Getting Woy Woy is easy. No timetables or bookings are needed. A train leaves for Woy Woy from Central every half hour, between the hours of 05:00 am and midnight, seven days a week. The same for trains from Woy Woy to Central. If you use your Gold Opal card, the return trip will only cost you $2.50. The travel time to Woy Woy from Central is a little less than one hour and fifteen minutes. Here’s the timetable. https://transportnsw.info/routes/details/intercity-trains/ccn/02CCN
Once you depart Central the train whizzes through the suburbs and makes a stop at Strathfield, Epping and Hornsby. The train then climbs through into Cowan and descends down into the little town of Hawkesbury River, then across the Hawkesbury River bridge and runs along the shore of Mullet Creek into Woy Woy. It’s one of those trips where you just start to enjoy the scenery and bingo, the train arrives at your destination.
If you enjoy water views, grab yourself a window seat on the right-hand side of the train.
The Woy Woy Fishermen’s Wharf is just a couple of minutes’ walk north of Woy Woy station. Once you alight the train at Woy Woy, you will see Brisbane Water just ahead, so head in that direction. There is only one exit from the station.
The people at the Woy Woy Fishermen’s Wharf have a long history in the seafood business and are experts at cooking fish and chips. Furthermore, their prices are reasonable. Mullet or blackfish and chips start at just $9.90 in the takeaway section of the restaurant. There are usually about five or six varieties of fish available, ranging up in price. It’s a simple system, you choose your fare, order, pay and you’re given a number which is then called when it’s ready. In the meantime, find yourself a table and seats. If you want a more upmarket atmosphere, there’s a restaurant at the front of the building overlooking the water.
Lunching at the take-way section of Fishermen’s Wharf is sometimes like lunching in a restaurant inside a bird sanctuary. Seagulls, pigeons and ducks wander in looking for anything edible. Often a mother duck will waddle in with her brood in tow all in search of some hot chips. They appear unfazed by the human beings in their company and more concerned about being pecked or chased off by their competition – the pigeons and seagulls. A sign asks the patrons not to feed the birds. But you will know when someone accidentally does drop a chip to the floor as all hell breaks loose as they all rush in for the prize. Fortunately, the pelicans don’t venture in among the tables but prefer to hang out on the grassy patch near the restaurant.
On Saturday and Sunday afternoons, around 3 pm, local conservationist, Wendy Gillespie comes down to the Fishermen’s Wharf to feed and to give a talk about them. Wendy has been working for the last 20 years on the conservation of aquatic birds, particularly pelicans who suffer from getting tangled in and swallowing fishing lines and hooks. The pelicans know of her impending arrival and a large pod waits patiently for Wendy to arrive. The fun really starts, and all hell breaks loose, when a bucket of fish heads and bones are bought out.
Most of the articles I write here in Card Hacks are devoted to saving money. But for a change here’s an article on how to spend some of that money you’ve saved. This is a simple article on how to catch a train to a pretty little country town in the N.S.W. Central West and have lunch in an excellent restaurant. How simple and pleasurable can life be?
The heritage-listed village of Millthorpe lies between Orange and Blayney. The town was once a major potato and pea growing area that supplied the Sydney market. Today the beautiful and historic bluestone buildings accommodate a selection of art galleries, antique, craft and gift shops, cafes and restaurants.
Our favourite restaurant in Milthorpe is Tonic on the corner of Pym and Victoria Streets. We’ve been there once for dinner and it was excellent. I can thoroughly recommend it for dinner and lunch. A set menu of 5 courses for $80 is served. They’re open for dinner Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and for lunch on Saturdays and Sundays.
We dined there on a Saturday evening. I booked a table for two at 6 pm. On arrival at Tonic, the restaurant was empty. A waitperson showed us to our sparkling white, tableclothed table with imaginative cutlery and shiny wine glasses. We sat down, studied the menu and ordered a bottle of Chardonnay Pinot Noir produced at a local Orange vineyard.
We’d taken just a few sips of our sparkling wine and the first course arrived – a delicious chicken and pork terrine. The restaurant is in a beautiful old building with high ceilings with a quiet wooden floor – like all restaurants should be. There was soft chatter amongst our fellow diners who’d arrived after us. Time disappeared, all the tables were now taken – the restaurant was full. The waitpeople moved effortlessly between the tables. Everyone appeared to be enjoying themselves – even the culinary artists in the kitchen, who were visible from the tables. Four more courses arrived in perfect succession. It was summer and the temperature was cool and comfortable in the restaurant after a hot day. But the restaurant was still warm enough to cause our whole bottle of wine to evaporate. Before we knew it, the evening had come to an end. We headed over to the kitchen and thanked them for a fantastic dining experience.
Although it’s a long way to Millthorpe and back in a day it will be a memorable day. You’ll sleep well when you get home. If you’re like me, you’ll probably sleep all the way home on the train 🙂
There’s a daily train service from Sydney to Millthorpe and back.
The train leaves Central at 07:19 each morning and arrives at Millthorpe at 11:48. Tonic restaurant is a five-minute walk from the railway station.
The return train leaves Millthorpe for Sydney at 16:11 and arrives back at Central station at 20:48.
You’ll need to book your trip at https://transportnsw.info/regional or call 13 22 23. Have a credit or debit Mastercard, Visa, American Express or Diners Club card ready. Also if you have a Seniors card – don’t forget that for your half-fare discount.
If you deceide to spend the night in Millthorpe here are a list of hotels on Booking.com
We stayed at the Millthorpe Motel – highly recommended. The room was modern, spotlessly clean and comfortable. The owners of the motel did their very best to make our stay as comfortable as possible.
I often hear people talk about the Great Ocean Road. It’s a trip on everyone’s must do list. But rarely do I hear people talk about visiting Port Phillip Bay. The Great Ocean Road gets all the limelight. But just as beautiful and interesting are the shoreline, towns and villages of Port Phillip Bay. The good thing about a Port Phillip Bay trip is that you can easily and economically do it by public transport.
The trip starts with a ferry or train from Melbourne to Geelong. Then catch a local bus from Geelong to Queenscliff and a ferry across the sea entrance of Port Phillip Bay from Queenscliff to Sorrento. Then travel up along the Mornington Peninsula by bus to Frankston and finally take a train from Frankston back into Melbourne. All in a day.
Depending on your connections you could do the whole trip in six to eight hours.
When my partner and I first did the trip we thought we’d do it all in a day. But the towns and areas we passed through were so interesting we ended up staying the night in both Queenscliff and Sorrento.
Melbourne to Geelong
Brighton Beach on Port Phillip Bay. Image by Titus Aparici.
By train
The most convenient way of getting to Geelong from Melbourne is to use the train. It’s a journey of a little over an hour and trains leave Southern Cross station approximately every 40 minutes and bookings ain’t required. You just roll up with your Myki card, find yourself a seat and sit back and enjoy the journey. There are restrooms and refreshments available onboard. When you arrive in Geelong the buses for the next leg of your journey to Queenscliff leave from the entrance to the station. Here’s the timetable Southern Cross Station to Geelong :
The ferry service by Port Phillip Ferries is new, having only started back in December 2019. There are two services a day from Docklands to Geelong – a morning and afternoon service. The ferry is a fast catamaran and known as the Geelong Flyer. The trip from Docklands to Geelong is one hour and thirty minutes. Refreshments and restrooms are available on board. It’s important to remember that you need to book and pay ahead. Only passengers with pre-booked tickets will be allowed to board the ferry. For the timetable and online bookings, click on the link below.
The ferry arrives at the Geelong Waterfront beside the Carousel but the bus to Queenscliff, your next destination, leaves from Geelong Railway station, which is about a ten minute walk (about four blocks away) or a quick trip in a taxi. Here’s a map of Geelong.
If you arrive on the train, you’ll find the bus stop for buses to Queenscliff in front of Geelong Railway Station. The bus route number you’re looking for is number 56 to Queenscliff via Ocean Grove. During the day buses depart the Geelong Railway Station for Queenscliff approximately every hour. Use your Myki card to pay your fare. Here’s the timetable for Geelong Station to Queenscliff:
This section of the trip takes you by ferry across the entrance to Port Phillip Bay.
The ferry service from Queenscliff to Sorrento is run by Searoad Ferries. Ferries depart the Queenscliff Wharf every hour from 7 am till 6 pm, seven days a week. The ferry timetable is at:
One way Foot Passenger Fares start from Adult $13.00 and Concession at $11.00. You can buy tickets online or at the wharf. More information and fares at:
The bus to Frankston is route number 788 which leaves from the corner of Melbourne Road and Ocean Beach Road. The bus stop is a five to ten minute walk from the ferry terminal into Sorrento shopping centre. Buses leave for Frankston about every forty to fifty minutes. So find the bus stop, check the timetable, then have a look around the shops or get some lunch before the next bus departs. Here’s the timetable.
This day trip from Melbourne starts out aboard the Overlander that leaves Southern Cross station every Monday and Friday. The train departs Melbourne at 8:05 and arrives Ararat at 11:33.
Since this train runs via Geelong, people from Geelong can also join the train at the North Shore Geelong railway station.
When booking, take care to choose either a Monday or Friday to travel and choose the 08:05, Overlander, departure from Southern Cross.
Both the forward and return journeys are off-peak. The return concession fare on the VLine, Let’s Plan Your Journey page came up as $30:80.
The Overlander arrives at Ararat at 11:33 and the next train back to Melbourne from Ararat departs at 14:28, so you’ll have plenty of time for lunch and a walk around town.
Enjoy your day visiting the Victorian countryside and don’t forget to check the timetables and look for any changes and updates before you depart.
Here are five ways of travelling overland by public transport between Sydney and Adelaide. I’ve started with the most expensive – The Indian Pacific – which kicks off with a one-way fare of $639. The most economical is FireFly Express which does the Sydney – Melbourne – Adelaide run for a moderate sum of $70.00.
1. The Indian Pacific
This is the most expensive way to get there. But of course, it’s also the most luxurious. The trip takes two days and one night aboard this luxury train. The fares start from around $639 one way, with 3 meals included. The Indian Pacific leaves Sydney every Wednesday. If you’ve never been on a trip on a luxury train before, here’s your chance.
2. NSWTrainLink to Broken Hill then a coach to Adelaide
There is a NSW TrainLink train that starts from Sydney (Central) Mondays only at 06:18 and arrives in Broken Hill at 19:40 (EST). This service does not connect with the Broken Hill to Adelaide coach. At the time of writing, I couldn’t find any published timetable for this Broken Hill to Adelaide coach service. The only information I could obtain was found on the Trip Planner page for a service that departs Broken Hill on Mondays and Fridays. The last service I could find departs Broken Hill for Adelaide on Monday 20th June 2022. After that there were no further services listed. The best suggestion would be to call NSW TrainLink on 13 22 32.
There’s also a train service that departs Sydney (Central) daily at 07:19 to Dubbo. This daily train service connects with the daily NSWTrainlink coach service through to Broken Hill arriving at 23:15 (EST).
Note: When searching the NSWTrainLink bookings site, be aware that the coach for Adelaide leaves the Broken Hill Town Coach Stop (not Broken Hill railway station) and arrives at Adelaide Central Bus Station.
Last time I checked, the adult fare was listed as $63.91. The Pensioner/Senior Concession Card fare came up as $44.39.
3. NSW TrainLink train from Sydney to Melbourne then the Overland train from Melbourne to Adelaide
The Overland train departs Melbourne for Adelaide at 08:05 and arrives in Adelaide at 18:00 twice a week. If you’re travelling from Sydney, you’d need to book your seat on the Overland first then decide when to leave Sydney for Melbourne on the twice-daily XPT train service. You’ll probably need to overnight in Melbourne. If you were to catch the evening XPT from Sydney to Melbourne, it arrives in Melbourne at 07:30. The Overland leaves for Adelaide at 08:05. That leaves you only 35 minutes to change trains!
An economy full adult fare, called the Red Standard, on the Overlander from Melbourne to Adelaide started at $114/pp.
An economy full adult fare aboard the XPT train from Sydney to Melbourne started at $117.23/pp.
If you’re a Qantas Frequent Flyer member you can earn points when booking or pay for your booking with points at Journey Beyond Rail
4. NSWTrainLink Sydney to Albury then VLink coach from Albury to Adelaide.
This trip is a good option. The trip involves catching the evening train, the Sydney – Melbourne XPT, as far as Albury where you’ll change for a coach to Adelaide. The train leaves Sydney at 20:42 M-F, and arrives in Albury at 04:08. The Adelaide bound coach leaves Albury M-F at 04:25 and arrives in Adelaide at 17:55. That’s a long trip! A total of around 20 hours of travel time.
Unfortunately, you can’t book from Sydney to Adelaide in a single booking using the NSWTrainLink bookings page (at the time of writing this article). The only way is to book with NSWTrainLink from Sydney to Albury, then direct with VLine for the Albury to Adelaide section of the trip.
The fares from Sydney to Albury at the time of writing were full fare $73.87 and $51.13 concession.
The fares from Albury to Adelaide at the time of writing were full fare $68.40 and $34.20 concession.
This brings the total cost from Sydney to Adelaide via Albury to $142.27 full fare and $85.33 concession.
5. Sydney to Adelaide by coach using Firefly Express
Firefly Express run coaches between Sydney and Melbourne and also between Melbourne and Adelaide. They are, as I write this article, offering the best price for a budget traveller of $35.00 for Sydney to Melbourne and $35.00 for Melbourne to Adelaide. And yes, you can also travel from Sydney to Melbourne overnight and meet another coach in Melbourne headed for Adelaide.
The train ride to Katoomba is always a guaranteed fun day out. But you can add a bit more fun by first catching the ferry to Parramatta, then the train from Parramatta to Katoomba, and finally the local bus from Katoomba to Echo Point to view the famous Three Sisters. If you’re a Gold Opal cardholder, the whole trip will only cost you $2.50.
The trip takes between an hour and an hour and fifteen minutes, depending on the number of stops.
Parramatta Wharf to Parramatta Railway Station
On arrival at Parramatta Wharf, you’ll find a taxi stand out front and a bus stop across the street on the corner of Phillip and Charles Streets.
The distance from the wharf to Parramatta station is 1.3 km. It would take about 10 to 15 minutes to walk to Parramatta station. Or just a few minutes in a taxi.
The bus stop sees a regular supply of buses heading to Parramatta station, as it’s a stop on seven routes. There’s a timetable at the bus stop, which should give you a good idea of when the next bus will arrive.
Parramatta Railway Station to Katoomba
Trains leave Parramatta station for Katoomba every hour, sometimes half-hourly, seven days a week. So you shouldn’t have long to wait for the next train.
If you do have time up your sleeve, there are plenty of cafes around Parramatta station for a morning cuppa.
The train from Parramatta to Katoomba takes a little over an hour and a half.
On arrival at Katoomba, you’ll find a taxi rank near the station, as well as a bus stop just up the main street, out front of the Carrington Hotel. You can’t miss it as you can see it from the station. From there, Opal service buses run to Echo Point. The route number is 686. Here’s the timetable for Katoomba to Scenic World via Echo Point (Loop Service)
During the week, the service runs every half hour, but on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays, it runs every ten minutes.
Happy travelling.
Featured image of the Three Sisters, Katoomba by Norma Whitfield
This day trip from Sydney has to be one of the best. It takes you by train down through the Royal National Park, then onto views of the ocean as it passes through Stanwell Park and Coalcliff on its way through to Wollongong.
From Wollongong you change for a coach which takes you up to the little town of Robertson on the Illawarra escarpment and then across to Moss Vale in the Southern Highlands. You’ll have time for a bite to eat here and then catch the train back to Sydney. All in a day.
The cost for Gold Opal Card holders is $2.50 for the whole day.
Sydney to Wollongong
Catch the Opal service with the destination Kiama that leaves Bondi Junction station daily at 09:13 Town Hall station at 09:24 and Central at 09:27. Alight at Wollongong, where the train should arrive at 11:00. If you want more time in Wollongong, catch an earlier train. There’s one that leaves Bondi Junction at 07:59. The full South Coast Line timetable is at https://transportnsw.info/routes/details/intercity-trains/sco/02SCO.
Wollongong to Moss Vale
You’ll find the coach waiting for you at the entrance to Wollongong station. The service number is 754 with the destination Moss Vale. The departure time is daily at 11:30. Tap on using your Opal card as you board the coach. The full Wollongong to Moss Vale timetable can be found at https://transportnsw.info/routes/details/trainlink/752/76752.
The coach will take you up through the Macquarie Pass to the small town of Robertson and then on to Moss Vale in the Southern Highlands.
Arrival at Moss Vale is at 13:05. Don’t forget to tap off before you alight the coach.
Moss Vale to Sydney
There is an Opal service every hour from Moss Vale back to Sydney M-F up until 8pm in the evening. Trains leaving around the arrival of the coach from Wollongong are (M-F) 13:06, 14:02, 15:06 and 16:07. The trip back to Central on any of these services takes approximately two and a half hours.
Since you don’t have to drive home, for those who enjoy a glass of vino or beer with their lunch, the Moss Vale Hotel is a short walk from the station. I’ve not eaten there (yet) but from the pictures on their website, it looks like a great place to be on a wintery afternoon in the beautiful Southern Highlands.
Many tourists with lots of money just roll into town, rent a campervan, drive it off into the wide blue yonder then deliver it back to the closest rental car office and fly home.
These vehicles need to be returned to their original location. That’s where us budget travelers come in.
You can get free, or nearly free, use of these vehicles by delivering them back to their original home. If rental car companies can’t find drivers they have to put the car or campervan on a delivery truck or pay a driver to move it.
Often you get use of the vehicle for free and just have to pay for petrol. Other companies charge as little as a dollar a day. Some companies will even pay for petrol and allow you to use the car for free. If you’re delivering a car up from Hobart, often the rental company pays for the ferry for you and the car.
Like a regular car rental, hirers will need to provide a credit card imprint and can pay for extra insurance, if they wish.
All the relocation companies listed below offer different deals. You need to put in a little study to get an idea of how it all works. Another solution is to sign up for all their email newsletters. In their newsletters they list all the latest deals.
Here’s a list of companies that offer both rental cars, campervans and motor homes for relocation
By studying the deals available you’ll notice the general movement of the vehicles. For example if you want a relocation between Tasmania and Sydney, you’ll notice that most deals are from Hobart to Melbourne or Hobart to Sydney or Hobart to Brisbane. The same with New Zealand, tourists fly into Auckland, hire a camper and drive to Christchurch, then fly back to Auckland and home. So, expect to deliver from Christchurch or Wellington to Auckland. If you’re visiting Tassie, expect to fly to Hobart and pick up a camper to bring back to Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane.
Some relocation deals give you a good number of days to do the delivery. Others offer anything from overnight or one day Melbourne to Sydney for example. That’s OK if you’re in a rush, but no fun if you want to stop along the way. If you want extra days you can pay extra. There’s always a distance limit in the deal.
You’ve probably got a lot of questions. But, the best thing to do is call or email the relocation company as each company has different rules and conditions.
A common saying that I’ve heard numerous times is: “You’ve never travelled until you’ve been to India” and I agree, wholeheartedly. I’ve been to India and can understand what they’re talking about.
I want to rearrange that saying, to suit Australia, to: “You’ve never seen Australia until you’ve visited Lightning Ridge.”
Lightning Ridge is different, and so are the people who live there. It’s claimed that over 63 nationalities live in Lightning Ridge. The closest comparison to Lightning Ridge is somewhere like Coober Pedy. But for folks in NSW, Lightning Ridge is just up the road and it doesn’t take too much effort to get there. Coober Pedy takes a lot more organisation, money and travel time. So we’ll leave that for another trip.
We visited Lightning Ridge on a trip that only lasted a couple of days. But as we departed, we agreed that it was well worth the trip.
Sydney to Lightning Ridge Direct
It’s a long trip from Sydney to Lightning Ridge by train/coach. Departure time on the daily NSW Trainlink service from Sydney to Lightning Ridge is 07:19. Arrival at Lightning Ridge is 18:50. That’s over thirteen and a half hours of travel on the same day. The full fare cost from Central to Lightning Ridge is up to $83 each way. The fare for Seniors Card holders is $57.64 each way. You can view the fares on the NSW TrainLink bookings page.
Seniors Card Holders: Sydney to Lightning Ridge direct – for $7.50
This direct trip to Lightning Ridge for $7.50 can only be done on a Saturday.
Once you alight from the train in Lithgow, walk up the stairs and turn to your left, out onto Lithgow’s main street. From the bus stop, out the front of the Post Office, catch the Lithgow Buslines service number 636 to Bathurst that leaves at 08:57. The bus arrives at Bathurst Railway station at 10.08. Here’s a link to the Lithgow Buslines timetable.
The XPT train to Lighting Ridge departs Bathurst at 10:52.
Seven days or less before your departure call NSW TrainLink on 13 22 32 and make and pay for your booking, Bathurst to Lightning Ridge. Ask for the Country Pensioner Excursion (CPE) and it will cost you $2.50. You can also book online on the NSW TrainLink bookings page. Have your Seniors and credit card ready.
Sydney to Lightning Ridge – Overnight in Bathurst
You can break the journey and stay overnight in Bathurst. The suggested accommodation is across the street from Bathurst Railway Station at the newly renovated Victoria Hotel. We’ve stayed there numerous times. The hotel is clean, comfortable and serves meals. The total fare for doing the trip this way is just $2.50 (Opal) from Sydney to Bathurst and another $2.50 (NSW TrainLink) CPE ticket from Bathurst to Lightning Ridge. The total cost is $5.00, from Sydney to Lightning Ridge.
Sydney to Bathurst
There are two Opal services a day that departs Sydney (Central) that run directly to Bathurst. The train is known as the Bathurst Bullet.
The Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Weekends and Public Holidays departures are at 15:05, arriving at Bathurst at 18:47. The Wednesday departure is ten minutes later at 15:57.
There’s also a later departure at 17:47 M to F, bringing you into Bathurst at 21:33.
Since these services are Intercity services just tap in with your Opal card. The fare for Seniors card holders is just $2.50. Bookings are not required for these services.
Bathurst to Lightning Ridge
The train to Lightning Ridge departs Bathurst at the civilised time of 10:52 daily. Arrival at Dubbo is at 13:45. Here you’ll change for a coach to Lightning Ridge which departs daily at 14:20 and arrives in Lightning Ridge at 18:50.
There is a 10-minute refreshment stop at Coonamble at 16:15 between Dubbo and Lightning Ridge.
There is a buffet car on the train where you can purchase tea, coffee, drinks (including beer and wine), cakes, magazines and even a full lunch. Cash, Mastercard and Visa are accepted at the buffet.
Before leaving home you’ll need to book and pay for your ticket with NSW Trainlink. The Seniors Card holder’s fare from Bathurst to Lightning Ridge is a Country Pensioner Excursion fare (CPE) of $2.50. You can book online on the NSW TrainLink bookings page. To enjoy the benefits of the CPE fare, you’ll need to book and pay seven days or less before your departure. You can also call NSW TrainLink on 13 22 32 for info and bookings. Have your Seniors card and your credit card ready.
Lightning Ridge Accommodation
There are numerous motels in Lightning Ridge near town and the coach stop. We stayed at the Wallangulla Motel which was on the main street of Lightning Ridge and just down the street from the coach stop. They give a 10% discount if you are a member of any bowling club. The day before leaving home I ducked down to my local bowling club and joined up. The motel is very clean and comfortable and obviously owned by the local bowling club which is across the road from the motel and serves meals and cold beers.
Lightning Ridge Tours
You can hire a car and tour Lightning Ridge or walk but the best way to get a feel for the town is a tour, led by one of the locals.
They start at just $60.00 per person for a three-hour tour. We joined the Outback Opal Tours which was worth every cent.
More info on other tours in Lightning Ridge.
Heading back to Sydney
Basically, heading back to Sydney is the forward journey in reverse. Book the coach/train through to Bathurst, stay the night at the Victoria Hotel across the road from the Bathurst station/coach stop, and then the next morning catch the Bathurst Bullet train to Sydney. The Bullet departs Bathurst for Sydney at 05:46 and 07:35 on weekdays. Weekends and public holidays at 06:07 and 07:40. Click here for the Bathurst to Sydney timetable.
Unfortunately, you can’t do the return journey in one day for just $7.50. The connections don’t work.
Before departing
Timetables are regularly updated by NSW TrainLink and Sydney Trains. So don’t forget to check and double-check all the departure times.
How long to spend in Lightning Ridge
We only spent one day (and two nights) in Lightning Ridge. We did the organised tour in the morning and then had a look around town in the afternoon. We felt we’d just about seen everything and we were happy with our short stay.
Few people take their summer holidays in Wilcannia.
“It’s too hot!” Everyone told us before we departed. I tried to book the trip in spring but the train was full and so was the accommodation we were planning to stay at. So summertime (January 2021) it had to be.
As history goes, I’d first passed through Wilcannia on a hitchhiking trip back in January 1997. As the truck I’d hitched a lift with crossed the Darling River into Wilcannia from the east, the truck driver pointed out the old lift bridge that allowed the paddle steamers to pass. As we entered the town I was taken by the sight of the beautiful old stone buildings in the dry and dusty landscape.
For the next 23 years, Wilcannia, was on my bucket list of places I wanted to return to for a closer inspection. A vivid picture of those beautiful old buildings was burnt into the back of my mind.
It rarely rains in Broken Hill – except when I go there.
My partner and I had travelled to Broken by train twice before. The first time we travelled straight through. But 13 hours in the same seat is a little too long for me, so the next time we broke the journey at Bathurst and stayed at the Victoria Hotel, across the street from Bathurst railway station. This time we decided to break the journey at Parkes.
Sydney to Parkes
Since the weekly NSW TrainLink train service Sydney to Broken Hill departs Sydney Mondays only, we departed Sydney on a Sunday using our Gold Opal cards aboard the 12:24 Opal service to Lithgow and alighted at Blackheath for lunch. After lunch at the Ivanhoe Hotel, we boarded the 18:38 Opal service from Blackheath to Lithgow. Blue Mountains line timetable.
The cost for this section of the journey using our Seniors cards was $23.64. Bookings are required through NSW TrainLink
Arrival at Parkes was at 21:40. We’d booked a night at the Henry Parkes Motor Inn just a few minutes’ walk from the coach stop at the Parkes railway station. The motel is beautifully maintained and spotlessly clean – 5/5.
The next morning (Monday) the motel owners minded our bags while we headed out to explore the town on foot in the hot but dry air. A pleasant change from the humidity of Sydney.
We walked through town up as far as the Tourist Information Offce, about 3km out of town. On return we picked up our bags and headed down for lunch at the newly renovated Railway Hotel, just a few minute’s walk from Parkes railway station.
Although Parkes station only sees two trains a week, it is well maintained and has staff.
Parkes to Broken Hill
Our train to Broken Hill arrived and departed on time at 12:48. The train left Sydney at 06:18 the same morning. Click here for the timetable.
The Seniors card fare is just $2.50 for this section of the journey from Parkes to Broken Hill. This fare was a (CPE) Country Pensioner Excursion fare, available to all Seniors card holders. You’ll need to book beforehand at the NSW TrainLink booking site.
The first major stop after leaving Parkes was Ivanhoe where all the passengers were allowed off the train to stretch their legs.
Arrival at Broken Hill was about an hour late caused by speed restrictions due to the chance of the summer heat buckling the track.
We then spent two nights across the street from the Broken Hill railway station at the Comfort Inn – a one-minute walk from the station. It’s the perfect place to stay in Broken Hill if you arrive by coach or train. Rates are reasonable, and if you join the Choice Hotels Customer Loyalty program before booking, you’ll get a discount on the prices shown.
Broken Hill to Wilcannia
Departure from Broken Hill to Wilcannia was aboard the Community coach service which departs from the Broken Hill post office 5 days a week at 14:30. The fare for Seniors cardholders is $2.50. Arrival at Wilcannia is at 17:30. (Wilcannia time) Note that Broken Hill is on (CST) Central Standard Time, while Wilcannia is in on (EST) Eastern Standard Time.
In Wilcannia we were booked into Warrawong On The Darling. The bus driver went out of his way to help all his passengers aboard his bus (about 10) by dropping them off at their final destinations. Warrawong On The Darling is about 3 km out of town and he drove us out there. Now, how’s that for country hospitality! It was a great place to stay, the only negative is the distance from town. But for any senior, the twenty-five-minute walk each way to town is a lot more fun than an hour in the gym!
It was a joy to walk across the old lift bridge, over the Darling River into Wilcannia. I’ll admit I was somewhat disappointed as there were not as many of the old buildings still standing as there were when I visited 23 years earlier. The police station, post office, courthouse, hospital, and council buildings were all still there and in perfect condition. Other buildings were in a state of disrepair. I was told that the original stone the buildings were built from had the tendency to crumble. It was a very enjoyable walk around town. We stopped to talk with the locals who were friendly and informative. One local was out taking his beautiful French bulldog for a walk. We finished our walk with a drink at the Wilcannia Golf Club.
In Nyngan we stayed at the Outback Motor Inn which was very clean and comfortable. On arrival I requested a room overlooking the railway. The people at reception looked a little perplexed at my strange request. I then told them I was a train enthusiast like Michael Portillo and instantly a smile of recognition came over their faces. They gave us the perfect room.
We’d just entered our room and dropped our bags when an empty ore train heading through to Cobar blew its horn. I opened the curtains for a great view of the train and ran for my camera.
Nyngan to Millthorpe
Next morning we caught the same coach service we’d arrived on through to Dubbo. This coach departed Nyngan at 11:25. At Dubbo, we changed for the Dubbo to Sydney XPT train through to Millthorpe, an historic village between Orange and Blayney. This was again a CPE fare of just $2.50 for the entire journey from Nyngan to Millthorpe. You’ll need to make a booking on the NSW Trainlink Regional trains and coaches booking page. Click here for the timetable.
Millthorpe has cobbled streets, gift and antiques shops, art galleries, a museum, restaurants, cafes and two hotels. We stayed the night at the Millthorpe Motel and dined at the Tonic Restaurant. This really blew the budget, but worth every cent. It was a nice change from the kangaroo burgers and wombat stew we’d been living on further west. Just kidding :).
Millthorpe to Sydney
Next day was Sunday. We spent the morning drinking coffee, eating cakes and exploring the antique and craft shops – as you do in Millthorpe. Later that same day (Sunday) we boarded the 13:50 NSW TrainLink coach through to Lithgow. This coach service connected with an Opal service into to Sydney. Click here for the timetable. The cost for this section of the trip from Millthorpe to Lithgow was $9.80 for Seniors card holders. Bookings are required.
Millthorpe N.S.W
Don’t forget to check carefully all the timetables and have your bookings in place before leaving. We’re not responsible for any changes.
Bon Voyage.
Below is a breakdown of fares paid on the journey.
