KIDMAN'S CAMP NORTH BOURKE NSW

Submitted: Saturday, Oct 17, 2009 at 19:28
ThreadID: 73091 Views:8342 Replies:5 FollowUps:3
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Just wondering if anyone has stayed at this location recently?? We are currently in Cobar and heading to Bourke. Were told about this Kidmans Cabin and Campground 7km north of Burke that has Darling River Frontage, Pools, good atmosphere etc and better than staying in Bourke itself which we are told has many closed up shopfronts....also this camp has a steamer that does boat rides up for the river as well we are told?

Anyways any current feedback on what to expect would be good as we were hoping to do some fishing out there and stay a good few nights if the river and facilities are any good??
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Reply By: Member - Duncs - Saturday, Oct 17, 2009 at 20:36

Saturday, Oct 17, 2009 at 20:36
We spent a couple of nights there in 2001.

It was very nice.

The camp kitchen facilities were quite good, clean and tidy and very spacious.

It was a bit of a walk to the river, maybe 5 min, but not more than that. The sites were grassed and spacious and the people friendly.

There has been a significant drought since then and Burke has lost a couple of buisnesses too which may impact on the people running the Park. If it is the same people who had it back then they were very committed to making it work.

Duncs
AnswerID: 387520

Reply By: Fred G NSW - Saturday, Oct 17, 2009 at 21:15

Saturday, Oct 17, 2009 at 21:15
Late May 2009....!!!!!
Very busy, crossroads and meet up point to everywhere.,
Approx 500 mtrs from the river (not much water) & paddle boat pickup point.
Good grassy sites, however if much rain......:-((
Great amenities, great camp kitchen,sites sort of a little squeezy if packed LOL.
We loved it....excellent....there is a free camp just up the river, May's Bend, however when we were there it was too wet to find out...:-((... doesn't take a lot of H2o for local dirt roads to be closed.
BTW the new Back'O'Bourke Outback Centre is worth it's weight in Gold.

AnswerID: 387525

Reply By: denidoug - Saturday, Oct 17, 2009 at 21:16

Saturday, Oct 17, 2009 at 21:16
kidman camp,great and only place to stop, out of town,don't leave your vehicle unattended in town as advised by local copper,most shops and pubs have closed down or for sale,good supermarket end of main street,have fun
AnswerID: 387526

Follow Up By: Fred G NSW - Saturday, Oct 17, 2009 at 21:42

Saturday, Oct 17, 2009 at 21:42
The CBD of Bourke was hard to comprehend, in May 2009.

The CBD was virtually a ghost town, apart from IGA Supermarket/Liquor Store, Post Office,, Bakery, and a somewhat sad Hardware/Electronics Retravision Store, there was bugger all else not boarded up. May have been one bank, can't remember? and of course the Gov't Offices!!!!!!! The plight of this once mighty outback centre, is being reflected right across our outback, and sadly, it seems likely, they will mostly all disappear in due course.
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FollowupID: 655036

Follow Up By: Fiona & Paul - Sunday, Oct 18, 2009 at 07:09

Sunday, Oct 18, 2009 at 07:09
Got to agree about Kidman Camp as it's great, we were there in July 2009 for a couple of days and the place was packed out. We saw the CBD as Fred G did and that is disappointing, but.

We did go to the Back O Bourke exhibition which was very interesting and is OK as long as you are prepared to spend some time there and do lots of reading. Not everyone's cup of tea. We also took a trip on the Paddle Boat and it too was OK, something different. The Captain was very informative on the trip up the river but I wonder how much he has been brainwashed when he talks about water useage in the area as that end of the river seemed to have plenty.

We wandered about town for a couple of hours and talked with a few of the locals, a couple of aboriginal blokes gave us a run down about Bourke and pointed out some interesting facts. One acknowledged the condition of the CBD but said things weren't now as bad as they had been, the damage has been done and he admitted that they were trying to fix it up and to do that they needed people like us to go there and spend a couple of days.

We will go back because the Mulga Creek Hotel (caravan park down the back) about 60km south of Bourke is a great place, plenty of space to park, hot dhowers, couple of cabins, the pub is excellent and everybody get's around the fire either inside the pub or the 44gallon drum out front and the stories and yarns go on for hours. We stopped because we saw a helicopter in the car park and I took a couple of pics, about 7 hours later we hit the sack.

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Wonderful people at the pub Peter and Gloria.

Paul H
OZ Downunder

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FollowupID: 655059

Reply By: Member - Magic (VIC) - Sunday, Oct 18, 2009 at 08:46

Sunday, Oct 18, 2009 at 08:46
We stayed at Kidmans two weeks ago for the second time. It is a great CP, well maintaiean and tidy, powered and unpowered sites, a great camp kitchen, pool, grassy sites. It can be busy during grey nomad peak times, but it wasn't too bad when we were there. You can't book, so best to be in early.
Paddle steamer is running and our friends said it was a good trip. Back of Bourke Centre is good, but not for everyone. Have a meal in the Port O Bourke Hotel in town - good BBQ and buffet salads etc. Good supermarket in town, but not much else. The visitors centre is a good place for info on what's to do.
AnswerID: 387557

Reply By: just goin - Sunday, Oct 18, 2009 at 16:50

Sunday, Oct 18, 2009 at 16:50
THANKS EVERYONE FOR YOUR REPLIES...

WE ACTUALLY ARRIVED AT KIDMANS CAMP TODAY AND WE TOO ARE IMPRESSED WITH THE OFFERINGS....NOT TO PACKED OUT THANK GOODNESS BUT QUITE A FEW VANS ROLLING IN NOW AS THE AFTERNOON DRAWS TO A CLOSE....

HUBBIE CURRENTLY FISHING AT THE RIVER SOME 500M AWAY - HE DROVE DOWN - TOO LAZY TO WALK....

KIDS ALREADY HAD THEIR SWIM IN THE TWO POOLS HERE ON OFFER - ALTHOUGH THE WATER IS COLD THEY ARE IMPRESSED TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT IN THE WARM WEATHER HERE!

THANKS AGAIN FOR THE INFO....
AnswerID: 387593

Follow Up By: funnyfarm - Sunday, Oct 18, 2009 at 21:29

Sunday, Oct 18, 2009 at 21:29
We actually left there this morning to travel home to Broken Hill. Very nice caravan park. Grassed sites, pool, clean toilets etc.
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