Corner Country

StartClick to Reverse the Dynamic Map and Driving NotesBroken Hill
FinishCameron Corner
DifficultyDifficulty 3/5
Suitable For4WD 
Distance475.69 km
Minimum Days2
Average Speed79.74 km/hr
Travel Time5 hrs 57 mins
Page Updated: 9 Mar 2021

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.

How to Use this Trek Note

  • To download this information and the route file for offline use on a phone, tablet, headunit or laptop, go to the app store and purchase ExplorOz Traveller. This app enables offline navigation and mapping and will show where you are as you travel along the route. For more info see the ExplorOz Traveller webpage and the EOTopo webpage.

TIP

ExplorOz Traveller now features the NEW EOTopo 2023 mapset!

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.

TrekID: 26

Preparation

MUST READ: You are strongly encouraged to read the following articles prepared by the knowledge experts at ExplorOz for your safety and preparation before undertaking any published ExplorOz Trek - Outback Safety, Outback Driving Tips, Outback Communications, and Vehicle Setup for the Outback.

TIP

Please refer to Road Reports published by the local shire and/or main roads for the area you intend to visit. Road/Track conditions can change significantly after weather events. Travellers must be responsible for their own research on current conditions and track suitability.
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.

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.

Fuel Usage

DieselULPLPG
4cyl 67 litres4cyl 77 litres4cyl 95 litres
6cyl 67 litres *6cyl 76 litres *6cyl 84 litres
8cyl 73 litres8cyl 79 litres
Usage is averaged from recorded data (* specific to this trek) 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 138km NE
 JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Mean Max. °C36.235.232.127.021.918.417.820.424.628.532.134.9
Mean Min. °C22.121.718.613.99.46.45.46.910.314.117.620.4
Mean Rain mm28.029.824.814.418.016.616.611.612.418.418.022.1
    Best time to travel      Ok time to travel      Travel NOT recommended

Map

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Directions

Broken Hill to Stephens Creek
Driving: 15.93 km
Heading: 19°
Avg Speed: 70.52 km/hr
EST Time: 13:33
  • Drive southeast on Oxide Street. for: 0.01 km time: 00:02
  • Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit, onto Beryl Street for: 0.24 km time: 00:31
  • Turn left onto A32/B79/Iodide Street. for: 1 km time: 01:25
  • Turn right onto Williams Street/B79. for: 0.95 km time: 01:18
  • Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit, ontofor: 13.73 km time: 10:18
Stephens Creek to Yanco Glen
Driving: 14.99 km
Heading: 24°
Avg Speed: 99.95 km/hr
EST Time: 08:59
  • Drive northeast on Silver City Highway/B79. for: 14.99 km time: 09:00
Yanco Glen to Euriowie
Driving: 43.61 km
Heading:
Avg Speed: 95.81 km/hr
EST Time: 27:18
  • Drive northeast on Silver City Highway/B79. for: 43.61 km time: 27:19
Euriowie to Fowlers Gap
Driving: 36.03 km
Heading: 17°
Avg Speed: 75.54 km/hr
EST Time: 28:37
  • Drive north on Silver City Highway/B79. for: 36.03 km time: 28:37
Fowlers Gap to Packsaddle
Driving: 64.24 km
Heading: 24°
Avg Speed: 80.88 km/hr
EST Time: 47:39
  • Drive northeast on Silver City Highway/B79. for: 64.24 km time: 47:39
Packsaddle to Silver City Hwy & Kayrunnera Cobham Rd
Driving: 46.43 km
Heading: 19°
Avg Speed: 99.84 km/hr
EST Time: 27:54
  • Drive northwest on Silver City Highway/B79. for: 46.43 km time: 27:54
Silver City Hwy & Kayrunnera Cobham Rd to Peak Hill, Milparinka
Driving: 61.81 km
Heading: 342°
Avg Speed: 91.76 km/hr
EST Time: 40:24
  • Drive north on Silver City Highway/B79. for: 61.81 km time: 40:25
Peak Hill, Milparinka to Milparinka
Driving: 11.19 km
Heading: 319°
Avg Speed: 56.3 km/hr
EST Time: 11:55
  • Drive northwest on Silver City Highway/B79. for: 9.43 km time: 07:33
  • Turn left onto Milparinka Road/UR05. for: 1.4 km time: 03:26
  • Turn left onto Loftus Street/UR06. for: 0.36 km time: 00:57
Milparinka to Tibooburra
Driving: 41.65 km
Heading: 20°
Avg Speed: 69.5 km/hr
EST Time: 35:57
  • Drive northwest on Loftus Street/UR06. for: 0.36 km time: 00:52
  • Turn right onto Milparinka Road/UR05. for: 1.4 km time: 03:29
  • Turn left onto Silver City Highway/B79. Continue on B79. for: 39.89 km time: 31:36
Tibooburra to Cameron Corner
Driving: 139.81 km
Heading: 296°
Avg Speed: 57.27 km/hr
EST Time: 02:26:28
  • Drive south on Briscoe Street/B79. Continue on B79. for: 1.49 km time: 00:52
  • Turn right onto Cameron Corner Road. for: 116.78 km time: 01:29:07
  • Bear left onto The Dunes Scenic Drive. for: 21.36 km time: 51:16
  • Turn right. for: 0.17 km time: 05:13
Distance is based on the travel mode shown (Driving, Straight, Cycling, Walking etc), Direction is straight line from start to end, Avg Speed & EST Time is calculated from GPS data.

What to See

This short video clip by Member - George Royter, made exclusively for ExplorOz.com, will give you a taste of the experience in completing a trek to Cameron's Corner.

Facilities

Where to Stay

No Places To Stay available for this trek

Services & Supplies

No Services & Supplies available for this trek

Wildflowers

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