Dubbo
Town
Population 34318
One of Australia's fastest growing inland cities, Dubbo is most famous for its world-class open-range zoo. The city, on the banks of the Macquarie River, is thriving and prosperous with more than half a million visitors each year. Dubbo prides itself on city standards with a country smile.
Visitor Information
Cnr Newell Hwy and Macquarie St; (02) 6801 4450 or 1800 674 443
Nearby national parks
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Warrumbungle National Park
At Warrumbungle National Park rocky spires emerge from the heavily forested valleys and peaks, and gorges slice deep into the landscape....more -
Goulburn River National Park
At the heart of this national park is the Goulburn River, flanked by a deep gorge of sandstone cliffs honeycombed with caves. Wide sandy...more -
Coolah Tops National Park
Located in the Liverpool Ranges, on the narrow Warung Plateau, Coolah Tops National Park enjoys spectacular views to the Warrumbungle Range...more
Nearby towns
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Wellington
Wellington is a typical Australian country town with a wide main street, numerous monuments to significant local people and attractive...more -
Gilgandra
A historic town at the junction of three highways, 'Gil' is the centre for the surrounding wool and farming country. The 1915 Coo-ee March...more -
Gulgong
Gulgong was named by the Wiradjuri people (the name means 'deep waterhole'.) The town did not excite European interest until gold was...more
In Town
Western Plains Cultural Centre The centre includes the Dubbo Regional Gallery – the Armati Bequest, Dubbo Regional Museum and the Community Arts Centre. It exhibits local and national visual arts, heritage and social history. In 2007, the gallery received a generous gift from the Armati Family including Michael Riley's celebrated 'Cloud' series of photographs. To acknowledge this, the gallery was renamed the Armati Bequest. It specialises in the theme of Animals in Art, collecting works in a broad range of media and styles by artists from all areas. The museum, housed in the original Dubbo High School building, features a permanent space devoted to the story of Dubbo entitled 'People Places Possessions' and a temporary exhibition space. Closed Tues; Wingewarra Street; (02) 6801 4444.
Old Dubbo Gaol Closed as a penal institution in 1966, Old Dubbo Gaol now offers a glimpse at convict life. See the original gallows (where 8 men were hanged for murder) and solitary confinement cells, or walk along the watchtower. An amazing animatronic robot tells historical tales. There are also holograms and theatrical enactments. Macquarie St; (02) 6801 4460.
Shoyoen Sister City Garden: Japanese garden and teahouse designed and built with the support of Dubbo's sister city, Minokamo; Coronation Dr East. Jedda Boomerangs: Aboriginal art and culture displays; also makes and sells boomerangs. Decorate your own, or take throwing lessons (bookings essential); closed Sat; Minore Rd; (02) 6882 3110. The Clay Pan Gallery: exhibits include paintings, pottery, silver jewellery, woodturning, ceramics and local craft; closed Tues; Depot Rd. Traintasia: detailed operating model railway display with spectator interaction; Yarrandale Road; (02) 6884 9944.
Nearby
Taronga Western Plains Zoo Australia's first open-range zoo, with over 1000 animals from 5 continents, is set on more than 300 ha of bushland. The zoo is renowned for its breeding programs (especially with endangered species), conservation programs and education facilities and exhibits. There are talks by the keepers and early morning walks, as well as accommodation at Zoofari Lodge. Visitors can use their own cars, hire bikes or walk along the tracks. The Tracker Riley Cycleway paves the 5 km from Dubbo to the zoo and bicycles and maps are available from the visitor centre. Inquiries (02) 9969 2777; 5 km S.
Dubbo Observatory: explore the skies via Schmidt Cassegrain telescopes. Open nightly; Camp Road; (02) 6885 3022; 5.5 km S. Dundullimal Homestead: an 1840s restored squatter's slab-style homestead with working saddler, blacksmith and farm animals; Obley Rd; 7 km SE. Terramungamine Rock Grooves: the 150 rock grooves were created by the Tubbagah people; Burraway Rd via Brocklehurst; 10 km N. Narromine: agricultural centre well known for gliding and an outstanding aviation museum. The Air Pageant and Evolution of Flight Festival is held here each Sept/Oct; 40 km E. Heritage drives and river cruises: brochures from visitor centre. Wineries: several in region offering cellar-door tastings; brochure from visitor centre.
Fishing spots near town
Lithgow to Mudgee 190 km
Early settlers following in the footsteps of Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson took three weeks of hard trudging to cross the majestic Blue Mountains. These days the drive from the Penrith plains in western Sydney takes... Find out moreEco-friendly activities around town
Wine-tasting - Mudgee 100 km
Mudgee is probably best known for its vineyards and wine, and there are a growing number of organic wineries, including Botobolar, Lowe Family Wines, Martins Hill and Thistle Hill. Broombee also has organic fruit and... Find out moreStar-gazing - Coonabarabran 116 km
Because of its combination of clear skies, altitude and distance from city lights, Coonabarabran is the astronomy capital of Australia. There are various ways to explore space here, from simply gazing skyward with a pair... Find out moreKoala-spotting - Coonabarabran 125 km
Coonabarabran is home to one of the healthiest koala colonies in the state, and the solitary mammals are often seen in and around the town. Try the Porcupine Reserve and while there check out the view over the Liverpool... Find out moreBurning Mountain Nature Reserve 221 km
Forget global warming for a while and marvel at this coal seam, about 30 metres underground, that has been burning as hot as 1700°C for an estimated 5500 years. A 3.5-kilometre walk to the top of the mountain through... Find out morePicnicking in the Blue Mountains 223 km
Take a picnic up to the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden in Mount Tomah at any time of year and you will not be disappointed. At 1000 metres above sea level, it is usually cool in summer, brimming with flowers in spring,... Find out moreIce-climbing 228 km
In winter, the frozen cliffs around Blue Lake provide one of the only places in Australia to learn and perfect the art of ice-climbing. Multi-day courses involve a hike in with heavy packs, and camping out in the... Find out moreCafes & restaurants around town
This elegant wine bar in the heart of Dubbo is the perfect location for a light meal after a day spent exploring the area. The traditional tapas menu is faithful to local seasonal produce and there is a tempting... Find out more
Breweries around town
Mudgee Brewing 100 km
When the last brewery closed down in 1956 the local drop was referred to, unkindly, as Mudgee Mud; since then, the area has boomed as a wineproducing region and Mudgee Brewing came to the party in mid-2007. Started by... Find out moreCampsites around town
Big4 Dubbo Parklands 2 km
One of the BIG4 conglomerates, Dubbo Parklands is located on the Newell Hwy less than 2 km south of the town centre and supplies top-notch park facilities, including a recreation room with table tennis, movies and a... Find out moreGreenbah camping area 48 km
Bring your binoculars and your bird-identification guide to this camping area next to Greenbah Creek, as it’s a top spot for birdwatching. To get here, turn off Baldry–Peak Hill Rd onto Sawpit Gully Trail... Find out moreWanda Wandong camping area 60 km
Let the children run free in this spacious, grassy camping ground, 700 m off the Tomingley–Obley Rd, 3 km north of Tomingley. This is the best section of the park to visit for 2WD vehicles towing caravans; even so,... Find out moreTandara Caravan Park 63 km
Located in Trangie, a friendly, small town on the Mitchell Hwy 72 km south-west of Dubbo, Tandara offers a range of accommodation including powered and unpowered tent sites, cabins and onsite vans. If you’re... Find out moreLake Burrendong State Park camping area 68 km
Turn onto Burrendong Rd off Wellington–Orange Rd north of Mumbil, and you’ll soon find this camping area. Activities include golf, sailing, hiking, canoeing, fishing waterskiing and a waterslide.... Find out moreMookerawa Waters Park camping area 78 km
To get here, follow Mookerawa Rd for 10 km from Stuart Town, off the Wellington–Orange Rd. Facilities and activities match those at the Lake Burrendong State Park camping area, but there are no powered sites here.... Find out moreWarren Weir camping area 90 km
Warren is a laid-back country town on the Macquarie River, 80 km west of Gilgandra on the Oxley Hwy. The weir is 5 km south of town; the camping and picnicking area is on the western side, accessed via Dubbo St.... Find out moreGunneemooroo Campground 103 km
This is the only camping area in the southern end of the park – to get here, follow John Renshaw Parkway from Coonabarabran, turn towards Tooraweenah and then onto Dooroombah Rd. The access road is 2WD, dry-weather... Find out moreDows Camp (bush camping) 107 km
Dows Camp is situated between the Grand High Tops and Mt Exmouth, at the junction of Bluff Mountain Trail and Western High Tops. It’s a long walk from Pincham carpark – campers will need to be self-sufficient... Find out moreBalor Hut camping area (walk-in camping) 108 km
This old walkers’ hut is at the base of The Breadknife and Grand High Tops, and is accessible via a fairly strenuous 6 km walk from Pincham carpark. The hut sleeps 8, but you’ll need to bring everything with... Find out moreCaravan parks around town
BIG4 Dubbo Parklands 2 km
This is a very good park at the southern entrance to the city, the closest to Taronga Western Plains Zoo. The place has a large selection of accommodation and very good amenities. Winter months can be very busy as... Find out moreWest View Tourist Caravan Park 3 km
Located alongside the Mitchell Highway on the western approach to town, this is a convenient overnight stop. It is budget priced and dog friendly. Bookings are required in peak periods.... Find out moreWellington Riverside Tourist Park 46 km
This is a well-maintained park on the banks of the Macquarie River, close to the highway and just a short walk to the centre of town. The park has good facilities at a budget price. Bookings are required at peak times... Find out moreWellington Valley Caravan Park 48 km
On the Mitchell Highway on the eastern approach to Wellington this older park has been renovated and transformed. The convenient drive-through sites and grassy camping areas are a feature.... Find out moreWellington Caves Holiday Complex 52 km
Relax and let a few days slip by at this spacious park, located 6 km south of the town centre alongside the Wellington Caves, a popular tourist attraction. It is a quality park and makes an ideal stopover. Bookings are... Find out moreGilgandra Caravan Park 59 km
Located alongside the highway on the northern side of the Castlereagh River, this budget-priced park is set on an impressive expanse of lawn with large shady trees. Enjoy the pool, cook a barbecue or take your dog for a... Find out moreTandara Caravan Park 63 km
This owner-operated park is in a quiet offhighway location. Seasonal workers in the cotton industry often stay here. It has good amenities and a well-stocked shop. This is a good, budget-priced park.... Find out morePeak Hill Caravan Park 66 km
This owner-operated park offers a range of accommodation and is ideal for an overnight stay. It is a small, budget-priced park, located off the main highway and just a short walk from the town centre. The owners supply... Find out moreSpicer Caravan Park 106 km
This is a budget-priced, council-owned park with good basic facilities, about 2 km from the town centre. It is in a quiet spot, off the main highway, about 16 km from the Parkes satellite dish. Bookings are required in... Find out moreHotels, motels & B&Bs around town
If a day at the zoo just isn’t enough, these two overnight stay options will make you feel as if you’re spending a night in the African savannah. Zoofari Lodge offers canvas-covered lodges that look like... Find out more
Eco-friendly places to stay around town
Clonturkle Sanctuary 177 km
Join the experiment in sustainable living and tourism at Clonturkle Earth Hamlet and Forest Sanctuary. Located at Yetholme, there are four cabins set on 240 hectares of mostly eucalypt forest, with 15 kilometres of... Find out moreDargan Springs Mountain Lodge, Clarence 206 km
At the soft end of ecotourism, this pleasant lodge and wellness retreat has advanced eco-certification. It is surrounded by a mountain ash forest dotted with waratahs, the habitat of wombats and wallabies. With a maximum... Find out moreJenolan Cabins 219 km
These basic but cosy self-contained cabins, 6 kilometres up the steep hill past Jenolan Caves, are earth-sheltered for climate control and have composting toilets and rainwater. There are great views over the mountains,... Find out moreWoolshed Cabins, near Blackheath 219 km
Eleven kilometres from Blackheath and surrounded by a glorious natural amphitheatre of towering sandstone walls, the Woolshed Cabins sit on 100 hectares of cleared farmland (a working cattle farm) in the Kanimbla Valley,... Find out moreKanimbla View, Blackheath 220 km
Solar-powered, the two- and three-bedroom cottages here are surprisingly large inside. They are partially constructed from recycled and salvaged timbers, have composting toilets and a great view of the Kanimbla Valley... Find out moreWollemi Wilderness Retreat, Bilpin 223 km
These unusual self-contained cabins of various sizes feature passive solar design and are mainly constructed from recycled and salvaged materials. Although not high-class, they all have a spa and are in isolated bush... Find out moreJemby-Rinjah Eco Lodge, Blackheath 224 km
One of the first working examples of large-scale sustainable tourism to exist in Australia, Jemby-Rinjah has advanced eco-accreditation, and one of the most extensive systems of composting toilets in the country. Ten... Find out moreOld Leura Dairy 229 km
This creative collection of six buildings, which can sleep up to 30 people in various combinations, has been renovated and fitted out with all manner of recycled bits and bobs. There are old oven doors, rusted corrugated... Find out moreBunjaree Cottages, Wentworth Falls 234 km
Great for families, Bunjaree Cottages have been designed to make a small environmental footprint, with full solar power and earth-brick insulation. One is built with recycled car tyres and mud, providing even better... Find out moreRest areas around town
Dubbo West Rest Area 8 km
8 km W of Dubbo (R) or 32 km E of Narromine (L) Small area just off the highway. Limited shade. GPS: S32 12.243 E148 32.358 ... Find out more9 km N of Dubbo (L) or 57 km S of Gilgandra (R) Large area just off the highway around a few trees. Good shade. GPS: S32 10.299 E148 37.151 ... Find out more
T/O 8 km N of Dubbo (L) or 58 km S of Gilgandra (R) Large area 4 kilometres west of the highway on the bank of the river. GPS: S32 10.124 E148 35.198 ... Find out more
Panai Rest Area 13 km
106 km NE of Parkes (L) or 14 km SW of Dubbo (R) Secluded area just off the highway among some large trees. Good shade. GPS: S32 19.800 E148 30.504 ... Find out moreGeurie North Rest Area 26 km
24 km NW of Wellington (L) or 27 km SE of Dubbo (R) Small area adjacent to the highway. Limited shade. GPS: S32 23.306 E148 48.978... Find out moreNarromine East Rest Area 32 km
36 km W of Dubbo (R) or 4 km E of Narromine (L) Small area adjacent to the highway. Limited shade. GPS: S32 14.618 E148 16.179... Find out moreTomingley Creek Rest Area 43 km
74 km NE of Parkes (L) or 46 km SW of Dubbo (R) Large area just off the highway surrounded by trees. Limited shade. GPS: S32 31.283 E148 16.763 ... Find out moreWellington South Rest Area 53 km
56 km N of Molong (R) or 9 km S of Wellington (L) Small area adjacent to the highway. Limited shade. GPS: S32 37.413 E148 56.885... Find out moreTomingley South Rest Area 53 km
64 km N of Parkes (R) or 56 km S of Dubbo (L) Large area just off the highway. Good shade. GPS: S32 35.698 E148 13.176 ... Find out moreGilgandra Park Area 58 km
South side of town Large parking area at the information centre. Good facilities and shade. GPS: S31 43.286 E148 39.393 ... Find out moreTrangie Park Area 63 km
South side of town Small parking area just off the highway. Good facilities but only limited shade. GPS: S32 01.45 E147 59.672... Find out moreCollie East Rest Area 67 km
22 km W of Gilgandra (R) or 63 km E of Warren (L) Small area just off the highway. Limited shade. GPS: S31 39.462 E148 26.858... Find out moreTwo Mile Creek Rest Area 71 km
32 km N of Molong (L) or 33 km S of Wellington (R) Large area adjacent to the highway. Limited shade. GPS: S32 50.029 E148 54.404... Find out moreBell River Rest Area 79 km
23 km N of Molong (R) or 42 km S of Wellington (L) Large area adjacent to the highway. Limited shade. GPS: S32 54.712 E148 53.429 ... Find out moreTooraweenah Rest Area 91 km
39 km NE of Gilgandra (L) or 55 km SW of Coonabarabran (R) Small area adjacent to the highway. Good facilities. GPS: S31 28.147 E148 55.246 ... Find out moreWarren Park Area 94 km
East side of town Parking area adjacent to the highway. Good facilities and shade. GPS: S31 41.817 E147 50.414 ... Find out moreSandy Creek Rest Area 95 km
7 km SW of Warren (L) or 12 km NE of Nevertire (R) Small area just off the highway among some large shady trees. GPS: S31 44.56 E147 47.01 ... Find out moreWarren North Rest Area 95 km
81 km SW of Gilgandra (R) or 4 km NE of Warren (L) Small area just off the highway. Limited shade. GPS: S31 40.005 E147 51.473... Find out moreMolong Park Area 98 km
South side of town Small area adjacent to the highway. Good facilities. Limited shade. GPS: S33 05.966 E148 52.297... Find out moreHickey Falls Rest Area 100 km
55 km NE of Gilgandra (L) or 39 km SW of Coonabarabran (R) Large area just off the highway among some large trees. Good shade. GPS: S31 25.841 E149 04.101... Find out moreKingsley Fairborough Park Area 102 km
30 km NW of Orange (R) or 4 km SE of Molong (L) Small grassed area just off the highway. Good shade. GPS: S33 07.26 E148 54.31 ... Find out moreGamboola Rest Area 109 km
17 km NW of Orange (L) or 17 km SE of Molong (R) Small area just off the highway. Reasonable shade. GPS: S33 09.44 E149 00.36... Find out moreBillabong Creek Rest Area 116 km
23 km N of Forbes (R) or 10 km S of Parkes (L) Small area just off the highway. Good shade. GPS: S33 12.531 E148 07.473 ... Find out moreNorth Gowan Rest Area 133 km
8 km N of Coonabarabran (L) or 110 km S of Narrabri (R) Large area adjacent to the highway. Limited shade. GPS: S31 13.081 E149 19.586... Find out moreForbes Rest Area 139 km
South side of town Large area on the riverbank 500 metres north-west of the highway past the Forbes Lake Motel. Good shade. Facilities at adjacent day use area. GPS: S33 23.292 E148 00.110... Find out moreMacquarie Wood Camp Area 145 km
T/O 28 km W of Bathurst (R) or 28 km E of Orange (L) Large open grassed area located 2 kilometres north of the highway among some large trees. Good facilities and shade. NOTE: Access road unsealed. GPS: S33 24.34... Find out moreWhat's on around town
Markets: Macquarie Lions Park, 1st and 3rd Sat each month; Dubbo Showground, Wingewarra St, 2nd Sun each month.
Western Plains Country Music Championships: Easter.
Jazz Festival: Aug.
Red Ochre Festival: Sept.
