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Far West (New South Wales)

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Overview

The Far West of Outback New South Wales is what some would call as "NSW's true Outback". Its only city, Broken Hill, is famed for being the "Wild West" of the state, while neighbouring Silverton a few kilometres to the n

Facts

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Source

WBP almanac

External sources

Wikivoyage

Media

From Wikipedia473 words

WBP editorial3

Travel craft in the frontier

Covering the Far West in a car means treating the road as a moving horizon. Fuel stations are sparse; the nearest spare‑parts depot may be a hundred kilometres away, so a full‑tank check and a basic toolkit are non‑negotiable. Timing matters: the midday heat can swell the tar, making braking feel sluggish, so plan stops for shade around the small outback towns that pepper the route. Mobile phone coverage drops to islands of signal near the Murray and Darling confluences, so a satellite messenger can be a quiet reassurance. Embrace the long, straight stretches – they lend themselves to night‑time stargazing, especially when you’re far from the city’s light spill.

The local angle on community life

Despite its low population density, the Far West harbours tightly knit clusters where social calendars revolve around community halls and local sports fixtures. Attend a Saturday cricket match in Broken Hill or a country‑wide rodeo in smaller shires; the gatherings are more than sport, they’re a barometer of regional resilience. Seasonal festivals often celebrate the river’s fleeting bounty, with bush tucker stalls showcasing native ingredients that thrive in the arid soils. Engaging with local volunteers at the regional museum can reveal stories of early mining booms and Indigenous custodianship that rarely appear in guidebooks, offering a nuanced portrait of a landscape shaped by hardship and hospitality.

When to visit for the quietest experience

The Far West’s climate grants a pronounced contrast between summer scorch and winter chill. Arriving in late autumn, when daytime temperatures dip into the low twenties Celsius and the skies clear, provides a comfortable window for exploring the expansive plains without the crowds that flock to the more temperate southern states. This period also aligns with the migratory patterns of several bird species that use the Murray‑Darling corridor as a stop‑over, offering keen birdwatchers a rewarding glimpse of waterbirds against a backdrop of red earth. Early mornings bring crisp air and an almost cinematic silence, ideal for photographing the subtle shifts of colour across the outback terrain.

Introduction

Region in New South Wales, AustraliaRegion in New South Wales, AustraliaFar WestRegionFar WestCoordinates: 31°57′24″S 141°28′04″E / 31.95667°S 141.46778°E / -31.95667; 141.46778CountryAustraliaStateNew South WalesLGA City of Broken Hill Central Darling Shire Unincorporated Far West Government • State electoratesBarwonMurray • Federal divisionsParkesFarrerArea • Total146,981 km2 (56,750 sq mi)Population • Total44,917 (2016 census) • Density0.305597/km2 (0.791493/sq mi) Regions around Far West Far North South West Queensland North West Slopes Far North Far West Orana, Central West Murray and Mallee Murray Riverina The Far West region of New South Wales, Australia refers generally to the western part of the state, which is too dry to support wheat or other crops or intensive pastoral endeavours. It is west of the North West Slopes, Central West and the Riverina. It is an area with limited rainfall. The only major rivers found in it are the Darling River and the Murray River (on its southern edge), which originate in the Great Dividing Range to the east. The region corresponds to the combination of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's forecast areas of Upper Western and Lower Western. It also corresponds to the Western Division established under the New South Wales Western Lands Act 1901. Map of Far West New South Wales The only city in the Far West is Broken Hill. Other significant towns are Bourke, Brewarrina, Cobar, Ivanhoe and Wentworth. Ninety-five per cent of the region is uncleared. Major economic activities are mining and extensive pasturing. During good seasons in the 1870s and 1880s, large sheep stations were established with high stocking rates, partly in response to a widespread belief that the introduction of agriculture would result in climate change toward European conditions. The error of this "rain follows the plough" concept was exposed by the droughts of the 1890s. Many of the stations established during this period failed and were subsequently abandoned. The Far West region is traversed by the Barrier Highway, the Silver City Highway, the Mitchell Highway, the Cobb Highway and the Sturt Highway. It is also served by the Sydney-Perth Railway. The region is served by Broken Hill Airport which provides air routes to Sydney, Adelaide, and Dubbo operated by Rex Airlines and QantasLink.

Media

[edit] Radio[edit] The region is served by these radio stations: ABC Broken Hill part of ABC Local Radio (regional) 2BH (commercial) Hill FM (commercial) 2DRY FM (community) Television[edit] Although Broken Hill is in New South Wales, the programming schedules for these channels (excluding the ABC) is the same as those of Nine, Ten and Seven in Adelaide, with local adverts inserted and some variations for coverage of Australian Football League or National Rugby League matches, local and national news and current affairs programs, some lifestyle and light entertainment shows and infomercials. This is because Broken Hill, unlike the rest of New South Wales, uses Australian Central Standard Time. ABC channels are relayed from Sydney, which is on Eastern Standard Time, so all programming is a half-hour earlier than advertised.