Saturday 20 September (NSW)
Broken Hill to White Cliffs
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Broken Hill |
White Cliffs |
268 |
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There is a roadhouse at Little Topar, 76 km east of Broken Hill Rest Area [928] 120km east of BH has water, trees, toilets |
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268 |
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Accommodation: White Cliffs Underground of (rooms booked)
Directions for the day: Continue east on the Barrier Highway. At about 173km along from BH we come to the first turnoff to White Cliffs - this is a dirt road. We have a choice of travelling 30km further towards Wilcannia to go by sealed road to White Cliffs, or taking this one. If there hasn't been recent rain, this road should be OK. We have travelled on it, and as long as the 4WDs haven't been there when wet (they are forbidden to do so) it shouldn't be deeply rutted.
If we take the first turnoff, we head north for 94km to White Cliffs through amazing desert country.
White Cliffs
Elevation 151m
Climate in September
Max 24°C
Min 9°C
Rain 15mm
Raindays 9
Some history
White Cliffs has a population of 200, and is famous for its opal fields. The first opal lease was granted in 1890, and in the boom years that followed, the fields supported 4,500 people. Precious opal is still mined today. The population lives underground in dugouts, and when Bill and I went there a few years ago we had the pleasure of spending some time in a home. They are spacious, airy and have lots of light that comes in through shafts in the `roof - and you don't know you are underground at all. They are really beautiful homes. This particular house had an orchard and vege garden entirely fed by recycled water from the house, and the fruit was plump and juicy. White Cliffs is extremely hot in summer, but the dugouts maintain 22°C all year round.
Things to see