ILLAWARRA BIRDERSOUTBACK
ADVENTURESTURT NATIONAL
PARK 2015
DATES: The dates are as follows:
Lake Cargelligo (565km from Wollongong): 20th 21st, 22nd September
Cobar (256km from Lake Cargelligo): 23rd September
White Cliffs (354km from Cobar) 24th 25th September
Mount Wood (291km from White Cliffs) 26th September – 2nd October (6 NIGHTS)
SeptemberSu M
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20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30
OctoberSu M
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Calendar shows NSW School Holidays
General Information The Camp will begin at Lake Cargelligo
The Camp will conclude at Mt Wood in Sturt National Park.
People are welcome to join the camp at any time or leave early if desired.
Please book and pay for the accommodation you will require well aheadof time to avoid disappointment.
It is recommended participants take out individual travel insurance as the club insurance WILL NOT cover activities of this type.
As Mount Wood is approximately 1,450km from Wollongong sufficient time should be allowed to make your way safely back home at the conclusion of the camp. 2-3 days at least is recommended.
Some people may wish to stay longer at Sturt or visit Broken Hill or Cameron Corner at the conclusion of the camp.
This camp can be reached using a conventional vehicle HOWEVER it should be noted that some of the roads travelled WILL BE DIRT.
It is possible to drive to White Cliffs without leaving the bitumen.
It is recommended for all outback travel that vehicles carry TWO spare tyres as well as carrying sufficient water and spares such as fanbelts. There is a service centre for tyres in Tibooburra (25km from Mt Wood Homestead).
Roads in the outback are unreliable and if bad weather occurs it is possible to be STUCK in a town until roads are re-opened.
A 4WD vehicle is useful but not absolutely necessary for this camp.
Food is available in Tibooburra but the last reasonably priced supermarket we will have access to will be in Cobar. Lake Cargelligo has a choice of TWO supermarkets.
Fuel prices in the outback vary considerably. Please allow extra money to cover the cost of your fuel. Kilometres travelled may seem small compared with the amount of fuel used to travel them.
Accommodation Details:
Lake CargelligoThere are two motels, two hotels and a caravan park with good ensuite cabins, powered sites and tent sites. Please book your choice of accommodation. If you want a cabin in the caravan park book early to ensure you don’t miss out. Note prices may vary as correct in May 2014. Our activities will start from a meeting point just outside the Caravan park entrance. It is hoped most people will stay in the caravan park if possible.
Lachlan Way Motel
2 Foster StreetLAKE CARGELLIGONSW 2672 Prices start from $95-$105 per roomP: 02 6898 1201
http://www.lakecargelligo.net.au/DirectoryListings/lachlanway.html
E: [email protected] delivered to rooms
Lake Cargelligo Motel
28-30 Canada StreetLAKE CARGELLIGONSW 2672 Single - $75.00 ,Double - $85.00P: 02 6898 1303Breakfast available
Royal Mail Hotel
14 Foster StreetLAKE CARGELLIGONSW 2672P: 02 6898 1006Continental breakfast availableCounter meals served for lunch and dinner
Commercial Hotel
32 Foster StreetLAKE CARGELLIGONSW 2672P: 02 6898 1209Counter meals served for lunch and dinner
Lakeview Caravan Park
Cnr Naradhan & Wamboyne StreetsLAKE CARGELLIGONSW 2672P: 02 6898 1077Cabins, powered & unpowered sites
ACTIVITIES (Note days interchangeable- weather dependent)
Day 1 Visit to Lake Cargelligo Sewerage Treatment Works
Curlew Waters and Lake Cargelligo Weir
Day 2: Full Day trip to Round Hill and Nombinnie Nature Reserves
CobarCobar has a huge choice of accommodation and we will stay for just one night here to break our trip. Cobar is also fantastic for birds with several birding sites close to town. We will organise to visit one or two of these the afternoon we arrive in town. We plan to organise a group dinner out here.Cobar Caravan Park101 Barrier Highway Cobar NSW 2835P: 02 6836 [email protected]
Cobar Central Motor Inn18 Murray Street,
Cobar NSW 2835 approx. $13002 6830 2000http://www.cobarcentralmotorinn.com.au/
Cobar Crossroads MotelCorner of Louth and Bourke Roads (On the Kidman Way)Cobar NSW 283502 6836 2711http://www.cobarcrossroadsmotel.com.au/
Cobar Copper City Motel40 Lewis StreetCobar, NSW 2835P: 02 6836 2404Prices unavailable and currently no website
Great Western Hotel Motel12-20 Marshall Street
Cobar, NSW 2835
Phone: 02 6836 2503
Oasis Motel 76 Marshall St Cobar NSW 2835 (02) 6836 1286
Cobar Motor Inn67 Marshall Street CobarFrom $9502 6836 2304
http://www.cobarmotorinn.com/Cobar/index.html
Cobar Town and Country Motor Inn52 Marshall Street, Cobar, NSW 2835, 02 6836 1244http://www.cobartownandcountry.com.au/CobarTownandCountry/ index.html
White CliffsWhite Cliffs is a unique town in outback NSW. It was established after opals were discovered and is still home to many miners. Homes are largely built underground to escape the intensesummer heat. There are several underground options for tourists as well, with the White Cliffs Underground Motel being the size of two football fields under the earth with an observatory on the outdoor roof area where you can sit and watch the sunset. While in White Cliffs we will drive out to Peery Lake which is part of the Paroo Darling National Park. We will also have a look around the town as the mining site and lookouts are good for birds.___________________________________________________________________________
White Cliffs Underground Motel129 Smiths HillWhite Cliffs
NSW 2836Phone: (08) 8091 6677
Double or Twin Room is $145 – includes continental buffet breakfast.
Single Room is $115
Extras in room are $40 – (also includes cont. breakfast)
Set Dinner Menu $20–40 – (depending on number of courses taken and size of main)
Cooked Breakfast is $10 extrahttp://undergroundmotel.com.au/__________________________________________________________________________________
White Cliffs Hotel MotelCnr Johnston & Karara RdWhite CliffsNSW 2836(08) 8091 6606www.whitecliffshotelmotel.com.au
ALL THE ROOMS HAVE ENSUITES AS WELL AS PARKING, RECYLCLED AIRCONDITIONING, FRIDGES, TOASTERS AND TEA MAKING FACILITIES."_____________________________________________________________________________
PJ's UNDERGROUND B&B
Hosts: Joanne & Peter Pedler
Address: Dugout 72 White Cliffs NSW 2836
Telephone/Fax: 08 8091 6626
Rooms: 5 underground Guest Rooms
Email: [email protected]
Tarrif: $115 double/ twin $90 singlehttp://www.bedsandbreakfasts.com.au/PjsUnderground/index.htm
White Cliffs Opal Pioneer Caravan & Camping Tourist ParkJohnson StreetWHITE CLIFFS NSW, 2836(08) 8091 6688www.whitecliffsopalfield.com/opal-pioneer-tourist-park
White Cliffs Opal Pioneer Tourist Park
Caravan & camping area. Powered sites. Amenities with coin operated hot showers. Facilities for disabled.
Laundry (coin operated). FREE electric BBQ’s. Children’s Playground. Pets allowed under control.
Fee charged for use of area.
Phone / fax 08 8091 6688
Activities
* While in White Cliffs we will do a trip out to Peery Lake which is approximately 50 km from White Cliffs along a bumpy, but relatively good, dirt road. In the afternoon we will explore the mining site in the town which is fantastic for birds. If the group agrees we can organise morning tea or lunch in a local café.
Sturt National ParkAccommodationWhen staying on park in the far west region, you can check out the official visitor guide to NSW National Parks. To find out about current conditions contact the park office ( Phone: (08) 8091 3308) as conditions can change without notice.
Mount Wood Homestead (5 bedrooms, up to 11 people)Wheelchair access: medium
From the car park in front of the complex access is via a flat concrete footpath into the kitchen. All verandahs are level.
The kitchen/dining area is large and there are no steps from the front verandah into the kitchen.
One bedroom and the accompanying bathroom/toilet facilities are wheelchair accessible.
Some sections of the homestead are more difficult to access due to narrow doorways. Please advise when booking if wheelchair access is a requirement of your stay.
If you’re curious to know what life was like for early outback settlers, this is as close to an authentic experience as you’re likely to get. Mount Wood Homestead offers self-reliantaccommodation to intrepid travellers keen to experience the vast desert landscape of theCorner Country, in north-west NSW.
Of great cultural significance, the historic homestead was built of rubble stone and waserected prior to 1890. Mount Wood Shearers Quarters and outdoor Pastoral Museum arenearby and reflect a bygone era of attempts to tame this wild arid land.
A great base for walking, birdwatching and car tours, immerse yourself in the majestic beauty of the rolling red dunes and sandstone escarpments.Don’t forget to look up as bustard, kestrels and wedge-tailed eagles are often seen in the vast desert skies above.
Activities: exploring historic heritage, walking, motor vehicle use, wildlife watching, photography, astronomy and star gazing, sightseeing
Cultural heritage: The Mount Wood complex is state-heritage listed. The buildings demonstrate a continuity of pastoral activity in the harsh, arid north-west of NSW over a 100 year period. The whole complex includes the shearers' quarters, woolshed and the remains of the 19th century wool scour, as well as two outstations. It is an excellent example of the typical elements of pastoral stations.
The station dates back to the 1880s, and features the original homestead cottage. The extent to which the whole complex has survived is rare and illustrates housing, isolation and self-sufficiency, settlement, pastoralism, station operations, and wool and water technology.
Getting there: Mount Wood Homestead is in the south-east area of Sturt National Park: To get there:
On entering Sturt National Park, Mount Wood Homestead is located near the intersection of Thomson’s Creek and Gorge Loop Road, near Mount Wood campground.
The homestead is approximately 25km from Tibooburra
Road access: Unsealed road/trail - 2WD vehicles. Dry weather only.
Accommodation facilities: gas/electric barbecues (free), drinking water, electric power, hot showers, flush toilets
Water supply: the water supply is from 2 artificial watering points dating back to pastoral times. The water is filtered prior to use in the homestead. In addition Mount Wood collects rainwater from all roofs of the complex. Please note that the water is not tested because of the remoteness of the location and visitors may be advised toboil before drinking.
Accommodation fees: Family room $120/night – 1 queen & 1 single bed; Queen room $100/night – 1 queen bed; Twin rooms $100/night – 2 single beds (2 rooms); Bunk room $100/night – 1 bunk bed
Bookings: Contact the local park office to make a booking.
Contact: Tibooburra, Phone: (08) 8091 3308
_________________________________________________________________________
Mount Wood Shearers Quarters (8 bedrooms, up to 32 people)
Kick back and immerse yourself in the vast expanse of the spectacular outback in true pioneer style. Located in Sturt National Park, Mount Wood Shearers Quarters is an affordable and unique alternative to camping. This unique historic accommodation will give you a real feel for life in outback Australia during the time of the early European settlers.
Originally built for shearers working on what was once a pastoral property, the quarters now offer bunk-style accommodation. They are located in a beautiful part of Sturt National Park, just a 20-minute drive from the town of Tibooburra.
Activities: exploring historic heritage, wildlife watching, photography, astronomy and star gazing, sightseeing
Location: shown on Mount Wood map
Getting there: Mount Wood Shearers Quarters is located near the intersection of Thomsons Creek and Gorge Loop Road, not far from the Homestead complex and Mount Wood campground. It’s approximately 25km east of Tibooburra.
Road access: Unsealed road/trail - 2WD vehicles. Dry weather only.
Accommodation facilities: drinking water, flush toilets
Water supply: tank water is available. Please note that the water is not tested because of the remoteness of the location and visitors may be advised to boil before drinking.
Accommodation fees:
One rate for all seasons: $15 per night per adult and $7.50 per night per child under 15 years.
Bookings: Contact the local park office to make a booking.
Contact: Tibooburra, Phone: (08) 8091 3308
Mount Wood campgroundWheelchair access: medium
Assistance may be required to access this area
Beautifully set next to an outback billabong, Mount Wood campground is a great base for exploring the historic landscape of Sturt National Park.
State heritage-listed Mount Wood homestead complex is on the doorstep of the campground. Dating back to the 1880’s, it’s a fantastic historic site and snapshot of how sheep farmers once lived on the land. Complete with shearers’ quarters, woolshed, wool scour and other pastoral relics, it’s a wonderful place to visit – be sure to take the interpretive walk around the homestead complex.
If you’ve spent the day exploring the gibber plains on a driving tour, or taking a stroll along the Mount Wood summit walk, you can retire to the comfort of your camp or caravan. A blanket of evening stars and a morning chorus of birds are the perfect accompaniment to your outback experience.
Activities: walking, motor vehicle use, birdwatching, picnicking, playing and socialising, astronomy and star gazing
Location: shown on Mount Wood map
Getting there: Mount Wood campground is about 25km east of Tibooburra on the Gorge Loop Road, just 2km offthe Tibooburra-Wanaaring Road.
Facilities: picnic tables, gas/electric barbecues (free), non-flush toilets, carpark
Water supply: This campground only has untreated water.
Bookings: No bookings are required - camping is on a first come, first served basis
Contact: Tibooburra, Phone: (08) 8091 3308
Campground Facilities:
Types of camping
caravan trailer car
Road access
Unsealed road/trail - 2WD vehicles. Dry weather only.
Fees
Camping fees: $5 per adult per night. $3 per child per night.
Other fees:
Annual pass or daily vehicle entry fee of $7 also required.
Proposed Itinerary for Sturt N.P.As Sturt National Park is a vast area much of our touring around the park will be via car. There are several fascinating walks available and we will attempt (weather permitting) to do as many walks and see as much of the park as we can. Speed limits are low so the possibility of sightings of wildlife as we drive is increased.
Day 1: Arrive - Settle into accommodation. Wander around homestead, dam and along the creek.Day 2: Gorge Loop Driving Track (see:http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/~/media/Visitor/Files/PDF/Brochures/gorge-loop-drive-pdf.ashx )and connecting with the Jump-up Loop track – http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/~/media/Visitor/Files/PDF/Brochures/jump-up-loop-drive-pdf.ashxThese driving tracks can be done in a figure ‘8’ starting and finishing at Mt Wood. If petrol is an issue a side-trip can easily be made to Tibooburra. We will be stopping at points of interest and birding along the way. The plan is to do the Jump-Up walk from the Olive Downs Campground in conjunction with this drive. Walk Information:Distance:
2km (loop)
Time suggested:
1 hour
Difficulty:
Medium difficulty
You should know:
It’s a good idea to put sunscreen on before you set out and remember to take a hat and plenty of
drinking water
There is a 4km loop if you’d like a slightly longer walk
Picnic facilities are available at Olive Downs campground
Check the weather before you travel to Sturt National Park as roads may be closed following rain
This park is in a remote location, please ensure you are thoroughly prepared, wearing appropriate
clothing and equipment and advise a family member of friend of your travel plans.
Day 3: Morning: Granite’s Walking Track 5km from Tibooburra.
Leaves from the Dead Horse Gully Campground. A beautiful loop walk with some
climbing over rocks in the longer option. The shorter version is easy and flat.
Morning tea in the picnic area.
Afternoon: Sturt’s Cairn/ Depot Glen/ Poole’s Grave
The sites of Depot Glen, Poole's Grave and a cairn were built by the men of the Burke and Wills Expedition. They
are located on a privately owned sheep station, Mount Poole, and are accessible from Hawker Gate Road and
Milparinka township.
History in brief: In 1845, Captain Charles Sturt and his expedition ventured into the region known as the Corner
Country. For several months the group camped beside a water hole in a rocky basalt glen, known as Depot Glen.
By the time the rains finally came in July, James Poole, Sturt's second in command was very ill. He died a few
days after the expedition broke camp to continue their search for an inland sea. Poole's body was buried beneath
a beefwood tree, not far from Depot Glen.
Day 4: A visit to Fort Grey and Lake Pinaroo
Fort Grey is 65.7km from Mount Wood Homestead and Cameron Corner is 90.1km
for those that may wish to do a side trip (we will vote on this option). This will be a
long drive, despite the relatively short distance covered, and we will stop for birds
along the way. There is a walk at Lake Pinaroo that is sometimes closed. It is very
much dependent upon the levels of water in the lake. The trip is worth it to see this
beautiful lake and for the chance wildlife encounters we may have along the way
Day 5 : Free Day – Rest, relax, re-visit some of our previous spots. Check out the immediate Mt Wood area – The homestead dam and creek.
Day 6: Our final day in the park will be spent revisiting the Jump-up Looptrack as this will give us a further opportunity to pick up any birds we have missed. This track provides the best birding in the park due to the number of dams and the varied habitats along it. It also has the Myers Tank Bird Hide which has proven to be a good spot to find Flock Bronzewings and Orange Chats.
Group BBQ dinner and reading of bird list on our final evening.
