Walgett NSW

Submitted: Wednesday, Mar 30, 2005 at 16:12
ThreadID: 21631 Views:7632 Replies:7 FollowUps:4
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We are intending to travel by caravan from Northern NSW to SA (and on to NT) via Moree, Bourke, Broken Hill etc. Does anyone know how safe it is to stay ovenight in Walgett? There are plenty of stories around but are they based on fact? I wish I knew.
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Reply By: kev.h - Wednesday, Mar 30, 2005 at 16:56

Wednesday, Mar 30, 2005 at 16:56
Hi Bill
We passed through about 12 mts ago the local service station operator suggested we go at least 25 klm out of town aparently its safer than the local caravan park,
if your not comfortable camping in the bush Brewarrina(not a whole lot better)or Collarenebri would be my pick
have a great trip Kev
AnswerID: 104343

Reply By: Billv - Wednesday, Mar 30, 2005 at 17:27

Wednesday, Mar 30, 2005 at 17:27
Thanks Kev. that's the info I was after. It will be our first night out from home and we didn't want to risk it spoiled by problems. We would prefer Collarenebri anyway but where can you stay in Colly do you know? We will stay offroad later but would prefer power first night.
AnswerID: 104351

Reply By: Peter Guy - Wednesday, Mar 30, 2005 at 17:46

Wednesday, Mar 30, 2005 at 17:46
We stayed at the caravan park in Walgett which is on a farm and privately owned and can highly recommend it. No probs what so ever.
AnswerID: 104353

Reply By: Member -Dodger - Wednesday, Mar 30, 2005 at 17:58

Wednesday, Mar 30, 2005 at 17:58
We have often camped outside Walgett on the Common just off the Collarenabri road near the grid.
29.54 557 South 148.10221 East
We have never had any trouble. Watch the weather as it's black soil country.
Good fishing in the Barwon at this spot.
Regards Dodg.
I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.

Cheers Dodg.

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AnswerID: 104354

Reply By: Member - Steve (ACT) - Wednesday, Mar 30, 2005 at 21:36

Wednesday, Mar 30, 2005 at 21:36
Can't coment on the camping, we've never stayed just pass through twice a year.

Every second house and most shops have security grills on the windows, just doesn't have that welcoming feeling for us!!

Steve
AnswerID: 104378

Reply By: Willem - Thursday, Mar 31, 2005 at 07:50

Thursday, Mar 31, 2005 at 07:50
I would have liked to have said that it is all a perception but the reality is, as stated above, that every building has security screens on windows and doors. The local service station which is owned by indigenous people aslo has the same security screens and as explained to me, even they are not immune from vandalism. Whether this is a continuing situation or something in the past, I am not sure.

The thing is that Walgett is probably as safe as Redfern in Sydney or other places where there is a high degree of unemployment and substance abuse come Pension Day which in turn can lead to anti social behaviour.

You could most likely camp at Walgett and fins it a delight ful place and meet some nice people. Then again you might not.

I prefer to go to places with an open mind and play things by ear.

Moree has a very nice Hot Spa where you can soothe your aches and pains away. Coolarenebri is a small farming community with a nice campsite down by the Barwon River. Bourke has been reputed to have social problems as well but I have not been there for 30 years.

Happy travels
AnswerID: 104411

Reply By: Member - Chrispy (NSW) - Thursday, Mar 31, 2005 at 08:16

Thursday, Mar 31, 2005 at 08:16
We just went through Walgett twice last week on the way to and from Lightning Ridge. On the way up there, police were blocking the road and asking us silly questions like "where are you from, and where are you going?". They wouldn't say why.

If you want a good place to stay that's close to Walgett, stay at the Ridge instead and just sit and soak in the bore spa.
AnswerID: 104416

Follow Up By: Michael O'Reilly - Thursday, Mar 31, 2005 at 08:20

Thursday, Mar 31, 2005 at 08:20
Chrispy, we're off to Lightning Ridge this Saturday via Mt Kaputar

Any tips??

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FollowupID: 361808

Follow Up By: Member - Chrispy (NSW) - Thursday, Mar 31, 2005 at 08:39

Thursday, Mar 31, 2005 at 08:39
Michael - you mean tips on what to do on the Ridge?

No#1) do the "red door" tour (self-drive) and go see the "Black Queen" bottle house. My folks-in-law Gale and Roger Collins own it and it's a great little house to see. They run a tour and have a lot of their antique oil lamps on display. There are two bottle houses on the Ridge - the other one is on the main drag, and is now a little dilapidated.

No#2) try your hand at finding some opal at the visitor's centre as you come in to town. They have mines around the area contribute 4 buckets each of un-sorted tailings each day - and dump them at the visitor's centre for people to poke about in. Jenny and I found five reasonably good opals in 20 minutes of scratching around.

No#3) Go and have a sit in the bore baths. 42 dec celcius - very nice. Just down the road from the Black Queen on the tarmac road.

No#4) You should have been there last week because they had the annual goat races on - what a hoot! Wild goats pulling sulkys down the main street.

No#5) Take a blanket - it's getting nice and cool at night there.

No#6) Tighten your load - the road in is getting pretty rough at 110kmh, and the camber is almost increasing weekly. We almost lost our trailer off to the side as the road camber dips away 6 full inches just off the centreline :) Let's just say it needs some work...
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Follow Up By: Michael O'Reilly - Thursday, Mar 31, 2005 at 10:06

Thursday, Mar 31, 2005 at 10:06
Thanks! You're a gem.

Amazing the looks you get from people when they ask where you're going on your hols. "Oh camping up to Lightning Ridge..."

I guess that means it's unlikely to be booked out...
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Follow Up By: Member - Chrispy (NSW) - Thursday, Mar 31, 2005 at 10:38

Thursday, Mar 31, 2005 at 10:38
No worries Michael - enjoy!

It won't be as busy next week - the Easter season has come and gone. The goat racing is over for another year. This year was the 29th annual running - so next year's will be huge (30th).

If you're camping - just make sure you have a really solid ground sheet under your tent (if you're tenting it) because the local ground is covered in pebbles.

Have fun :)
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