From the sky above to the earth below, the Great Western Plains region of Country New South Wales will surprise and delight. Go underground in fascinating caves, gaze at the stars from a Dark Sky Park, visit a world-class zoo or walk among windmills — it’s all in or around the vibrant city of Dubbo, about five hours’ drive northwest of Sydney.  

A zoo tour 

Visit the home of more than 5,000 animals at Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo. Galapagos tortoises, Sumatran tigers, cheetahs, platypuses and bilbies roam the 300 hectares of wide-open space. Explore the 5.3km circuit around the animal enclosures by bike or golf cart. Stop to hear the keeper talks and pause for a coffee at the new Waterhole Café, where the kids can splash about in the water-play area. For something extra special, book an Animal Encounter where you can come face to face with a hippo or feed a giraffe. 

A tour of the Old Gaol

Tour the Old Dubbo Gaol to experience what life was like for prisoners in the 19th century. The heritage building houses intriguing collections, including a hangman’s kit and gallows, and offers a bird’s-eye view from the watchtower. Go on a Twilight Tour or be brave on a Beyond the Grave Tour, an experience (for those over 16 years old) where you might commune with the spiritual world. 

A trike tour 

Soak up all the fun of a motorcycling tour with Trike Adventures. Owner Peter has over 40 years of riding experience and loves showing people around the Dubbo region on his bright red custom-built motorised trike. It has a powerful Volkswagen 1.9L engine and can seat three passengers alongside the chief rider. Head off on a ride to the old timber-cutter’s village of Eumungerie followed by a pub lunch, or take in the half-hour Dubbo Highlights Tour which finishes with high tea. The team is happy to tailor a tour for you and your family. 

A great café

Pop into Press café in Dubbo for innovative food, outstanding coffee and a homely atmosphere. It’s named after its historical media location — the former office of The Land newspaper — and serves up seasonal produce sourced locally and its own house-blend coffee. For breakfast, tuck into the Press Big Breakfast with local eggs and homemade hash brown or the cashew and goji berry muesli. After midday, you can’t beat the Cajun chicken burger with purple slaw and aioli.  

A Dark Sky Park 

For views of the galaxy, camp under the stars in Warrumbungle National Park, the southern hemisphere’s first and only Dark Sky Park. The Warrumbungle region is an outstanding nocturnal environment with clear, dark skies and was designated a Dark Sky Park in 2016. You can view the constellations up close at the Warrumbungle Observatory. Choose from various campgrounds or stay the night in a heritage hut in the national park. The closest town is Coonabarabran, less than two hours’ drive from Dubbo, where you’ll find the Siding Spring Observatory. Book in for a view of the night sky through a telescope or join an astrophotography session at Dubbo Observatory.  

A cave that awes 

Learn the difference between stalagmites and stalactites at the impressive Wellington Caves, about an hour’s drive south of Dubbo. On the fascinating tours, you can visit three main caves: Cathedral Cave has a stunning 15-metre-high stalagmite, while Gaden Cave has enchanting formations that look like a bed of coral and the Phosphate Mine is a treasure trove of million-year-old fossils.  

Before you leave Wellington, wander over to the stunning Osawano Japanese Gardens and head up Mount Arthur Reserve for stunning views of the region. You can also stay overnight at the caves’ onsite accommodation, which includes a campground and caravan sites, cabins and holiday units. 

A town full of nicknames 

Discover the secret lives of the locals at Coonamble, a small town almost two hours’ drive north of Dubbo, where just about everyone has an abbreviated name. Nicknames are a great Aussie tradition and nowhere is the bestowing of a laconic title more important than in rural Australia. The town has embraced its nominative heritage by creating the Nickname Hall of Fame. Look out for the billboards set up around town honouring characters with one-of-a-kind monikers such as Gooey, Icey and Useful. 

A flight of fancy

Take to the skies (while your feet stay firmly on the ground) at the fascinating Narromine Aviation Museum, which tells the story of one of Australia’s historic aerodromes. Flying at Narromine started as early as 1919 and Australia’s oldest regional aero club was formed there 10 years later. During World War II, the aerodrome hosted a RAAF flying school and, in 1945, an RAF Mosquito bomber squadron. The museum, which is a 40-minute drive west of Dubbo, holds a captivating exhibition of artefacts, documents and photographs. Don’t miss the only flyable replica of the 1907 Wright Model A and the original Hawkridge Venture glider. 

An Aboriginal historical sight to see  

Feel the groove among more than 150 ancient indentations made on a rocky outcrop at Terramungamine Reserve, 10km north of Dubbo, on the Macquarie River. Here, the Tubbagah people of the Wiradjuri Aboriginal nation created the indentations, known as ‘grinding grooves’, as they shaped their tools thousands of years ago. The grooves are different sizes, depending on whether they were used to grind axes, sharpen spears or crush seeds. Each groove is individual to a single implement; every axe was unique and could only be resharpened at the original site, otherwise a new groove was needed.  

Today, it’s easily found on a short walk along the riverbanks from the free campground. Alternatively, book a tour with First Lesson Cultural Tours to learn from an Aboriginal Elder the importance of the site; along the way, they will point out plants used in bush tucker and bush medicine.  

A walk among the windmills 

Walk under windmills in the farming community of Gilgandra, about 45 minutes’ drive north of Dubbo. The pretty village is affectionately known as ‘the town of windmills’ because, up until 1966, there was no central water supply and many townsfolk had their own windmill. At one stage there were 360 of them in town. The Windmill Walk commences at the Gilgandra Rural Museum and meanders along the Castlereagh River to the town centre, passing by seven windmills. The walk celebrates the town’s intriguing history and is a study in evolving windmill technology during the 20th century.