Middle Road drive

Where

Sturt National Park in Outback NSW

Distance

80km one-way

Time suggested

3hrs

Entry fees

Park entry fees apply

What to
bring

Hat, sunscreen, drinking water

Please note

• Remember to take your binoculars if you want to go birdwatching.
• The weather in the area can be extreme and unpredictable, so please ensure you’re well-prepared for your visit. Check the weather before you set out as Middle Road drive can become boggy when it rains and may be closed.
• This attraction is in a remote location, so please ensure you’re well-prepared, bring appropriate clothing and equipment, and advise a family member or friend of your travel plans.
• The walking opportunities in this park are suitable for experienced bushwalkers who are comfortable undertaking self-reliant hiking.
• There is limited mobile reception in this park.

For anyone on a road trip through NSW, Middle Road drive has a firm place on the itinerary. Traversing Sturt National Park, this 80km touring route takes you through a remarkable landscape, some of it virtually unchanged since the likes of Charles Sturt trekked through the area.

Most people start the drive at Olive Downs Homestead, which dates back to the 1880s and was once the social hub of the area. There is also Olive Downs campground, where you might decide to stay overnight before setting off.

Along the way, you’ll pass gibber (pebble) and saltbush plains, dunes, the famous Dog Fence that runs from Queensland to South Australia, the striking Jump-Ups, the ruins of Binerah Downs Homestead, Lake Pinaroo, and the ghost tree forest caused by the water-logging of the Coolabah trees. If you wish to stretch your legs more or drive further be sure to head along Jump-Up walking track or Jump-Up Loop Road drive.

Stop at one of the watering points along the way, such as Millers Tank, where you might come across a flock of zebra finches or see a wedge-tailed eagle soaring high above.

The drive finishes near Fort Grey on the main road from Tibooburra. Here, you could choose to do Wells and Sturt's tree walking track. Or you could stay overnight at Fort Grey campground before heading home the next day.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info