambelong – plan the walking day as a stay in one place and don’t move camp.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Even for walkers, camping in the park is only allowed at the designated hike-in campgrounds, with registration. Multi-day walks and climbing must be registered at the Visitor Centre.
- Insider tip for campers
- In summer, start at sunrise: the north-facing slopes heat up quickly, shade is scarce, and there is no drinking water along the way – take at least 3 litres per person. On days of extreme or catastrophic fire danger the park may close; check Hazards Near Me and the NPWS notices (Local Alerts) the evening before. For the night: the sites are at around 500 m, and in winter the temperature often drops below zero.
5Stage 5: Warrumbungle National Park to Sculptures in the Scrub (Dandry Gorge, Pilliga) (approx. 170 km)
- The drive
- Back to Coonabarabran and north on the Newell Highway (A39) into the Pilliga: a long straight through ironbark eucalypts and cypress pines, with B-doubles and road trains as constant companions. The Sandstone Caves are a short distance off the highway in the Pilliga Nature Reserve; then on to Baradine and along gravel roads to Dandry Gorge in Timmallallie National Park. The forest roads are sandy, muddy after rain and sometimes impassable – in vehicles without good ground clearance, only in dry weather and after checking road conditions. 3 to 3.5 hours’ driving time.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Sandstone Caves: a moderate loop of around 1.7 km to sandstone hills with caves and rock engravings. At the request of the Aboriginal Elders, the access from the highway is not signposted – ask for directions at the Discovery Centre; no flash photography. Best done on a guided tour with the Aboriginal Discovery Rangers.
- Pilliga Forest Discovery Centre in Baradine (Wellington Street): open daily (9 am–4 pm according to NPWS), with exhibitions on the animals, plants, fire and culture of the Gamilaraay, plus the current Pilliga map and information on road conditions.
- Sculptures in the Scrub: five sculptures above Dandry Gorge, inspired by Gamilaraay culture; a path of around 1.2 km links them, and as a loop it runs around 3 km down into the gorge on Dandry Creek.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Campground at Sculptures in the Scrub (NSW National Parks): unmarked unpowered sites, toilets, barbecues and picnic tables; according to NPWS suitable for tents, camper trailers and caravans, but without drinking water. No camping fee, but advance booking online through NPWS with a small booking fee. Mobile reception is very limited.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The NPWS reserves of the Pilliga only allow camping at the designated campgrounds (here Dandry Gorge and Salt Caves). In the adjoining state forests, camping is permitted in many areas under Forestry Corporation rules unless excluded by signs or closures – logging and fire danger can close entire sections. The Pilliga Nature Reserve is only open to the public at the Sandstone Caves and along No 1 Break Road.
- Insider tip for campers
- Fill up with fuel and water in Baradine – there is neither a service station nor a shop in the forest. Fires only in the existing fireplaces and not during the Bush Fire Danger Period (usually October to March) or on Total Fire Ban days. Because of fox baits (1080), don’t bring dogs at all. Don’t drive into the forest after heavy rain: sand turns to mud and creek crossings fill up.
6Stage 6: Sculptures in the Scrub to Dubbo (via Salt Caves, Baradine, Coonamble and Gilgandra) (approx. 320 km)
- The drive
- Take forest roads to the Salt Caves in the heart of the Pilliga (around half an hour), then back to Baradine and west along country roads to Coonamble on the Castlereagh River (ask at the Discovery Centre in Baradine in advance about road conditions and possible gravel sections). From here take the Castlereagh Highway (B55) south through the flat wheat and cotton plain to Gilgandra, and the Newell Highway to Dubbo. A long driving day with a good 4 hours behind the wheel – start early so you arrive before dusk; if you want to split it, stay overnight at one of the caravan parks in Gilgandra.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Salt Caves and Pilliga Lookout Tower: from the former fire tower the view stretches over a green sea of forest, north to Mount Kaputar and south to the Warrumbungles. The small cave offers shade in summer, and a 1 km path leads to Salt Caves Dam, good for birdwatching.
- Coonamble, briefly: a livestock market town on the Castlereagh River with a wide main street – stop by the river and take in the plain stretching to the horizon.
- Gilgandra, briefly: this is where the “Cooee March” began in 1915, in which volunteers gathered recruits for the First World War on their way to Sydney; the Cooee Heritage Centre tells the story.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Dubbo City Holiday Park on the corner of Whylandra and Alfred Streets on the Newell Highway, a few minutes’ drive from the zoo: powered sites, some with private bathroom, amenities, camp kitchen, dump point; pets allowed. Alternative: Discovery Parks – Dubbo (154 Whylandra Street) with pool, water play area, playground and dump point. Book ahead in the school holidays.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): At the Salt Caves (Timmallallie National Park) there is a simple, informal NPWS campground without marked sites for tents, caravans and camper trailers, with barbecues at the picnic area – booking required in advance; a quiet alternative to Dandry Gorge. In Coonamble, caravans and self-contained motorhomes may stay at the showground for a small donation (payable at the Visitor Centre). There are highway rest areas between Coonamble and Dubbo; overnight only where the signs don’t rule it out. In Dubbo itself, camping on streets and riverside car parks is not provided for.
- Insider tip for campers
- Between the Pilliga and Coonamble, emus and kangaroos are often on or beside the road, especially early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Emus run unpredictably – slow down, don’t swerve, brake in a controlled way. Dubbo has lots of roundabouts: with left-hand traffic you go round clockwise, and whoever is already on the roundabout (i.e. coming from the right) has right of way.
7Stage 7: Dubbo to Dubbo (zoo and old town) (approx. 15 km)
- The drive
- A town day with short distances: from the caravan park across the Macquarie River to Taronga Western Plains Zoo on the south-western edge of town and back into the centre. Well signposted, with large car parks at the zoo that also take motorhomes.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Taronga Western Plains Zoo: an open-range zoo that you explore along a circuit road several kilometres long in your own vehicle, on a hired bike or in an electric cart – rhinos, giraffes, elephants and Australian animals behind moats instead of bars. The animals are most active in the morning; check the ticket conditions (usually two consecutive days) in advance.
- Old Dubbo Gaol in Macquarie Street: the 19th-century gaol with cells, gallows and stories of inmates and warders, in use until the 1960s.
- A walk along the Macquarie River and through the centre with its brick buildings; at the Visitor Centre, information on the culture and history of the Wiradjuri, on whose land Dubbo lies.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Second night at the same park in Dubbo. The zoo itself offers overnight stays on its grounds – usually not an option for campers, but an experience with animal sounds in the night.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Free overnighting is not provided for within the town area; checks at riverside car parks and on the highway are common. Stay at the caravan parks.
- Insider tip for campers
- Dubbo is the main supply town on the route: supermarkets, hardware stores for gas bottle swaps, workshops, tyre services. After the Pilliga it is worth getting the vehicle washed, including the underbody, and checking the tyres and air filter. In summer visit the zoo early in the morning and take a break in the shade at midday.
8Stage 8: Dubbo to Wellington Caves (approx. 60 km)
- The drive
- Take the Mitchell Highway (A32) south-east through hill country and pastures to Wellington at the confluence of the Macquarie and Bell rivers, then around 8 km south to the Wellington Caves. In good condition, just under an hour’s driving time. If you are continuing your trip, the Mitchell Highway takes you to Orange (around 105 km from Wellington) and on to Bathurst – connecting with the routes over the Blue Mountains to Sydney.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Cathedral Cave: a guided tour into a large chamber with Altar Rock, one of the most massive stalagmites in Australia.
- Gaden Cave with cave coral and dripstone formations, and the story of the fossil finds: from 1830, bones of extinct Australian megafauna were discovered near Wellington.
- Lake Burrendong south-east of Wellington: a large reservoir with lakeside sites and an arboretum, for a last quiet night by the water.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Wellington Caves Holiday Park on Caves Road right next to the caves: powered sites and drive-through sites, amenities, camp kitchen, laundry, seasonal pool; pets on some sites. Ask about facilities and waste disposal in advance.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): At Lake Burrendong there are camping areas that charge a fee; free overnighting in lakeside car parks is not provided for. There are no designated free camping areas in Wellington itself – check the current situation with Dubbo Regional Council or on WikiCamps.
- Insider tip for campers
- Cave tours run at set times with limited numbers – book ahead in the holidays. The temperature inside the cave stays constant all year round; in summer it is the best lunch break on the route. Towards Orange the road climbs and the climate gets cooler – in winter expect frost and occasionally snow.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- New South Wales does not regulate free camping statewide: the councils (here Mid-Western Regional, Warrumbungle Shire, Coonamble Shire, Gilgandra Shire, Dubbo Regional) decide about their land, NSW National Parks about national parks and reserves, and Forestry Corporation about the state forests. Overnighting in vehicles is not provided for in town centres, at lookouts or in riverside car parks; rangers issue fines.
- National parks (Warrumbungle, Timmallallie, Pilliga Nature Reserve): camping only at designated campgrounds, booked online or through the National Parks Contact Centre. In Warrumbungle a daily vehicle entry fee is added to the camping fee; NSW annual passes are valid. Dogs and generators are prohibited, drones only with a permit, and collecting firewood is banned. Check the amounts on the NPWS website in advance.
- State forests of the Pilliga: camping is permitted in many areas unless signs, logging or fire closures prevent it; check current closures with Forestry Corporation NSW.
- Highway rest areas on the Castlereagh and Newell highways are for driving breaks; many travellers stay there for one night, and the signs on site are what counts. Truck bays are off-limits, and camping behaviour (awning, furniture, fire) is out of place.
- Fire: in the Central West the Bush Fire Danger Period usually starts on 1 October and lasts until March, or longer depending on the council area and the weather. In the Pilliga reserves fires are banned entirely during this period, and everywhere on Total Fire Ban days. The Hazards Near Me app shows fires and bans, and the NPWS pages show current park closures.
- Apps: WikiCamps and CamperMate for sites, rest areas and dump points with user reports; Live Traffic NSW for closures, flooding and accidents.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Dump points: in Mudgee, Coonabarabran (public, near the centre), Coonamble (Coonamble Riverside Holiday Park) and Dubbo (including Dubbo City Holiday Park and Discovery Parks – Dubbo); empty your tanks before Warrumbungle and the Pilliga – don’t count on waste disposal at the NPWS campgrounds.
- Water: tap water in the towns is drinkable. Camp Blackman has only untreated water, Dandry Gorge and Salt Caves none at all. Start with 80–100 litres on board plus extra jerrycans; on walks take 3 litres per person, more in summer.
- Gas: Australian bottles mostly have an LCC27 valve, older ones a POL valve. Swaps at service stations and hardware stores in Mudgee, Coonabarabran and Dubbo, refills at gas filling stations if the test date is valid; European bottles are not refilled. In the national park gas stoves are the reliable option, because fires are often banned.
- Fuel: Mudgee, Coonabarabran, Coonamble, Gilgandra and Dubbo are reliable places to fill up; Gulgong, Dunedoo and Baradine have smaller service stations with limited hours. There is no service station in Warrumbungle National Park or in the Pilliga. The FuelCheck app compares prices in NSW.
- Shopping: large supermarkets in Mudgee, Coonabarabran (limited) and Dubbo; Baradine, Dunedoo and Coonamble have only small shops.
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Left-hand traffic: overtake on the right, go round roundabouts clockwise, and traffic on the roundabout has right of way. B-doubles and road trains use the Newell Highway – only overtake with a very long clear view, treat road trains with distance and patience; on gravel, slow down for oncoming traffic to avoid stone chips.
- Speed: 50 km/h in towns, generally 100 km/h outside towns, 110 km/h on upgraded sections of the Newell Highway where signposted; school zones 40 km/h on school days at the times shown. Vehicles over 4.5 t are limited to 100 km/h. NSW enforces with speed, average-speed and mobile phone cameras.
- Tolls: there are no toll roads on the route. If you come from Sydney and use the city motorways without an e-tag, you must pay within 72 hours; with rental vehicles an admin fee is added.
- Animals: kangaroos, wallaroos, emus and wombats cross mainly at dusk and at night, and on unfenced sections sheep and cattle also stand on the road. Don’t drive outside towns at night; if there is an animal on the road, brake in a controlled way instead of swerving – swerving in a tall camper is more dangerous than the collision.
- Heat: from December to February the plains around Coonamble, Gilgandra and Dubbo regularly reach over 35 °C, and often over 40 °C. Check coolant and tyre pressure, do your driving in the morning hours, and never leave children or animals in the vehicle. The best times to travel are autumn (March to May) and spring (September to November).
- Rental campervans and unsealed roads: rental terms often exclude gravel and sand roads; the access roads to Sculptures in the Scrub and Salt Caves are unsealed – clarify in writing before booking what is insured, otherwise skip the Pilliga destinations or only visit the Sandstone Caves near the highway. A foreign driving licence that is not in English requires an International Driving Permit or an approved translation. The blood alcohol limit is 0.05, zero for novice drivers.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- Extra water jerrycans (at least 40 litres) – Camp Blackman has only untreated water, the Pilliga campgrounds none.
- Red-light head torch and a shieldable camping lamp for the Dark Sky Park – white light disturbs observatories and neighbours.
- Binoculars or a small telescope with a star chart for the southern sky: the Magellanic Clouds, the Southern Cross and the “Emu in the Sky” in the Milky Way.
- Walking boots with good tread, a sun hat and a hydration bladder holding 3 litres for the steep, shadeless steps to the Breadknife and the Grand High Tops.
- Compressor, tyre pressure gauge and recovery strap for the sandy forest roads of the Pilliga – lower tyre pressure moderately on sand and pump back up on bitumen.
- Cool box or a generous fridge battery, plus a fly net for your head and the windows: heat and bush flies are constant companions on the plains.
As of 2026-10. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
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