Cuttaburra scenic drive

Where

Cuttaburra National Park in Outback NSW

Distance

38km of trails

Time suggested

3-4 hr

Opening times

Cuttaburra National Park is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.

What to
bring

Gps, spare fuel, satellite phone, drinking water, food supplies, hat, sunscreen, snacks

Please note

• The weather can be extreme and unpredictable. Check with the NPWS Bourke office or Bourke Shire Council for the latest road condition report before you set out.
• Roads to and in Cuttaburra National Park are unsealed and can be closed due to wet weather. Don’t drive on closed roads – fines apply.
• Bring extra food, drinking water and firewood in case you need to spend the night at the campground.
• The nearest fuel is at Bourke, 155km away. There is also fuel at The Royal Mail Hotel, Hungerford Qld 97km away.

Explore Cuttaburra National Park in an unforgettable journey along Cuttaburra scenic drive. This 38 km network, which includes 2 loops and multiple offshoot tracks, is a great way to see Paroo and Warrego River Country, 155 km northwest of Bourke.

This rugged and remote park is beautiful but very susceptible to weather so parts of the track may close at times. If you’re towing a caravan you’ll need leave it at Comeroo campground where the loop starts and ends.

As you drive, watch the view shift between grasslands, sand dunes, shrubland plains, rocky mulga covered hills, floodplains and claypans. If you're visiting after rain, you'll see how it brings life to the floodplains with feathered visitors. Look out for colourful flocks of migrating pink cockatoos, budgerigars, and zebra finches. Rain also blankets the landscape with wildflowers like paper daisies and goodenias. It’s not uncommon to spot red kangaroos and emus among a palette of pink, lilac and yellow flowering plants.

You can see Cuttaburra Creek and Maranoa Waterhole year-round. These areas are home to birds like egrets, spoonbills and kingfishers. If you’re lucky, you might spot the threatened brolga with its distinctive orange head.

Beyond the water, you’ll find woodlands. In late autumn to early spring, they’re dotted with the white and yellow blossoms of desert bloodwood and yapunyah gum trees.

It will take 3 to 4 hours to drive the entire network with stops for birdwatching or pictures. After your adventure, return to Comeroo campground for a night under a canopy of stars.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info