Suggested Itinerary for Dubbo, Uluru (or Adelaide) & Murray River Holiday
The round trip is about 6,200 Km from Sydney, though it could be started from anywhere en route as well as from Melbourne (going first to Echuca) or Adelaide starting at Port Augusta. If you are in Queensland or the North of NSW you could go through Tamworth to Dubbo. Most of the motels have swimming pools so the trip can be done in Summer months. However some of the motels are a bit out of town and some do not have restaurants. They may provide a microwave (if you ask) so you could buy some frozen meals on the way.
DAY 1: Travel to Dubbo where you could book two nights at the Forest Lodge Motor Inn, 248 Myall Street - phone: 02 6882 6500.
DAY 2: Spend the day at the Western Plains Zoo and driving around the area.
Have an early night before the long drive the next day!
DAY 3: Make an early start and drive to Broken Hill where you could book at
The Lodge Outback Motel (top right) at 252 Mica Street - phone: 08 8088 2722.
Remember to turn your watch back 30 minutes to Central Australian time!
DAY 4: Drive via Peterborough and Wilmington to Port Augusta. Stay the night
at Acacia Ridge Motor Inn where you could also book a night for the return trip. It's
at 33 Stokes Tce which is the last right turn before the start of the Stuart Highway.
Their phone number is 1800 423 377.
ALTERNATE DAY 4 (ADELAIDE TRIP): Detour to Peterbororough and then back onto the main road through Burra being sure to visit the historic mine site (below right) and the adjacent lookout. Then stay in Adelaide for 2 or 3 nights and return via Waikerie (just off the Sturt Hwy), Berri and Renmark to Mildura as in Day 8 below.
DAY 5: Book the next two nights at the Traveller's Rest Motel which is on the
Stuart Highway at Marla in the far North of S.A. Visit Woomera en route.
DAY 6: Make an early start and drive to Uluru (nearly five hours' drive) where you should expect to spend a couple of hours before returning to Marla in the late afternoon. You could stay an extra night or two at Uluru and/or Alice Springs.
DAY 7: Travel back to the Acacia Ridge Motor Inn in Port Augusta, visiting Coober Pedy en route. Be sure to visit the Umoona opal mine museum.
DAY 8: Travel via Port Pirie and watch for the turn off to Crystal Brook. Take that route to Burra being sure to visit the historic mine site (at right) and the adjacent lookout. Cross the Murray River on the ferry near Waikerie and take the short detour to Berri before continuing through Renmark to Mildura All Seasons Motor Inn, 433 Deakin Avenue - phone: 1800 887 078.
DAY 9: Follow the Sturt Highway and take the turn right to Robinvale just after Euston. Visit the Pioneer Village at Swan Hill and continue through Kerang with a possible detour to Bendigo if you wish to stay the night there. Otherwise book at the Fountain Motel which is at 77 Northern Highway, Echuca - phone 03 5482 3200.
DAY 10: Visit Port Echuca and cross the Murray to Moama. Head North for 15 Km and then turn right to Barmah and follow the signs to Nathalia. Cross the Murray to Tocumwal where you may stop for lunch at the cafe. Drive on through Tocumwal to Corowa. Íf you wish to visit Albury go via Howlong. Visit the Gardens there at right. When leaving Albury be sure to watch for the right turn to the new Hume Highway bypass. Alternatively, drive from Corowa to Rutherglen and then take the Hume Highway bypassing Albury. Watch for the sharp left turn to Wagga Wagga via the Olympic Highway. Stay there at the Junction Motor Inn, which is just off the Sturt Highway not far from the junction with the Olympic Highway. Phone 1800 688 900.
DAY 11: Have a look around Wagga Wagga and then drive to the Hume Highway taking the exit to Tumut. About 7 Km from Tumut is a right turn to the Blowering Dam (at right) which is typical of other dams in the Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric Scheme. Return to Tumut and take the road to Gundagai and then the Hume Highway back to Sydney, maybe visiting Berrima and Bowral. If you wish you could stay a night or two in Canberra before that, possibly driving there from Tumut via Cooma in Summer months. You could even cross to Batemans Bay and then back through the Kangaroo Valley to the Fitzroy Falls and Bowral.
