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Corner Country

Difficulty: Trek rating 3 of 5 - Click for detailsTrek rating 3 of 5 - Click for detailsTrek rating 3 of 5 - Click for details   Suitable for: 4WD 
Follow the Cobb & Co and Charles Sturt routes from Broken Hill, where the bitumen gives way to dirt as it heads deeper into outback NSW. Discover old towns like Milparinka and Tibooburra, before finishing where NSW, SA and QLD join at Cameron Corner.
StartClick to Reverse the Dynamic Map and Driving NotesBroken Hill
FinishCameron Corner
Distance473.1 kmMinimum Days2
Average Speed85.05 km/hrDriving Time5 hours 33 mins
Article By: ExplorOz Team   Updated: 6 Feb 2009
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 Description

This is an interesting route through remote but colourful outback New South Wales and is quite popular with 4WD travellers heading up to the Strzelecki Track and beyond to Innamincka. Most people begin their Corner Country tour from Broken Hill - the region's largest centre for supplies and facilities, however the most direct and more adventurous route from eastern NSW would be to start from Bourke and head west along the Bourke - Tibooburra Road via Wannaaring. This route is very susceptible to flooding and can be closed and impassable after heavy rain.

This trek note leaves Broken Hill, and instead heads north on the Silver City Highway. This highway runs in a north-south direction close to the border of NSW and SA. It links the towns of Wentworth, located at the confluence of the Murray and Darling Rivers, to the mining city of Broken Hill, and the village of Tibooburra in the remote north-west corner of NSW.

Some of the towns that lie adjacent to the Silver City Highway are Packsaddle, which is the main stop for fuel and supplies, Milparinka - a former mining town with an interesting bush pub and historic buildings, and Tibooburra - a grazing town surrounded by granite boulders. North of Tibooburra is the large Sturt National Park, which is a popular run out to the corner post of the three states (SA, NSW, QLD). This route can be done as a loop trip, departing and rejoining at Tibooburra, else you can continue west past Cameron Corner and join up with the Strzelecki Track and head up into Innamincka and the Cooper Creek.

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Corner Country Help

From: Broken Hill
To: Cameron Corner

Distance: 473.1 km
Direction: 352 °
Average Speed: 85.05 km/hr
Travel Time: 5 hours 33 mins

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 Permits

Entry and camping fees apply for the Sturt National Park. Walking track guides, tour drive guides, displays and road and weather condition updates are available. For more information please contact:

Tibooburra Park Office

Address: Briscoe Street, Tibooburra
Phone: (08) 8091 3308
Fax: (08) 8091 3309

For information on the Sturt National Park entry fees, camping fees, conditions and opening hours, please click: Sturt National Park Information.

 Things to See & Do

Milparinka - NSW   RatingRatingRatingRatingRating
Populated Place Fuel Toilet Pub Food,Shopping Resort,Motel Point of Interest
Built in 1882, the Albert Hotel was just one of four hotels in Milparinka at the height of the gold rush. Despite renovations through the years parts of the hotel remain as travellers would have found them more than a century ago. Located just one kilometre off the Silver City Highway, The Albert is the only hotel remaining between Broken Hill and Tibooburra
Broken Hill - NSW   
Populated Place Service Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Walk Track Toilet Pub Mine Food,Shopping Cemetery,Grave Site Police Station Medical Services Resort,Motel
Imposing tailings heaps form the backdrop to this outback mining town (Ag, Pb, Zn) dating from 1883. Historic buildings,mining equipment,scenic drives and all modern facilities. Broken Hill is a thriving community on the edge of the NSW Outback. With a population of over 20,000 people it is the economic and cultural hub of Far Western NSW.
Packsaddle - NSW   
Populated Place Service Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Fuel Water Supply Toilet Pub Food,Shopping Camp Fee Resort,Motel Point of Interest
Packsaddle Roadhouse is situated 175 kilometres north of Broken Hill, on the Silver City Highway. It provides a welcome stopping place for weary travelers and visitors alike. The Packsaddle Roadhouse features a dining area decorated with memorabilia from the wool industry. The roadhouse is licensed and bookings for large numbers are required.
Peak Hill - NSW   
Mountain,Peak,Hill 
No description entered. Enter description or photos.

 Preparation

Make all the necessary plans and take enough provisions and equipment for remote travel. This includes: recovery gear, navigation and communications equipment. It is wise to calculate your fuel requirements and consider all the fuel stops along way. Take plenty of food and water for the trip, and obtain entry permits for any National Parks where applicable.

A general warning for travelling on the Silver City Highway, particularly north of Broken Hill as it passes through some very remote country. The roads and tracks in this region are generally earth-formed and corrugated but despite plenty of bulldust, are usually suitable for conventional vehicles with care. Please be cautious especially during wet conditions as the road surfaces do tend to be slippery when wet and it doesn't take much rain to make them impassable! It is therefore important to take weather conditions into account, and adhere to road closures.

Fuel Supplies & Usage

Fuel SymbolBroken Hill, Packsaddle, Milparinka, Tibooburra, Cameron Corner Diesel4cyl 66 litres ULP4cyl 77 litres LPG4cyl 95 litres
6cyl 66 litres *6cyl 76 litres *6cyl 83 litres
8cyl 74 litres8cyl 78 litres
Usage is averaged from TrekFuel (* specific to trek) submissions and calculated based on trek distance.

Best Time To Visit

The best to time to travel on the Silver City Highway and visit this semi-arid desert region is during the cooler months between March and September.

Closest Climatic Station

Tibooburra Post Office
Distance from Trek Mid Point 138.12km NE
 JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec
Mean Max. °C 36.135.332.227.0 21.918.417.820.3 24.628.432.034.9
Mean Min. °C 21.721.418.413.8 9.56.55.46.9 10.214.117.420.2
Mean Rain mm 27.829.023.415.0 18.516.616.811.9 12.318.415.821.8
    Best time to travel      Ok time to travel      Travel NOT recommended

Services & Supplies

The following locations have various services and supplies: Broken Hill, Packsaddle, Milparinka, Tibooburra, Cameron Corner

 Camp Sites & Accommodation

Milparinka - NSW   RatingRatingRatingRatingRating
Populated Place Fuel Toilet Pub Food,Shopping Resort,Motel Point of Interest
Built in 1882, the Albert Hotel was just one of four hotels in Milparinka at the height of the gold rush. Despite renovations through the years parts of the hotel remain as travellers would have found them more than a century ago. Located just one kilometre off the Silver City Highway, The Albert is the only hotel remaining between Broken Hill and Tibooburra
Tibooburra - NSW   RatingRatingRatingRatingRating
Populated Place Caravan Park Fuel Water Supply Toilet Pub Food,Shopping Camp Fee Police Station Medical Services Resort,Motel
The historic Family Hotel in Tibooburra is famous for its murals. It is open every day with a 24 hour licence. The hotel carries a selection of Australian wines, and of course, cold beer. Patrons can from choose meals served in the Dining Room , at the Counter or Take-Away.
Cameron Corner - SA   RatingRatingRatingRating
Populated Place Service Station,Roadhouse Camp Free Fuel Water Supply Toilet Pub Food,Shopping
Cameron's Corner is the point in the outback of central eastern Australia where the border lines of the states of Queensland, South Australia and New South Wales meet.
Broken Hill - NSW   
Populated Place Service Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Walk Track Toilet Pub Mine Food,Shopping Cemetery,Grave Site Police Station Medical Services Resort,Motel
Imposing tailings heaps form the backdrop to this outback mining town (Ag, Pb, Zn) dating from 1883. Historic buildings,mining equipment,scenic drives and all modern facilities. Broken Hill is a thriving community on the edge of the NSW Outback. With a population of over 20,000 people it is the economic and cultural hub of Far Western NSW.
Packsaddle - NSW   
Populated Place Service Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Fuel Water Supply Toilet Pub Food,Shopping Camp Fee Resort,Motel Point of Interest
Packsaddle Roadhouse is situated 175 kilometres north of Broken Hill, on the Silver City Highway. It provides a welcome stopping place for weary travelers and visitors alike. The Packsaddle Roadhouse features a dining area decorated with memorabilia from the wool industry. The roadhouse is licensed and bookings for large numbers are required.

 Environment

In the Corner Country of eastern New South Wales, mulga and whitewood typically dominate the sandplains and dunefields. In channel and flood-out areas, you will find black box, river red gum, coolibah and river cooba. Curly mallee, rosewood and belah dominate the ranges and hills, whilst bladder saltbush, black bluebush thrive on the stony plains.

In regards to fauna, there are 195 species of birds, 58 species of reptiles, and 37 species of mammals recorded within the Broken Hill bioregion. Some of the fauna species you may see roaming the lands include: red kangaroos, eastern and western grey kangaroos, euros, red-necked wallabies, parma wallabies and red-necked pademelons.

 History

Cameron Corner is the surveyed north-west corner of NSW, located at the point where the states of NSW, QLD and SA meet. The Corner is also the north-west boundary of Sturt National Park, which is one of NSW’s largest National Parks - at over 3100 square kilometres.

This region was first explored by Captain Charles Sturt, who in 1844 went in search of a supposed inland sea in the centre of the Australian continent. Cameron Corner was named after New South Wales Lands Department surveyor, John Brewer Cameron, who spent two years from 1880 marking the border between NSW and Queensland and erected a post there in September 1880. He placed a wooden marker every 1.6kms along the interstate frontier.

According to the Brisbane Courier Mail, the sole permanent resident of the town is Bill Mitchell, who operates the Cameron Corner Store and a golf course. Apparently, it "is a Queensland business, with a NSW postcode and a SA telephone number."

Cameron Corner also features the world’s longest vermin fence. The 5,000 plus kilometre Dog Fence was constructed to keep roaming Dingos from the north and west out of the pastoral lands of NSW.

 Driving Directions

Time
Direction
Distance
Broken Hill to Stephens Creek 15.61 km N 19° 13 min
Stephens Creek to Yanco Glen 15.01 km NE 24° 11 min
Yanco Glen to Euriowie 43.48 km N 30 min
Euriowie to Fowlers Gap 35.64 km N 17° 24 min
Fowlers Gap to Packsaddle 64.1 km NE 24° 39 min
Packsaddle to Peak Hill 107.84 km N 358° 1 hr 12 min
Peak Hill to Milparinka 10.77 km NW 319° 7 min
Milparinka to Tibooburra 40.84 km N 20° 27 min
Tibooburra to Cameron Corner 139.8 km NW 296° 1 hr 47 min
Broken Hill to Cameron Corner 473.1 km     5 hr 33 min
Distance is GPS recorded driving distance (not straight line), Direction is straight line from start to end, Time is calculated from actual GPS driving data.

 Related Travel Journals

Outback to Outback Captains Log 7 - Arkarloola to
Monday, 14 September, 2009. Leaving Arkarloola we headed for Cameron Corner, where three states intersect. The scenery changed dramatically from the incredible, rugged, dominating cliffs and gorges
Our trip to the corner country, 2009
We left Murwillumbah at about 0615 and we called into Ballina to say goodbye to Mum before heading for Tenterfield via Coraki & Casino. We arrived at about midday and
Bulloo Track Trip
For some time I have wanted to traverse The Bulloo Track mainly to sort of fill in a blank on our travel map and also to get to Cameron's Corner and thus finish off visiting the Corner Country of Qld,

 Related Pages

Trek Search Trek Search
ExplorOz Trek Notes are detailed, factual reviews of destinations in Australia to which you can plan a self-drive camping trip.
Kidman Way Kidman Way
This bitumen route is also the shortcut from Victoria, through the heart of western NSW, up to Central Qld where it meets the Matilda Highway at Cunnamulla [Feature Story]

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What Others have Said

Latest 3 of 3

zook : 25 Apr 09 14:27
Hi, I am heading out to the corner country next week in a Jimny ...
bks : 16 Feb 09 13:17
Can anyone tell me what standard the road from Burke to Tibooburra a...
Richard Kovac : 5 Feb 09 20:51
That one very nice photo taken of Milparinka the old court house and...

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