EV road trip: Dubbo to Broken Hill

After a serene night’s sleep at the centrally located NRMA Dubbo Holiday Park, it’s just a six-minute drive to a ‘wild’ adventure at Taronga Western Plains Zoo.

Hire bicycles or an electric cart to explore the zoo at your own pace or book a Savannah Safari tour through herds of African animals.

There are also up-close encounters available to feed and hang out with giraffes, hippos and meerkats – just don’t end up like the kid in this viral video (it’s not known at which zoo it was filmed).

Located at Dubbo airport, the Royal Flying Doctor Service Visitor Experience lets you learn about the current work and history of this life-saving service. It has interactive, state-of-the-art equipment for immersive storytelling that visitors of all ages will find engaging and interesting.

It’s then only an eight-minute drive back into town to visit the Old Dubbo Gaol. Starting as a rudimentary courthouse lock-up in 1847, it underwent various upgrades over the years until its closure in 1966. It was also the site of a number of prisoner executions and its grim history comes to life in informative displays, guided talks and even spooky, after-dark tours (during school holidays). 

The lovely town of Narromine is only a 37-minute drive from Dubbo and well worth a visit. It sits on the Macquarie River and is known for growing citrus fruits and having a proud sporting heritage. As the childhood home of cricketer Glenn McGrath, its town centre boasts an impressive bronze statue of him.

A two-minute drive north from here is the Soul Food Depot and Gallery, which occupies the historic Sungift Citrus Fruits Packing House. Fuel up on a pulled pork roll, Thai chicken wrap, burger or a smashed avo and feta on sourdough, before heading to the Narromine Aviation Museum. Its exhibits reflect the proud history of the town as an aviation hub featuring Australia’s oldest regional aero club, and it’s still considered one of the world’s best soaring sites for gliders today.

The township of Nyngan is less than a 90-minute drive along the Mitchell Highway from Narromine.

Most of its places of interest are on the south side of the railway tracks but you may want to stop at the Mid-State Shearers Shed Museum before you cross over. It houses an excellent collection of shearing memorabilia in a building that replicates an old shearing shed and is manned by volunteers who are all ex-shearers.

Crossing over to Pangee Street, it’s impossible to miss the old red railway station that’s now the Nyngan Museum, with exhibits on the region’s Aboriginal history, wartime contributions and mining and railway development. There’s a 1960s-era Iroquois helicopter out the front that was donated by the federal government to commemorate the airlifting of the town’s stricken residents when the Bogan River flooded in 1990.

Slightly further up the street is a statue celebrating the modern interpretation of the river’s name – the Big Bogan stands tall and proud, inviting visitors for an obligatory photo in front. The nearby Nyngan Coach House enclosure holds an original Cobb & Co mail coach and wool wagon, with interesting information boards to peruse.

From May 2022, EV drivers in Nyngan will be able to charge their vehicles using the NRMA fast charger at 18 Dandaloo Street, but we still have enough range in our Hyundai Kona EV to press on.

A 260km drive from Cobar, one of the first landmarks you’ll come across in Wilcannia is the Wilcannia Bridge over the Darling River. Built in 1896, its centre-lift construction allowed it to be raised for paddle steamers – one of the main means of early transport in the region – to pass under when the water level was high. There are also many striking heritage buildings in town, including the Court House (1880), Police Station (1881) and Post Office (1890), as well as the Wilcannia Athenaeum (1883), which was built as an institution for community education and housed a public library before presently becoming the town’s Pioneer Museum.

EV drivers in Wilcannia can use the NRMA fast charger located outside the charming façade of Wilcannia Hospital on Ross Street. The Indigenous artwork here, ‘River Fish’, was specially created for the NRMA by local artist, Eddy Harris.

It takes just over two hours to reach Broken Hill, so-named after Australian explorer Charles Sturt referred to the unique shape of its silver and lead-rich terrain in his diary as a “broken hill”. He also named the nearby Barrier Ranges, simply because they presented a barrier to his further explorations.

The landscape’s uniqueness has permeated through everything in town and it’s these quirks that attract so many visitors. Drivers can listen to local station 2Dry FM or call an ‘Outback Ooba’ if heading out to dinner and drinks.

Drop into the Pro Hart Gallery for some creative inspiration. The famed artist’s ‘big ant’ sculpture at Lions Recreational Reserve is dedicated to the miners who have extracted the town’s wealth over the years. It’s also located near the NRMA fast charger on Blende Street, opposite the Visitor Information Centre, so you can plan more of your trip while you wait for your EV to charge.

One particular must-visit is the Living Desert State Park and Sculptures, 12km outside of town. With magical desert views, walking trails, wildlife and 12 stunning sandstone sculptures that are best viewed around sunset, it’s a breathtaking experience. There’s a small park fee payable on arrival or camping fees can be paid prior at the visitor centre.