Buckle up for an epic road trip to the Dubbo region, in the Western Plains of Country NSW. Make a beeline for Dubbo, about a 4.5-hour drive northwest of Sydney, to enjoy the city’s remarkable zoo and world-class stargazing. Then take your time exploring the other historic towns of this fascinating region halfway between the New South Wales coastline and the Outback.  

Engage with Dubbo’s culture and heritage 

Get a taste of Dubbo’s colourful past on the self-guided Dubbo Heritage Walk. Pick up a brochure at the Dubbo Visitor Information Centre and follow the walk to learn stories of the city’s trailblazing pioneers as well as its colourful criminals, such as Queen of the Underworld Kate Leigh.  

Let your imagination roam free at Old Dubbo Gaol as you learn about the brutal realities of 19th-century prison life through self-guided tours, theatrical displays and even a Beyond the Grave after-dark ghost-hunting tour. 

Immerse in artworks by emerging regional artists as well as established Australian names at Dubbo’s Western Plains Cultural Centre art gallery, and gain insights into the lives of locals through the centre’s museum collection of historical objects and photographs. 

Connect with local Wiradjuri and Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay culture through First Lesson Cultural Tours as you walk where ancestors walked, settle in for a camp oven dinner and learn to make clapstick percussion instruments. 

Meet the city’s wild locals

No visit to Dubbo is complete without a tour of Taronga Western Plains Zoo, home to more than 5,000 animals from more than 350 species, all roaming across 300 hectares of carefully recreated natural habitats. Hop aboard a safari truck to take an African Savannah Safari; be awed by the majesty of big cats in the Lion Pride Lands; meet a platypus and see scientists hard at work at Platypus Rescue HQ; and let the kids play in the Waterhole precinct, which features a waterplay area and outdoor café. 

As the sun sets, head to Dubbo Observatory to view the heavens. Join astronomer Peter Starr for an absorbing astronomy presentation and spy the moon, stars, planets and galaxies through up to nine telescopes. Or join an Astrophotography session and take memorable images with your own compatible DSLR or mirrorless camera through the observatory’s 17-inch telescope. 

Wine and dine in Dubbo 

Grab one of the most highly regarded pies in the state at Village Bakehouse, run by fourth-generation bakers — the pies have won more than 100 awards over the years. Or take a seat in the leafy courtyard of Press café for classic breakfast and lunch dishes and home-roasted coffee.

Drop in to the cellar door and order a plate of dumplings at Red Earth Estate; join a brewery tour, try a tasting paddle of craft beers and grab a gourmet pizza at the Devil’s Hollow Brewery; or savour seasonal dishes at the family-friendly bistro at The Commercial, the oldest pub in town.

Work off all that delicious food while seeing more sights by pedalling along the scenic Tracker Riley Cycleway, a 13-kilometre cycleway loop from the centre of town to Taronga Western Plains Zoo.

Bed down in Dubbo 

For the ultimate animal encounter, spend the night at the zoo. Accommodation options range from permanent tents at Billabong Camp to the self-contained Savannah Cabins and the luxurious Zoofari Lodge, where giraffes and ostriches roam just past the edge of your wooden deck. 

Embrace the country lifestyle at Outback Cellar, a self-contained property set on riverfront farmland 10 minutes outside of Dubbo – choose from a country cottage and a wine cellar converted into a loft-style stay sleeping up to seven guests. Alternatively, head to Discovery Parks Dubbo for its large heated swimming pool, waterpark, playground and bouncing pillow.

Eat, play and stay in Wellington 

Once you’ve gotten to know Dubbo, strap in for an unforgettable foray into the surrounding region. Refuel with a pub meal at The Lion of Waterloo in Wellington, a 40-minute drive southeast of Dubbo. This humble hotel dates back to 1841 and was a popular stop for early settlers, miners and Cobb & Co coaches. 

Marvel at the beautiful calcite crystal formations of the 400-million-year-old Wellington Caves, from the Cathedral Cave to the clear waters of The Well and the Altar, a 15m-tall stalagmite. Camp, hitch up your caravan or stay in cabins at the caves, or refresh and recharge at Hermitage Hill Country Retreat, a Federation Queen Ann-style building perched on a hill overlooking Wellington. 

Continue on another half-hour past Wellington to Lake Burrendong, an aquatic playground that’s three times the size of Sydney Harbour. Bring your fishing gear, and try for Murray cod, redfin and silver perch in the clear, calm waters.

Wander around nearby Narromine and Gilgandra

You’ll uncover a storied aviation history dating back more than 100 years in the small town of Narromine, half an hour west of Dubbo. Lose track of time as you absorb the captivating displays of historic aircraft, photographs and artefacts at the Narromine Aviation Museum.

Continue on to Gilgandra, 45 minutes north of Dubbo or an hour’s drive from Narromine, to reflect on a significant place in Australia’s war history. The first World War I recruiting march (which would come to be known as the Coo-ee March) began here in 1915, with a group of men making their way to Sydney. Head to the Coo-ee Heritage and Visitor Information Centre to learn more and discover works by local artists and artisans. Gilgandra is also known for its windmills: stretch your legs and spot some on the Windmill Walk along the banks of the Castlereagh River.

See the stars in a Dark Sky Park 

The stargazing in Warrumbungle National Park, about 90 minutes’ drive north of Dubbo, is so good that it has been declared the southern hemisphere’s first and only Dark Sky Park. Camp under the stars and view the wonders of the galaxy from your own quiet corner of the park, and take a guided tour of the nearby Siding Spring Observatory. 

You’ll sleep well after tackling the national park’s Breadknife and Grand High Tops Walk. Be mesmerised by a vista dotted with lava domes and volcanic plugs from the Grand High Tops lookout, just one of the many spectacles you’ll encounter on this epic walk.

Ride on in to Coonamble

Just about everyone in Coonamble, less than a two-hour drive north of Dubbo or an hour from Warrumbungle National Park, has a nickname, so the town has turned itself into the Nickname Hall of Fame. Make a game of seeking out the billboards around town honouring locals with monikers such as Fluffy, Icey and Yap. 

And thrill to the sight of more than 1,000 cowboys and cowgirls in action at the Coonamble Rodeo and Campdraft, an action-packed long weekend of bull riding, steer wrestling and live music held in June each year.