This article is brought to you by the Narrabri Region.
Narrabri is a hidden gem in northern New South Wales that sits halfway between Sydney and Brisbane. It’s a 6.5-hour drive from both capital cities.
For local resident Jo Hannaford, the best part about visiting Narrabri is seeing Mt Kaputar – not from one viewpoint, but throughout the region. The summit of Mt Kaputar stands 1510m above sea level, more than five times the height of Sydney’s tallest skyscraper, Crown Sydney. Looming in the distance, it frames the region’s plains, resulting in a scene so picturesque it’ll fill your camera memory.
Mt Kaputar Image credits: Narrabri Region
“It just really, really stands out,” says Jo, who has lived in Narrabri for 35 years. “You’ve only got to look up on any given occasion, and it’s there. Yesterday we had storms and there was mist on the mountain. And the way the light hit some of the rock formations, it just glowed. You can’t help but keep looking at it during your day.”
Narrabri gives you the chance to slow down, to feel calmer. It’s something you don’t often get to do in a city. “Walking down the street in town, you’ll get a real sense of community,” Jo says. “You can get to know people – not like the city where you’re anonymous and everyone’s in the world’s greatest hurry. You don’t have that out here.”
Another reason Jo says the region is worth a visit is that it’s the only place to see Mount Kaputar pink slugs. These giant, neon-pink slugs native to the region were under threat of extinction after the Black Summer bushfires but have recently been spotted by locals in large numbers.
Here, Jo shares some of the best things to do while you’re in Narrabri.
Hike Mount Kaputar
Like in any region with national parks, expect plenty of nature walks. Striking rock formations, formed by lava flows some 18 million years ago, make walking through Mt Kaputar National Park incredibly special. Some of the best include Sawn Rocks walking track, Kaputar Plateau walk and Mt Kaputar summit walk.
“There are places in Mt Kaputar National Park that rival the Blue Mountains,” Jo says. “Not many people know about here, so on any given day you can be the only person on a hike, or the only car in the park besides the rangers’ [cars].”
Mount Kaputar is also a great place to catch sunrise or sunset. The mountain is an hour’s drive from town, but once you’ve parked at the summit, it’s just a five-minute walk to the viewpoint.
If the weather conditions are right, sometimes you’ll be treated to a stunning sunrise or sunset from the plains. The entire sky will light up with pinks, reds and yellows. “You can just be driving along the Newell Highway here and [see] the sunsets,” Jo says. “It’s a photographer’s dream out here. It’s amazing.”
Mt Kaputar. Image credits: Narrabri Region
Step outside and stargaze
Narrabri has little light pollution, making it a great place for stargazing. With the right conditions, Jo says the night sky is incredible. You can spot the Southern Cross, Milky Way, Orion’s Belt and sometimes even the planets.
“We’ve recently had the ATLAS comet appear,” Jo says. “We even had a very faint Aurora experience several months ago. Sometimes you can see eclipses. We’ve had a series of supermoons, blood moon, epic full moons – holy moly!”
If you’re lucky, you might even spot the International Space Station passing overhead. And for all this, you don’t need a telescope or a dedicated viewing spot. Jo suggests you find somewhere with an unobstructed view of the sky, meaning with few trees or buildings.
The Australia Telescope & Swan Rocks. Image credits: Narrabri Region
Camp at Yarrie Lake
Another must-do is to camp at Yarrie Lake. Or if you’re not staying there, at least pencil in a visit. A 25-minute drive from town, it’s a 3km-wide, saucer-shaped body of water thought to have been formed by a falling meteor thousands of years ago.
“It’s a fantastic spot for camping and for sunsets, sunrises and stargazing,” Jo says. “It ticks all the boxes. You’ve also got water activities you can do there.”
If this campsite doesn’t strike your fancy, there’s also Primitive Campground at Pilliga Artesian Bore Bath, free camping at Rocky Creek Glacial Area and two campgrounds – Dawsons Spring and Bark Hut – in Mt Kaputar National Park. You can also camp on several privately owned properties, including one along Namoi River.
Yarrie Lake also has the largest telescope of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, the Australia Telescope. The observatory where the telescope is housed is open seven days a week and free to enter. A theatrette has screenings showing how the telescope works, and astronomers use it to find out more about the world.
Camping along Namoi River at Riverside Farm Retreat. Image credit: Narrabri Region
Soak in Pilliga Artesian Bore Baths
After a day of exploring Narrabri, soak your tired muscles in the natural healing waters at Pilliga Artesian Bore Baths, which is free to enter. The waters have been running into the bore baths for well over a century and are almost always naturally 37.1°C.
“It’s like having an Epsom salt bath,” Jo says. “Every time you hop in there, they’ve got all these other essential minerals that are good for your skin or if you’ve got any arthritis. It’s just super soothing. You can stay in the campgrounds adjacent, and if you stay there three or four days, it’s like having a mini-health retreat.”
Pilliga Bore Bath. Image credit: Narrabri Region
This article is brought to you by the Narrabri Region.
