Travel inspirations can develop unexpectedly, or take a while to come to fruition. Our current inspiration to visit outback Australia has been bubbling quietly in the background for many years now, and has been bypassed several times by other ideas whose time had come. And we have had many other vacation ideas which may never actualize.
What is outback Australia? Outback Australia is a place that I have never visited. I have previously driven on the Newell Highway from Canberra to Brisbane. And I have travelled from Darwin to Kakadu National Park. But the next nearest town was always within one hour’s drive. In my mind outback Australia is no one single place, but is a part of Australia where very few people live. And there are long distances between townships, so there is greater danger if your car breaks down or you have an accident.
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The closest we have travelled to outback Australia was a driving journey through a mostly verdant irrigated landscape beside the Murray River from Echuca to Mildura. We travelled in convoy with an American couple who had been inspired by reading In a Sunburned Country
by Bill Bryson. They decided to take a few extra days to travel beyond Mildura to see the real Australian outback.
Upon their return we were regaled with the fascinating story of how they travelled northeast to Mungo National Park. They subsequently drove on mostly gravel roads to White Cliffs, and felt that they were in danger of never being found if their car had failed due to the remoteness of the area. We had never heard of White Cliffs before, so were amazed by the concept of an underground town along with the absolute remoteness of their route.
So a travel maybe was born. A tiny inkling which was nurtured by periodic articles and television segments. Eight years since conception this idea will finally reach maturity when we travel to outback New South Wales this winter.
We were temporarily seduced by some other tempting holiday options. We also considered the option of flying to Adelaide and travelling by motorhome back to Sydney; however this option significantly increased the overall trip cost.
After flirting with the other holiday options and concepts we finally decided to return to our original vision of a road trip in a large loop from Sydney via White Cliffs, Broken Hill, Mildura and Mungo National Park. Roughly 3126 kilometers (1940 miles).
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Anne Sutherland-Smith is the creative force behind Pretraveller.com, a travel blog that specializes in offering insightful guidance for exploring Japan, South Korea, Australia, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Her passion for these diverse and dynamic regions shines through in her expert advice, particularly in helping travellers stay connected with the latest in SIM cards, pocket WiFi, and eSIMs.
With an unquenchable thirst for Asian and Oceanian cultures, Anne has carved out a niche as a knowledgeable guide for those venturing into the bustling streets of Tokyo, the historical alleys of Kyoto, the vibrant scenes of Seoul, the scenic landscapes of Australia, the vibrant markets of Hong Kong, or the futuristic cityscape of Singapore. Her articles are full of practical tips and detailed information, ensuring travellers are well-equipped for their journeys.
Anne’s approach is grounded in providing reliable, authoritative travel content that enhances the travel experience. From navigating the complexities of digital connectivity on the go to immersing in the local culture, her advice is designed to make travel both enjoyable and seamless.
Sounds like a GREAT Trip! Broken Hill is self-described as ‘accessible Outback’, but White Cliffs is NEARLY off the grid (see my blog for pix)! Love both of them – hope you enjoy them as much as we did!!
Mungo NP is SO on the list of ‘must sees’, but so many places, so little time …
Red, thanks for your comment! We have already completed this trip and I agree that Broken Hill and White Cliffs were well worth visiting. And Mungo NP was amazing and blew me away (both the real wind and my sense of history)!