Sturt National Park, Outback New South Wales

Remote and majestic landscapes greet the visitor and provide three great road tours through the park to encounter pastoral history and natural history. It is remote, but sometimes the best things are.

The massive arid landscape of Sturt National Park has unique beauty; it's a place of peace and solitude, the most outback of our outback parks. Adventurous travellers are often drawn to iconic destinations, and Cameron Corner, bordering three States, is such a place.

Sturt holds a key to the geomorphology of outback Australia... ancient eroded mountain ranges and vast plains, rolling red dunes. Surprising wetlands are surrounded by white sands, and ephemeral catchment systems support an ever-changing ecosystem.

The park spans the dunes of the Strzelecki Desert across the ancient Mesas of the Grey Range and Mt King (The Jump-Ups) and to the Gibber plains, gorges and hills of Mount Wood. The Dingo Fence – at more than 5,000 km the world's longest – forms the north and western boundary of the park.

The eastern section features adventurous drives including the Gorge Loop Road and the Jump-Ups Loop Road, exploring this eroded mountain range. Of course, a trip to Cameron Corner is a must. Or take a trek along Middle Road for fantastic vistas at regular lookouts along the way. Fort Grey, Olive Downs and Dead Horse Gully or up to the summit of Mt Wood are also excellent options for moderate walks.

Self-drive tours:

  • The Gorge Loop Road: This trip around Mt Wood and the Mount Wood Hills covers the outdoor pastoral heritage museum, Mt Wood Homestead & shearers quarters, the Gibber and Mitchell Grass Plains, the Twelve Mile Creek Gorge, and the old pastoral remains at Torrens Bore and Horton Park Station. Wildlife such as Emu, Kangaroo, and Wedge-Tail eagles are commonly sighted.
  • The Jump-Ups Loop Road: The ancient landforms that are known as the Jump-Ups are the remains of an ancient mountain range that have been eroded down over millions of years leaving the 150m plateau (Mesa) and the granite-strewn plains which form the catchment of the Connia Creek (Ephemeral) which follows south-east into the Twelve Mile Creek.
  • Cameron Corner: The drive from Tibooburra to Cameron Corner takes the visitor through a diverse landscape including the Waka Claypan, past Fort Grey which was provisions stockade built by explorer Charles Sturt for his inland expeditions, and on to the Corner and the world longest fence; the 5,000+ km Dog Fence which was constructed to keep roaming Dingos of the north and west out of the pastoral lands of New South Wales.

There's camping or stay at the Mt Wood homestead and shearers' quarters.

Sturt National Park is 330 km north of Broken Hill on a sealed and unsealed road and 400 km west of Bourke on an unsealed road. GPS:-29.099377* 141.72226*

Autumn, winter and spring are the best times to visit, avoiding the extreme summer heat.

Sturt National Park Visitor Information:

  • Sturt NP See & Do...

    • Gorge Loop Road drive
    • Jump-Up Loop Road drive
    • Jump-Up walking track
    • Middle Road drive
    • Mount Wood Summit walking track
    • Outdoor Pastoral Museum
    • Sturt Visitor Centre Sturt’s tree walk

  • Sturt NP Information Centre:

    • Park Office:  Briscoe Street, Tibooburra New South Wales
    • Website: Sturt NP
    • Telephone 08 80913308