Road to nowhere

Be sure to visit the huge satellite dishes that make up the CSIRO Australia Telescope in Pilliga.

The back of Bourke is more than just a geographic location, it's part of the Australian language, woven into its folklore as the ultimate example of the back of beyond, the middle of nowhere, a place way beyond the black stump.

Fortunately there's now a good road to the back of beyond where you'll find the Back of Bourke Pub sitting on a dusty corner of the Kidman Way, about 6kms north of Bourke.

Aside from the Fosters sign on its roof, it looks pretty much as it must have when it first opened in 1893.

For travellers - then and now - the sight of those rustic weatherboards and that wrap-around verandah means you've made it to the back of Bourke.

These days of course it's a much easier run than back in the 1890s.

Branching off the New England Highway north of Sydney, between Scone and Tamworth, the Kamilaroi Highway runs 600km due west - a mere seven hours driving linking the east coast of Australia to the edge of the Outback.

Of course if you want to count this as a true travel achievement, you have to take your time and stretch the Kamilaroi run out to at least three or four days, savouring the towns along the way.

Cutting across the vast Liverpool and Black Soil Plains via Quirindi, Gunnedah, Narrabri, Walgett and Brewarrina, the road to the back of Bourke makes it easy to do just that.

At the first official stop, Quirindi, you can spend at least a day stretching your legs on a walking tour of the town's historic buildings, soaking up the serenity at the Old Quipolly Dam bird hide and checking out all the aged household gadgets and machinery housed in the Rural Heritage Village.

Drive out to Wallabadah and wander through the First Fleet Memorial Gardens where an old stonemason has painstakingly carved the names of every passenger on to a series of stone tablets. And train-spotters will want to check out the Rail Journeys Museum and Monument at Werris Creek.

Heading across the golden fields of wheat and canola that have replaced the once-famous Liverpool Plains sheep and cattle runs en route to Gunnedah, you can see why this landscape inspired Dorothy Mackellar's love of "a sunburnt country".

There are tributes to Australia's favourite poetess and her fellow bush bards all over town - in plaques along the main street, in Jean Isherwood's series of My Country watercolours at the Bicentennial Creative Arts Centre, and even in the public loos where verses are carved on the back of each toilet door.

Gunnedah is also famous for its thriving urban koala population and the friendly staff at the Visitor Information Centre will direct you to the latest sightings. Alternatively, you can visit Australia's favourite mascot at the Waterways Wildlife Park where Nancy Small cares for orphaned and injured koalas, along with some 520 similarly destitute native animals.

Travelling parallel with the smoky-blue Nandewar Ranges, the golden wheatfields give way to white blankets of cotton as you approach Narrabri.

The Australian Cotton Centre cuts through the myths and misconceptions of this often maligned industry, showcasing some of the environmental breakthroughs Australian cotton farmers and researchers have pioneered.

Narrabri is also the key access point to Mt Kaputar National Park and the vast Pilliga Scrub. The drive up to the summit of Mt Kaputar is rewarded with spectacular views that encompass one-tenth of NSW on a clear day, while a visit to Pilliga should include the six massive satellite dishes that make up the CSIRO Australia Telescope, lunch at the old Cuttabri Wine Shanty and a wander through the old Indian hawker graves at the Pilliga township cemetery.

Midway between Narrabri and Walgett, Burren Junction is one of the real delights of driving the Kamilaroi.

Just before you hit this tiny town, you'll see a side road to the bore baths which are usually surrounded by a clutch of caravans. Pull up under the tree, put on your togs and lower yourself into the healing thermal waters pumped up out of the Great Artesian Basin for a true Aussie bush spa experience.

In Walgett, take some time to have a look at the old cemetery and stroll along the riverbank on the Norman Tracker Walford Walkway to see vibrant Outback birds.

When you've come this far, detouring off the Kamilaroi to Lightning Ridge is a must. This wild west opal mining town absolutely encapsulates the rugged Australian spirit and larrikin sense of humour.

Driving tours are sign-posted with colour-coded car doors propped up against the trees which direct you to fabulously kitsch attractions like the Bottle House, the Walk-in Mine and Amigo's Castle. The town swimming pool and diving centre is a testament to the wealth that hides beneath the dusty mullock heaps and ramshackle miners' cabins, and no trip to the Ridge would be complete without a dip in the bore baths.

Back on the Kamilaroi en route to Brewarrina, you're officially in Back Country now. Watch out for emus, 'roos and roving herds of cattle as the road cuts across the scrub.

Brewarrina is another well-kept secret. Here you'll find the oldest man-made structure on earth - and I bet you've never heard of it. The Brewarrina Fish Traps are believed to date back 40,000 years and stretch for a kilometre along the Barwon River in a series of rock weirs and pools that the local tribes once used to catch fish.

Bre is still one of the most popular fishing spots in the Outback and Four Mile Camp is the ideal place to rediscover the pure joy of dropping a line far from the madding crowd.

The final 90km stretch of the Kamilaroi to Bourke was only sealed a few years ago, so the road conditions are probably better than you'll find on the Pacific Highway.

As the Gateway to the Outback, Bourke is equally surprising. After driving through dust-dry mulga, it's like an oasis in the desert, surrounded by lush orchards and cotton fields well-watered by the Darling River.

You can take a river cruise on the paddleboat Jandra, and catch a feed of fresh cod or yellowbelly at the town fishing reserve.

Or if you're feeling energetic you can climb to the summit of Mt Oxley and enjoy the views, visit a cotton gin and wander through the Back of Bourke Exhibition Centre.

Then you can put your feet up at the Back of Bourke Pub and relax in a way that's only possible when you're in the middle of nowhere.