Time to Roam Magazine Issue 9 - June/July 2014 | Page 44

|

on the roam newell highway promotion

With a constant pilgrimage of caravanners and
campers heading up and down the eastern seaboard,
there’s nothing quite going your own way and
discovering a slice of the best of regional NSW.

A ROAD LESS
TRAVELLED

a slice of history

The Newell Highway is the perfect
alternative for those making the pilgrimage
north or south. It’s away from the
coastal bustle, with a host of world-class
tourist experiences along the way.
The Newell is also an incredible history
trail, reaching back thousands of years to
the once mighty inland Wiradjuri nation.
From more recent times, local museums
boast stories and artefacts from the
explorers, the squatters, the bushrangers
and pioneering farmers and irrigators.
Towns that grew up and boomed with the
discovery of gold, or when the country “rode
on the sheep’s back” today take you back to
another era. Beautiful main streets are lined
with classic architecture from the Victorian era
through to the best art deco from the 1930s.
Stretching 1000km from Victoria to
Queensland, The Newell is roughly 400km
inland. The journey is easy and picturesque,

Moree

Parkes

Since the 1950s European immigrants
have been making pilgrimages to
Moree to take in the therapeutic waters
of the town’s hot artesian springs. A
modern pool and spa complex today
makes it easy for visitors to relax and
enjoy the waters. Moree also boasts
some of Australia’s best surviving
examples of rural art deco architecture.

Go to Gracelands, the Parkes complex
named after King of Rock ’n’ roll,
with the biggest collection of Elvis
memorabilia outside the US.
Parkes moves and shakes to the
Parkes Elvis festival each January.
Just outside the city is the CSIRO’s radio
telescope made famous in the movie
“The Dish” for its part in taking pictures
of the Apolllo moon landing to the world.

QLD
Coonabarabran and Narrabri
Clear night skies and spectacular soaring
mountain ranges make this corner of regional
NSW unique. Narrabri boasts Mt Kaputar and
the Nandewar Ranges, while Coonabarabran is
nestled beneath the Warrumbungles. This is the
centre of Australian astronomy, with the wide skies
of the western planes perfect for stargazing.

Dubbo

44

timetoroam.com.au
timetoroam.com.au

West Wyalong

The “big city” of the inland route, where the Newell
and Mitchell Highways meet. Best known for its
world-famous open range zoo where you can enjoy
the closest thing to a safari experience outside
of Africa. Other tourist favourites include the Old
Dubbo Gaol and historic Dundullimal Homestead,
both taking visitors back to early colonial times.

A town built around a rich history of agriculture
and gold mining, West Wyalong boasts one
of Australia’s most famous main streets.
It’s winding cur